Looking to play his way on to full-time PGA Tour duties, Christiaan Bezuidenhout showed plenty of positives through 36 holes at the Memorial.
The Andulucia Masters champion, who beat Jon Rahm on home soil for that breakthrough win, was extremely poised on Friday. His game was sharp from tee to green as he hit 15 of 18 greens.
That set him up for a good day and he converted with a 69 thanks to a putter that did not miss inside 10 feet throughout.
In all, he gained nearly a stroke on the field as he moved up to share 16th at -3 alongside Dylan Frittelli, who managed to turn five missed fairways into just three missed greens en route to a 68.
The South African pair were joined in weekend play by Erik van Rooyen and Louis Oosthuizen (73), both at +1 at the halfway mark.
Like his higher-placed countrymen, Van Rooyen hit 15 greens to match Bezuidenhout’s Friday score.
Oosthuizen lost three shots in his final two holes to move over par.
Trio Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace and Ernie Els all missed the cut at +5.
Leading with 36 to play is Tony Finau alongside Ryan Palmer. Finau, who has rattled off 14 birdies over two days, recovered from two bogeys after three holes early on by making birdies on the rest of the par fives and finishing with a wedge to two feet for a three-under 69.
Ryan Palmer (68), who has carded just a single bogey through to this point, is playing Muirfield Village in a particularly impressive manner.
The pair find themselves a shot in front of Jon Rahm (67), who has another chance to reach world No 1 this week for the first time in his career.
US Open champion Gary Woodland had a 70 and was two behind.
Top 10 win probabilities:
- Jon Rahm (3, -8, 28.7%)
- Tony Finau (T1, -9, 20.9%)
- Ryan Palmer (T1, -9, 11.3%)
- Gary Woodland (T4, -6, 6.2%)
- Chez Reavie (T4, -6, 4.4%)
- Patrick Cantlay (T8, -4, 4.2%)
- Justin Thomas (T16, -3, 3.6%)
- Viktor Hovland (T8, -4, 3.5%)
- Jason Day (7, -5, 3.0%)
- Rory McIlroy (T21, -2, 2.0%)
