Jason Day goes two clear in Wells Fargo Championship

Jason Day will take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow in Charlotte.

The 30-year-old Australian fired a four-under 67 in the third round to move to 10-under 203 and two ahead of American Nick Watney.

Former world No 1 Day, who is seeking his 12th PGA Tour victory, started the round just one shot behind overnight leader Peter Malnati, but struggled to make inroads early on as he bogeyed the fifth and parred the other seven of the first eight holes.

A birdie at the ninth, following a superb approach shot over the trees, sparked Day into life and further birdies at the 10th, 12th and 14th took him to the top of the leaderboard.

Day was driving well as a 367-yard blast down the 15th - his longest drive of the year so far - set up his fifth birdie in seven holes, and he then survived 'The Green Mile' intact with three closing pars.

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His drive down the 18th, where he carded an eight in the third round of last year's PGA Championship at the course, flirted with the stream down the left but it remained dry, unlike his feet as he played a solid second shot onto the green with them planted in the water.

"Today was a bit of a struggle through eight holes. Didn't quite get the ball in position," Day said. "Got a tap-in birdie on nine and a good shot down the middle on 10. I knew good things would come. I just had to be patient.

"If I can hit a lot more greens and get the proximity closer, I feel like I could, not run away from it, but do pretty well if I can make the putts."

Watney, whose last win came in 2012, finished strongly to claim second place on eight under, draining four birdies over the final six holes for a five-under 66 as he overcame a mid-round wobble with a double-bogey seven at the 10th.

Conditions were tougher in the afternoon for the overnight pace-setters with the breeze strengthening and a number of the early starters were able to make the most of the benign morning weather.

Peter Uihlein fared best of all with a nine-under 62, which featured a six-hole stretch from the fifth which consisted of five successive birdies followed by an eagle at the 10th.

Back-to-back birdies at the 14th and 15th followed but he was unable to add another gain which would have seen him equal Rory McIlroy's course record of 61 which he set on the way to victory in 2015.

Uihlein shares third with fellow Americans Bryson DeChambeau (66) and Aaron Wise (70) and England's Paul Casey.

Casey dropped two early shots playing alongside Day before steadying the ship with three pars and a superb eagle at the 10th - where he hit his second shot to two feet - for a 69.

Wise, 21, was only one behind Day with three holes to play but dropped shots at the 16th and 18th, where he chipped in from off the green for a bogey.

McIlroy was also out early following his 76 on Friday and he went 10 shots better with a five-under 66 which took him to three under and into a tie for 16th place.

The Northern Irishman was only one shot inside the cut mark at the halfway stage, along with Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods.

Mickelson had his lowest round of the season as a seven-under 64 elevated him up the leaderboard to five under and in sole possession of 10th spot, while Woods solved some of his putting problems with a three-under 68, which left him on one under.

Masters champion Patrick Reed (67) and Augusta National runner-up Rickie Fowler, who four-putted the par-three 17th for a double-bogey in his 68, are both among a group of five on four under.

Malnati dropped out of contention with a four-over 75 which included an out-of-bounds double-bogey at the seventh and another double-bogey at the 12th.

Watch the final round of the Wells Fargo Championship live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues on Sunday from 6pm on Sky Sports Golf and 9.45pm on Sky Sports Main Event.