Wells Fargo Championship: Rory McIlroy moves up leaderboard after 66

Rory McIlroy carded seven birdies as moved to the fringes of contention in North Carolina

Rory McIlroy moved up the leaderboard after an impressive third-round 66 at the Wells Fargo Championship in the US.

McIlroy's five-under-par round saw him improve his position to three under par which left him sharing 16th spot - seven behind leader Jason Day.

Graeme McDowell was on course to be a shot better but a double bogey at the last left him on two under after a 67.

Australian Day leads American Nick Watney by two shots after firing a 67 to move to 10 under.

Peter Uihlein was one outside McIlroy's course record set in 2015 as he fired a 62 which put him in a share of third place on seven under alongside his fellow American Bryson DeChambeau and England's Paul Casey.

Overnight leader Peter Malnati dropped back to the group including McIlroy on three under after hitting a 75.

After his error-ridden round on Friday, twice champion McIlroy carded seven birdies and only two dropped shots, which included a bogey at the final hole.

The former world number one, who turned 29 on Friday, carded four straight birdies from the 14th before his closing dropped shot.

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McDowell had an unblemished card until the 18th as his six birdies included three straight gains from the 11th before his round ended on a sour note.

A par at the last would have left McDowell sharing 11th spot but the double bogey dropped him to a share of 25th.

The 2010 US Open winner has dropped to 234th in the world rankings after a couple of lean years although he has shown flickers of a return to form on the PGA Tour this season.

However, he has struggled to put four good rounds together and his best finish in 2018 is a share of 22nd at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

With scoring conditions good on Saturday, Tiger Woods also improved his position as a 68 left him on one under par and sharing 32nd place.

Ireland's Seamus Power matched Woods' 68 to improve to level par with Shane Lowry remaining on two over after a 71.