Rose fires 64 to grab one-shot lead

Justin Rose did his part on another day of low scoring Saturday in the BMW Championship in Newtown Square, Pa., running off four straight birdies early for a 6-under 64 and a one-shot lead over Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele.

At stake for Rose is moving to No. 1 in the world for the first time in his career.

Still ahead is a final round at soggy Aronimink Golf Club that could take more than one day to complete because of rain in the forecast, along with a 13 player within five shots of the lead.

The list includes Tiger Woods, who shot 66 and made up no ground on the lead.

“If you shoot 65, you were losing ground,” McIlroy said with only slight exaggeration.

Rose made four straight birdies early on the front nine to quickly erase a two-shot deficit to Schauffele, and he finished the front nine birdiebirdie for a 29.

Schauffele, hopeful that a victory will give U.S. captain Jim Furyk reason to pick him for the Ryder Cup, stayed with Rose the whole way until he three-putted from the tight collar on the 18th hole for a bogey and a 67.

McIlroy picked himself up quickly from a double bogey on the par-3 eighth hole with a 3-wood onto a green so soft on the par-5 ninth that it barely bounced forward and caught a slope down toward the pin, leaving him a short eagle putt.

Three birdies over the last six holes gave him a 63 and a spot in the final group.

The top 30 in the FedEx Cup after the final round advance to East Lake in Atlanta for the Tour Championship. Bryson DeChambeau already has clinched the No. 1 seed with victories in the opening two playoff events.

European PGA Tour: Defending champion Matthew Fitzpatrick sank a 40-foot putt for birdie on the 18th to take a two-stroke lead after the third round of the European Masters in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.

The 24-year-old Englishman had five birdies and an eagle in a 7-under 63 for a 14-under total of 196, two ahead of Mike Lorenzo-Vera (64).