By TERESA M. WALKER AP Sports Writer

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Davis Love III thinks he's playing as well as he did earlier this year before pulling a rib muscle at Bay Hill. Now the U.S. Ryder Cup captain is eager to see just how much he might do.

Love III shot his third straight 2-under 68 on Saturday to join Nick O'Hern and John Merrick atop the leaderboard at the windy St. Jude Classic. Asked what his first PGA Tour win since 2008 would mean, the 48-year-old Love had a quick answer.

"Be a lot of Ryder Cup points," Love said.

With a win, Love is projected to jump from 63 into the top 30 in the Ryder Cup standings. Love started off this year excited about how he was playing before injuries slowed him down. He wound up not playing at all for about six weeks after withdrawing on the final day at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in late March before returning at The Players Championship.

Love tied for 16th at the Memorial last week, then played 36 holes in Columbus, Ohio, to qualify for his 23rd U.S. Open. He committed late to play in Memphis, making sure he was healthy enough to use this event as a final tuneup.

Love had three birdies and only one bogey Saturday to match O'Hern and Merrick at 6- under 204, the highest 54-hole lead on tour this year. O'Hern had a 67, and Merrick shot 69. The man with 20 career PGA wins said obviously there's a lot of pressure and he wants to win. He has only two wins since winning four times in 2003.

"Is it a big huge deal in my career that I have to win this week? No. But when you get up there at the top ... the old feeling kicks in. You concentrate better, you focus better and my routines of the day were coming down those last four, five holes. And I missed a couple putts, but I felt like I was right in like old times ... focused and playing and enjoying it," Love said.

"So it would mean a lot to win for sure. Anytime you win out here is important. But it's fun to be in it."

Rory McIlroy, who will try to defend his U.S. Open title next week at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, had a one-stroke lead when he teed off. He shot a 2-over 72 in a round that featured six bogeys and four birdies to drop in a tie at 5 under.

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Love heads up 3-way tie after 3 rounds in Memphis