• Wells Fargo Championship, Round Three

McIlroy majestic at Quail Hollow

Rory McIlroy had a 66 on Saturday © Getty Images

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Rory McIlroy will be aiming to snatch the world No. 1 ranking back from Luke Donald in some style on Sunday after storming up the leaderboard on day three of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow.

McIlroy has played some of his best golf at this course, notably when he hit a course-record 62 on his way to the title two years ago, and he again showed his fondness for the track by producing a terrific 66. He is now 12 under through 54 holes, two shots behind leader Webb Simpson.

The Ulsterman, who will go back to world No. 1 with a top-seven finish, signalled his intentions with a brilliant first hole, playing a sand wedge to ten feet and then sinking the putt for birdie, before landing a 50-footer to pick up another shot at the second and grabbing another birdie at the third.

A brilliant bunker shot at the fifth helped him to go further under par - although there was a low point at five when he duffed a chip, which cost him a shot. More birdies came at eight and ten, and after sinking a terrific curving 12-footer at 11.

There was an uncharacteristic three-putt at the 16th to check his progress, yet the round had a fitting conclusion when, from the rough, he pulled out a terrific recovery shot to salvage par.

"I think when you get off to a good start like that, you get a bit of momentum early and you just keep going with it," McIlroy told Sky Sports. "I went out there today without many expectations, I just wanted to go out and play well. That'll be the goal again tomorrow - try and do better."

Lee Westwood posted his best round of the tournament, a 68, to move to five under, where he is joined by Phil Mickelson. Westwood hit only a third of his fairways, but his iron play was typically excellent and his putting was steady enough to take advantage of the fine approach work.

England's Brian Davis is seven under.

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