WEATHER FORECAST
It's expected to be partly cloudy and unseasonably warm today with the high temperature approaching 90 degrees. Winds are forecast to be relatively light and there's a chance of thunderstorms.
CHIP SHOTS
Rory McIlroy gave himself an early birthday present Saturday when he shot a 6-under 66 at Quail Hollow that ended a long, ineffective stretch of play. McIlroy will turn 21 on Wednesday.
"It was a great round of golf," McIlroy said. "I feel as though I've been hitting it well the last couple weeks. I'm just really not getting much out of my game. But (Saturday) I knocked in a few putts and gave myself plenty of chances."
McIlroy hasn't finished better than a tie for 40th in a PGA Tour stroke-play event this year and he's missed his last two cuts. He was headed for another missed cut until he eagled the par-5 seventh hole Friday (his 16th) to sneak in on the number.
"That three on seven could have been the turning point in the season," McIlroy said.
The Irish star said he's been bothered by a bone bruise in his back that developed earlier in the season. It limited his practice time and continues to bother him, though he's gradually improving.
"It'll probably take another two or three months to clear up completely," McIlroy said. "But I feel as if I can swing with a lot more freedom and I can practice more, which has definitely helped."
Charlotte's Brendon de Jonge threatened to win the Wells Fargo Championship last year and is having another good week, standing 3-under par through 54 holes. For de Jonge, it's about being comfortable.
"It's everything about the week," de Jonge said. "The tournament is great. Sleeping in your own bed is a plus. It gives you a sense of being more relaxed."
De Jonge's wife, Mary, has her family visiting this week and the couple also has a 16-month-old daughter. "I'm chasing the little one around a bit," de Jonge said.
Davis Love III was born in Charlotte but moved away when he was still an infant, but he has about 20 friends and family members following him at Quail Hollow this week. Love has played in every Wells Fargo Championship but has never posted a top-10 finish. A tie for 14th in 2006 is his best finish.
Love birdied three of his last five holes Saturday to move into contention with a third-round 68.
"There's not a whole lot of golfing memories here, but I've got a lot of family," Love said. "It's always nice to come back to North Carolina and hear all the 'Go Heels' and all that."
If you're wondering how far the pros are hitting it at Quail Hollow, Bubba Watson is the leader in driving distance, averaging 326 yards off the tee, nine yards longer than second-place Dustin Johnson. In all, 24 players are averaging 300 yards or longer off the tee.