CHARLOTTE, North Carolina — Rory McIlroy shot his lowest score as a professional, a course-record 11-under-par 61, to charge into the lead after the third round at the Wells Fargo Championship Saturday. The Northern Irishman used an astonishing display of long driving to overpower Quail Hollow, and struck a series of towering iron shots that honed in on the pins to set up 11 birdies. He posted an 18-under 198 total, a tournament record low score, to open a four-shot lead over American Webb Simpson (68), and a seven-shot advantage over third-placed Robert Streb. McIlroy's 61 bettered by one stroke the course record he held jointly with Brendon de Jonge. McIlroy rated it among the best of his career. “I looked at the scores in the morning and saw there were some low ones out there,” the world No. 1 told reporters. “I got a little more aggressive, and it paid off. I just aimed at the flags today. It's as simple as that. I was taking dead aim.” McIlroy had 23 putts, but did not hole anything longer than 15 feet and only once, at the first hole, where he sank a seven-footer for par, was he in serious danger of dropping a shot. He started thinking about shooting a 59 after a birdie at the 13th took him to eight-under. McIlroy needed to birdie the difficult final two holes to shoot a magical 59 but it was not to be as he left his approach shots a long way from the hole on both occasions. Delacour grabs lead Perrine Delacour, who benefitted from a late meltdown by Alison Lee, shot a four-under 67 to take a one-shot lead after three rounds of the LPGA Tour's Kingsmill Championship in Williamsburg Saturday. France's Delacour, 21, finished at 11-under-par 202 and will aim for her first US LPGA Tour title in Sunday's final round. Delacour, who has never led after any round on the LPGA Tour, is trying to join Patricia Meunier Lebouc, Anne Marie Palli and Catherine Lacoste as the only French winners on the LPGA Tour. Second-round leader Lee, of the United States, dropped three strokes in two holes late in the round and fell into second place at 10-under at the Kingsmill Resort and Spa course. The 20-year-old Lee made bogey on the par-four 16th then had a double bogey on the par-three 17th to post a one-under 70. American Paula Creamer (66), South Korean Ryu So-Yeon (68) and Australia's Minjee Lee (69) share third place at nine-under-par 204. Lexi Thompson is one stroke back at eight under after a 67. Norway's Suzann Pettersen (69) is tied for seventh at seven-under 206. She was joined there by Kim Hyo-Joo (67), Angela Stanford (68) and China's Yan Jing (69). — Agencies
