Seamus Power climbed into the top 10 at the FedEx St Jude Championship with a four-under-par third round, but former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama is streaking away at the head of the field at TPC Southwind.
Matsuyama continued to defy the absence of his regular caddy and coach after their passports were stolen in London to take control of the event at TPC Southwind.
He moved five shots clear at the top of the leaderboard, on 17-under, heading into the final round.
The highlight of the Japanese 32-year-old's third round was an eagle on the third, while he also produced five birdies and a solitary bogey in his six-under 64.
America's Nick Dunlap is his closest rival after he shot 66 to move to 12-under-par, with Viktor Hovland of Norway a shot behind in third.
Two-time PGA Tour winner Power carded five birdies in total, including two in a row at 15 and 16, with just one dropped stroke at the ninth to post a score of 66 and lead the Irish contingent on the eve of the final round.
Power sits in a seven-way tie for ninth on seven-under alongside Akshay Bhatia, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tony Finau, Billy Horschel, Robert MacIntyre and Tony Finau.
Despite an eagle at the par-five 16th, Shane Lowry struggled to make headway on day three, carding an even-par 70 to remain at two-under and tied-39th.
Beginning on the 10th, Lowry opened with a birdie but registered three bogeys in six holes between 12 and 17, the spectacular eagle nestled in among them.
He again dropped a stroke at the first hole on the turn and, while he responded with a birdie on the par-5 third, he was unable to mount a charge in what remained of the round.
A horror start to his third round, with back-to-back double bogeys on 12 and 13 (his third and fourth holes) condemned Rory McIlroy to another disappointing day, the three-time FedEx sitting close to the foot of the field after a four-over 74.
McIlroy rallied somewhat, posting three birdies on his inward nine to sit at five-over par overall, with only three players - Jake Knapp (+6), Jordan Spieth (+7) and Max Homa (+11) - below him in the standings.
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