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.

Three and Three at Open de España

Peter Lawrie was the best of the Irish contingent at the Reale Seguros Open de España at the halfway stage in Seville, finishing five strokes off the lead after a second round 73.

Simon Thornton signed for two rounds of 73 to finish in a share of 31st place on Friday evening.

Gareth Maybin  also heads into the weekend on four over par and just inside the cut.

For Damien McGrane two over par rounds put the Meathman on an early flight on +6, along with Shane Lowry who was two strokes further back.

Michael Hoey signed for a 78 ending the two days in Spain on +8.

But it was Frenchman Grégory Bourdy who turned the form book on its head to lead the Reale Seguros Open de España.

With only one top-ten finish in his last 24 European Tour events, the 30 year old from Bordeaux carded a best-of-the-week 66.

With four birdies in the last six holes Bourdy climbed to five under par after he had resumed down in 37th place.

In stark contrast, overnight leader Shaun Micheel managed only a 77 as the 2003 US PGA Champion slipped back to level par.

Bourdy is one in front of England's Simon Dyson and Robert Rock, 19 year old Italian Matteo Manassero and Jorge Campillo, now the leading home hope on the 100th anniversary of the event's launch.

Despite the tough conditions - which included wind and dense rough - the leader has not shot lower since last November.

"I've just been patient," said Bourdy. "I've not made a score like that for a long time in these conditions. It's good for the confidence.

“I’m very happy about this round, particularly in these conditions. I made eight birdies and just two bogeys. 

“Yesterday one over was not so bad in that wind, but today I played really well, I felt comfortable and very solid, very consistent and I also made some important putts, so I’ll try to keep going like this.”

Dyson finished his 69 with a 12 footer for eagle with his new belly putter.

"It appeared to bobble and I started walking, but it kept going and dropped," said the reigning Irish Open champion.

"I switched because I've just not been holing out well. It's harder to get the pace, but I start it on the right line more consistently."

Manassero and Rock shot 70 and 72 respectively as they continued their bids for third European Tour wins.

“It wasn’t an easy day and I’m happy because I didn’t really play that well but managed to score,” said Manassero.

“Today I took the right side of the draw. Early morning we just had a little breeze and it’s certainly going to be more difficult in the afternoon.

“I didn’t play really well, but never put myself in serious trouble. I’ve scrambled well, I made some good up and downs at the beginning of my back nine, but the last four or five holes I started playing very good golf well and that gives me some confidence.

“I’m really happy to be in contention, to be around the lead, and we shall see what happens.”

Rock, who beat Tiger Woods and world top three Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood in Abu Dhabi in January, has returned this week from a five-week break.

He led after starting with a birdie, but mixed three bogeys with two more birdies after that.

American Micheel would happily have taken that. There was a hat-trick of birdies from the 12th on his card, but also two double bogeys and three closing bogeys as he fell five behind.

Former French Open champion Graeme Storm had not dropped all day until he came to his last two holes, but bogeyed them both to be two behind Bourdy and alongside fellow Englishman Danny Willett, Dane Soren Kjeldsen and Italy's Francesco Molinari.

Birthday on Wells Fargo Trail

World number two Rory McIlroy carded an opening 70 to trail the leaders by five shots at the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow in North Carolina.

The 22-year-old, who can overhaul the absent Luke Donald at the top of the rankings with a top-seven finish, had four birdies in a two-under-par total.

World number three Lee Westwood and Tiger Woods both returned rounds of 71.

Americans Ryan Moore, Stewart Cink and Webb Simpson all reached seven under and are one shot ahead of the field.

McIlroy, who is 23 on Friday, won the tournament in 2010 but missed the cut last year.

The Northern Irishman, who faded to a share of 40th at the Masters at Augusta in April, three-putted the final green for his second bogey of the round.

"I feel the conditions were pretty perfect, there wasn't much wind and the greens were receptive so 70 probably wasn't good enough," he said.

"I struggled with the driver, didn't hit many fairways and if you do that round here you'll struggle to score."

Former Masters champion Phil Mickelson drove out of bounds on the fourth hole and racked up a triple bogey but recovered to an opening round of 71.

McIlroy turns 23 on Friday.