Justin Thomas has kept another clean card at Muirfield Village to turn a three-shot deficit into a two-shot lead after the third round of the PGA Tour event in Ohio.
Thomas first had to run off three-straight birdies to stay within range of overnight leader Collin Morikawa before a trio of back-nine birdies gave him a six-under 66 to lift him to 16-under 200.
Norway's Viktor Hovland had eight birdies in his round of 66 to sit second while an even-par round kept Morikawa at 13-under as he dropped back to solo third.
The final group at Muirfield Village on Sunday is a glimpse of golf's next generation.
Thomas is the proven star, already a major champion and former world No. 1 at age 27 as he goes after his third victory this season and the 13th victory of his career.
Hovland, the former US Amateur champion from Norway, and Morikawa had just left college at this time last year but have both already won on tour.
Thomas figures it won't be the first time they all play together.
"It'll be fun to hang with those guys tomorrow, but at the end of the day I'm worried about myself and trying to win a golf tournament and have a good round," he said.
Sam Burns (70) and Kevin Streelman (71) are joint fourth at 11-under while Englishman Ian Poulter had a 69 to be in a share of sixth at 10-under.
"It's going to have to be a low one tomorrow," Poulter said.
Matt Jones (67) is best-placed of the Australian contingent at eight-under and a share of 13th while former world No.1 Jason Day carded a two-under 70 to be tied-19th at six-under.
The final round of the Workday Charity Open will start early because of heavy storms in the forecast Sunday afternoon, with threesomes starting on both tees.
The event needs to end before the weather on Sunday as the course that Jack Nicklaus built will become the first in 63 years to host back-to-back PGA Tour tournaments - with the Memorial scheduled to commence on Thursday.
Australian Associated Press
