Horschel delivers gem, builds five-shot lead at Memorial

DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) — The Memorial has another player who appears to be running away with the tournament. Billy Horschel at least gets a chance to finish the job.

One year after Jon Rahm built a six-shot lead — only to be forced to withdraw after the third round because of a positive COVID-19 test — Horschel delivered a gem at Muirfield Village on Saturday with a 7-under 65 for a five-shot lead.

Not only did Horschel make seven birdies, he has gone 44 consecutive holes without a bogey on a course where the greens have been getting increasingly firm under more sunshine that this tournament is used to seeing.

Horschel chipped in for birdie on his opening hole. Everything else was simply solid, with only one other birdie putt outside the 10-foot range.

He was at 13-under 203, five shots clear of Aaron Wise (69) and Cameron Smith (72). Horschel cared more about how he was playing — very well — than the size of his lead.

“I just go to the tee understanding I’m leading the tournament. I know I’ve got however many shots I have ahead,” he said. “I’m not going to be protective, I’m not going to be overly aggressive. I’m going to play the way I have the last three days. We’re going to hit the golf shots that are required, and I know if we do that it’s going to give me the best chance to be victorious come tomorrow.”

He will be going for his sixth individual title and seventh PGA Tour victory.

Daniel Berger had a 67 and six shots behind along with Jhonattan Vegas and former British Open champion Francesco Molinari, who hasn't had a top-five finish since the 2019 Masters.

“I’m just happy to be up there,” Molinari said. “Billy is a really good player, but in golf you never know. On a course like this, it’s showing today that if you hit