Scheffler (71) was at 10-under 206 and four ahead of Collin Morikawa (68), Adam Hadwin (72) and Sepp Straka (68).

Indian-American Sahith Theegala after rounds of 73-71 on first two days brought in 3-under 69 at a difficult Muirfield Village course and rose to T-7th after being T-20 at the end of the second round. The other Indian American Akshay Bhatia (75) slipped from T-7 to T-18.

In the third round Scheffler had a triple bogey when he went out of bounds in his 1-under 71. He also had six birdies to make a good recovery and pull away from the field.

He is now in line for his fifth title of the season, which includes wins at the 20234 Masters and the Players.

Rory McIlroy (73) was lying T-11 and eight shots behind Scheffler, while Xander Schauffele (71) was in the bunch tied at fifth place.

Morikawa will be in the final group with Scheffler, just as he was at the Masters. He is a past champion at Muirfield Village in the 2020 Workday Charity Open.

Defending champion Viktor Hovland was in the fray till he went into water on the par-5 11th for bogey. He also bogeyed the 12th and the 13th and the 14th. He birdied the 15th, but again went into the water off the tee on the par-3 16th for a triple bogey.

In the stretch between 11th and 16th he had four bogeys, a triple bogey and one birdie. His back nine 42 for a round of 77 saw him drop to T-14 and he is nine behind the leader, Scheffler.