Rory McIlroy stutters to one-over 73 at the Wells Fargo Championship

Rory McIlroy admits he needs to cut out the 'sloppy mistakes' in his game after a disappointing third round at the Wells Fargo Championship.

The defending champion's hopes of a record third Quail Hollow title look in doubt after a one-over 73 on Saturday, where McIlroy mixed five birdies with four bogeys and a double-bogey during an up-and-down day.

McIlroy is the only player in the world's top five not to have claimed a worldwide victory so far this year, with a tied-third finish at March's WGC-Cadillac Championship his best performance to date.

The world No 3 has twice broken the course record on his way to winning the tournament in 2010 and 2015, but feels he's some way away from being in serious contention this time around. 

"I just haven't been playing as efficient as I could be," McIlroy told Sky Sports. "I feel like everything is sort of there, it's just a matter of putting it all together and for the most part this year I haven't been able to do that.

"There have been spells where it has been good and I have had a couple of chances to win this year, but I haven't quite done that.

"It's a work in progress and I'm trying to stay as patient as possible, but there are certainly times on the course where it does get frustrating!

"I'm maybe a little bit too far back but at least I can go out tomorrow [Sunday] and give it my all and try to post a low one."

Resuming six strokes off the pace on Saturday, McIlroy missed a seven-footer to save par at the first and dropped another shot after failing to get up-and-down at the fourth.

Birdies at the par-five fifth and seventh were cancelled out by a double-bogey six at the ninth to see McIlroy reach the turn two over, before he fell further behind with a blemish at 11.

Gains at the 12th and 15th were sandwiched between another three-putt at the 14th, with the Northern Irishman finishing his round in style and getting back into red figures by draining an 80-foot birdie at the 17th.

"Obviously I didn't get off to the fast start I was hoping for, being two over through four," McIlroy added. "It was playing tough so to get back to even par through seven was good, but I let a couple of shots slip around the middle.

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"I don't think it has been this week it has been all year, just making sloppy mistakes. I three-putted the first, I three-putted 11 and I didn't take some other opportunities that I gave myself.

"I came back well and I played the last four holes in two under to get in to red figures for the tournament."

Watch the final round of the Wells Fargo Championship on Sunday from 6.30pm on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf