Rory McIlroy shot a five-under-par 65 to move into a tie for 14th, eight shots off the pace at the Houston Open.
The world number two was not satisfied with his driving, hitting only five of 13 fairways, but chipped in from just off the green on the par 5 eighth hole for eagle to reach nine-under-par.
“It’s one of those golf courses where you give yourself loads of chances from 20, 25 feet,” he said.
“And when you’re not converting any, it feels frustrating.”
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Min Woo Lee shot a third-round 63 to open a four-shot lead heading into the final round.
The Australian, who had to finish his weather-hit second round at the start of the day, had seven birdies to move to 17-under-par, four clear of Argentina’s Alejandro Tosti.
Lee admitted he needed to “get back into bed” after his long day, which at one point saw him six strokes ahead.
World number one Scottie Scheffler, who held the halfway lead, carded a 69 to sit in a group a stroke further back alongside New Zealand’s Ryan Fox and fellow American Ryan Gerard.
Scheffler, who tied the course record with a 62 in the second round, birdied the three par fives at Memorial Park, but added two bogeys. He admitted he felt as if he “couldn’t get the ball to go in the hole” on the greens.
“I feel like I hit it better today than I did yesterday,” Scheffler said.
“It’s a funny game sometimes.”
