Xander Schauffele is holding on to a one-shot lead over Rory McIlroy heading into the final day of the Wells Fargo Championship after Saturday’s challenging third round in Charlotte, N.C.
Schauffele has led after each of the first three rounds but managed only a 1-under 70 Saturday at Quail Hollow Club. McIlroy — the Northern Irishman who has won the Wells Fargo three times — posted a bogey-free, 4-under 67 to zap most of Schauffele’s four-shot cushion entering the weekend.
Sungjae Im of South Korea (69) is in third at 8 under after hitting the top of the flagstick with his tee shot at the par-3 17th and holing out for par from the bunker at No. 18.
Schauffele’s only birdies came at the par-5 seventh hole and the short par-4 14th. He found a greenside bunker at the par-4 12th and couldn’t get up and down for par.
Schauffele said his day was “not as clean” as his 64-67 start to the week.
“Some sleepy wedges in there unfortunately, some really good up-and-downs, kind of a mixed bag,” the World No. 4 said. “Definitely made it harder on myself, is what it felt like from being in some good spots in the fairway.”
McIlroy took advantage by making birdies at Nos. 5, 9, 10 and 14. He dialed in his approach shot at No. 5 and landed his ball inside 4 feet; with a wedge for his second shot at the 14th, he rolled his approach to less than 2 feet.
The World No. 2, who won the tournament in 2010, 2015 and 2021, hasn’t made a bogey since Thursday.
“I think I’ve held out pretty well for the most part inside 6 feet, and then I think because I know this golf course so well, I’ve missed it in the right spots when I have missed the green,” McIlroy said. “Yeah, to play two rounds in a row on this golf course in these conditions bogey free is a bit of a feather in my cap.”
McIlroy and Austria’s Sepp Straka (67) were the only players to shoot better than 2 under on the day as the course showed its teeth. Straka elevated himself to fourth place at 7 under by making four of his seven birdies over his final six holes.
Jason Day of Australia (73) is in fifth at 5 under. Tied for sixth at 4 under are Sam Burns (70), Collin Morikawa (72), Byeong Hun An of South Korea (71), Taylor Pendrith of Canada (71) and Germany’s Stephan Jaeger (71).
But Sunday, fans’ attention will zero in on two of the world’s best as they go head-to-head in the final group for the second straight day.
“I’m going to have to earn it (Sunday). I’ve got Rory breathing down my neck,” said Schauffele, looking for his first victory since July 2022. “I’ll look at the leaderboard here shortly, but yeah, I think if I strike the ball the way I did today off the tee and just a little more focus coming into the greens, picking the spots and then going through my process a little better, should be in a good shape.”
–Field Level Media
