Rose surges to 3-shot lead at Memorial

Justin Rose made an early surge Saturday at the Memorial, when it seemed as though everyone except Tiger Woods was making a move.

Justin Rose made an early surge Saturday at the Memorial, when it seemed as though everyone except Tiger Woods was making a move. Rose kept right on going until he posted a 6-under 66 and emerged with a three-shot lead.

Five years after he first had that handshake with Jack Nicklaus after winning his tournament, Rose put himself in great position by missing only one green — j ust barely — on the back nine and creating a little comfort going into the final round.

He was at 15-under 201, three clear of Francesco Molinari and David Lingmerth.

“I guess I played a good, solid, patient round of golf. It ended up turning into a great round of golf,” Rose said. “I made my birdies when I had a chance and I limited the mistakes. Kind of surprised to play my way into a three-shot lead. I was looking just to keep pace, but it’s a fantastic position going into Sunday.”

Woods was in a peculiar position after the worst score of his pro career.

When he tapped in for quadruple-bogey 8 on the final hole at Muirfield Village, he had an 85 and was in last place. For the first time, he will tee off as a single. Woods did not speak to reporters after the round. The round didn’t feature the kind of shockingly bad chips he had i n Phoenix when he shot 82. It was mediocre golf when he wasn’t making bogeys and double bogeys.

Molinari had four birdies on the front nine until he cooled and shot 69. Lingmerth opened with a birdie to expand his one-shot lead at the start of the round, followed two bogeys with an eagle and then stalled. He shot 72.

Jim Furyk, another past champion at Muirfield Village, had a 70 and was four shots behind.