McIlroy Loss Earns World No 1

Rickie Fowler beat Rory McIlroy and DA Points in a sudden-death play-off to win the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow in North Carolina.

The 23-year-old American, ranked 39 in the world, secured his maiden PGA Tour title after producing a superb approach shot at the first extra hole.

McIlroy's final round of 70 was enough for him to leapfrog Luke Donald at the top of the world rankings.

England's Lee Westwood finished joint-fifth after a final-round of 66.

McIlroy took some solace from returning to the top of the world rankings after missing out on a second Wells Fargo Championship title.

"That's nice. It's a little consolation," McIlroy said. "I would rather win the tournament, but yeah, it's good. I want to try and play well for the next few weeks and try and solidify my spot there at number one and hopefully start by doing that next week and giving myself another chance to win."

Fowler won the play-off with his second shot from the fairway, which left him around four feet from the hole. As his rivals managed tricky two-putts for par, Fowler sank his birdie attempt.

The win brought back memories of McIlroy's first Tour win, which came at the same venue two years ago - albeit in more spectacular fashion as he finished with a course-record 62.

Fowler said: "We've always had a great camaraderie, been good buddies. I definitely respect him as a player, and I feel like he respects me as well.

"But I've had a lot of fun playing against him."

Lawrie Lurks Sixth in Seville

A third round 71 kept Peter Lawrie in share of sixth place on Saturday at the Open de España and four shots off the lead on one under par - in an event he won in 2008.

Gareth Maybin heads into Sunday on +3 after a round of 71on Saturday.

Simon Thornton signed for 74 and fell back to +4 and a share of thirty second place ahead of the final round on Sunday.

Simon Dyson double-bogeyed the last hole to almost surrender a three-shot lead after three rounds of the Spanish Open in Seville.

In windy conditions and after a delay of nearly two hours because of a flooded course, the current Irish and Dutch Open champion shot a one-under-par 71 to take over at the top of the leaderboard from Gregory Bourdy.

The Frenchman did not even break 80 as he slumped to joint 21st, but after moving three clear Dyson was furious with his finish.

He was in the back bunker at 18 for two, failed to get out and then took three more.

Dyson said: "It leaves a little sour taste. I played 17 and a half great holes. The second shot was lovely, but just went 15 yards further than I thought it would and then I quit on the bunker shot - no excuses.

"I could be out of sight to be honest. I've chucked some shots away, but everybody is going to say that."

Dyson dropped back to five under and will resume only one ahead of Spain's Pablo Larrazabal and Dane Soren Kjeldsen.

Dyson's day did not start well when he failed to get up and down from a bunker on the first.

But as others really struggled in the wind the highest-ranked player in the field - he is currently 36th in the world - birdied three of the next four and then added another by almost spinning his approach to the 422-yard 10th into the hole.

Scrambles

There were also some great scrambles for par, his new belly putter rescuing him on a number of occasions, but he then missed a two-foot putt to bogey the long 13th.

Two-putting the long 16th made amends for that, but then came the mess-up on the 18th.

Larrazabal, joint third at El Prat last May, shot 69 to take over as the leading home hope in an event celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

The former French Open winner, who beat Sergio Garcia in a play-off for the BMW International in Munich last season, had four birdies in six holes around the turn, but dropped a shot at the last.

"Only one bogey - it's a great round," said Larrazabal. "I like it when the course is challenging. I don't like it when the winner is 25 under."

McIlroy Has Quail Repeat in Sight

Rory McIlroy carded a fine 66 to move within two strokes of the lead after the penultimate round of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow.

The 23-year-old, who needs a top-seven finish to overhaul the absent Luke Donald as world number one, posted eight birdies and reached 12 under.

American Webb Simpson is one shot ahead of Ryan Moore and DA Points after a third round 69 took him to 14 under.

Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood are nine shots back after both shooting 68.

Former Open champion Stewart Cink dropped back from a share of second to a tie for sixth at the North Carolina course after a double bogey at the last.

Mickelson birdied four holes in succession on the back nine before missing a nine-foot par putt at the last, while playing partner Westwood picked up four birdies on the back nine and did not drop a shot.

McIlroy, who won the tournament in 2010 but missed the cut last year, made a scintillating start to day three with seven birdies in his opening 11 holes.

He began his charge after a fine approach to 10 feet at the first, holed a 40-foot downhill putt at the second and pitched to within three feet at the third.

After his eighth birdie of the day at the 15th took him into a share of the lead he looked as if he would claim an outright advantage when he drove 363 yards down the 16th fairway.

But after his sand iron approach found the back of the green he proceeded to take three putts and recorded his second bogey of the round.

Overnight leader Nick Watney slipped back into a share of fourth with McIlroy after driving into the creek that meanders along the left of the fairway at the final hole and finishing with a five for a round of 72.

Simpson, who recorded three top-10 finishes in his first six events this season, won twice last year, at the Wyndham Championship in August and then at the Deutsche Bank Championship two weeks later, where he beat Chez Reavie in a play-off.

He secured a slender lead into Sunday's final round after making a fifth birdie of the round when his sharply breaking downhill putt at the par-three 17th trickled into the cup.