McIlroy, Fitzpatrick in the mix at Wells Fargo | Nightmare round for Day

Rory McIlroy is in contention at the Wells Fargo Championship courtesy of a two-under par third round and a nightmare nine-over afternoon for overnight leader Jason Day amid the Maryland rain and cold.

Defending champion McIlroy began his round with successive bogeys to tumble to two over par for the tournament but picked up with four birdies across his next seven holes to rise to two under at TPC Potomac.

The 33-year-old parred every hole on his back nine, narrowly failing to sink a birdie putt on 18, and is lurking in sixth spot, six shots behind outright leader Keegan Bradley (eight under par).

McIlroy was one of only four players - Bradley, Cameron Young and Nick Taylor the others - to shoot under par on a challenging Saturday, with Bradley the pick of the bunch as he carded a three-under 67.

England's Matt Fitzpatrick - still chasing his first PGA Tour win after seven victories on the DP World Tour - made a solid one over in the inclement weather and is in fifth spot on three under, five shots behind Bradley.

Bradley's nearest challenger is Max Homa, on six under par.

Day was three clear of the field overnight on 10 under par but his advantage evaporated on Saturday with the Australian shooting an eye-watering 79 to plummet to one under.

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The Australian dropped five shots across three holes on the front nine, with bogeys at three and five sandwiching a triple-bogey seven on the fourth, a hole on which he found water off the tee and then missed an eight-foot putt which would have limited the damage to double bogey.

Day went on to bogey the ninth before double bogeying the par-five 10th and although he had momentary joy with a birdie at 12, he