Day fires 67 to open up a two-shot lead

Jason Day sputtered at the start and finally hit his stride for a 4-under 67 to build a two-shot lead going into the final round of the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, N.C.

Peter Uihlein, Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy all showed early Saturday that it was a softer, gentler Quail Hollow under an overcast sky. Uihlein had a 62, one off the course record, and finished before the leaders began the third round. He remained atop the leaderboard until midday through the round.

Mickelson had a 64, his lowest score of the season. McIlroy had to settle for a 66.

Day was at 10-under 203.

Nick Watney overcame a doublebogey on the par-5 10th hole with four birdies over his last six holes for a 66. He will be in the final group for the first time in nearly four years as he tries to win for the first time since a back injury two years ago.

Tiger Woods failed to take advantage of a course that was 228 yards shorter and soft enough that the players actually found pitch marks on the greens. Woods finally got going on the back nine with three straight birdies, but a three-putt bogey on the final hole gave him a 68. He was nine shots behind.

Peter Malnati’s 36-hole lead didn’t last long. He had a pair of double-bogeys, shot 75 and fell seven shots behind.

LPGA Tour: Nicole Broch Larsen played 14 holes in 3-under to take the early lead in the second and final round of the weather-abbreviated Texas Classic in The Colony.

The 24-year-old Dane, who’s ranked 89th and has never won on the LPGA Tour, followed her openinground 67 by going bogey-free before play was halted by darkness to reach 7-under, good for a one-shot lead.

She will finish Sunday morning. Half the players had yet to begin their second rounds.

Thursday’s play was canceled, and rain delayed the start on Friday by 81⁄2 hours, resulting in the tournament being reduced from 72 holes to 36. There was no cut, but only the top 70 and ties in the 144-woman field will receive prize money.

Champions Tour: Bernhard Langer plodded his way to an even-par 72, good enough to maintain the lead at the Insperity Invitational in The Woodlands, Texas.

Langer was at 9-under 135 and had a one-shot lead over three players.

Tom Pernice Jr. (68), Miguel Angel Jimenez (69), Mark Calcavecchia (69) and Scott Dunlap (70) were one stroke behind.

Madison’s Jerry Kelly had a 72 and was six shots off the pace.