Golf:Rory McIlroy set himself up for a shot at a second victory in the Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina after taking the clubhouse lead in the third round after carding a brilliant six-under-par 66.
It moved the 2010 champion at Quail Hollow to 12 under par, a score that is guaranteed to have him among the later tee-times on the final day, with Ryan Moore (68) and DA Points (69) coming in after McIlroy to move the leading mark to 13 under.
McIlroy, who turned 23 on Friday, boosted his chances of reclaiming the world number one spot with eight birdies and two bogeys.
The Northern Irishman, who needs a top-seven finish to dethrone Luke Donald, birdied seven of his first 11 holes today, with a bogey four coming at the short sixth after a fluffed chip from the rough.
He made another birdie at the par-five 15th but three-putted the 16th following a monster 380 yard drive left him with just a wedge in his hand for his approach.
Rickie Fowler was a shot behind McIlroy in the clubhouse after shooting a 67, while a 65 from Geoff Ogilvy left him on 10 under alongside George McNeill.
It was proving to be a low-scoring day for a lot of the field, with England’s Lee Westwood signing in the clubhouse for a four-under 68, but that still left him well off the pace on five under.
Westwood went round with Phil Mickelson, who matched him shot for shot and rests tonight on the same score.
