Mickelson, Watney share PGA lead

Phil Mickelson watches a shot on the 6th hole during the third round of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club on May 4, 2013 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina - Phil Mickelson and Nick Watney each stumbled with the lead on Saturday, leaving the US duo tied atop the leaderboard after three rounds at the US PGA Wells Fargo Championship.

Mickelson took a double bogey at the par-5 15th and a bogey at 16 to hand Watney the lead, only to have Watney double bogey the par-3 17th and leave both even on eight-under 208 for 54 holes in the $6.7 million event at Quail Hollow.

The lefthanded American Mickelson finished on 73 while Watney settled for a 71.

American George McNeill was third on 209 with England’s Lee Westwood and David Lynn, Sweden’s Robert Karlsson, Australian John Senden and Americans Ryan Moore and Derek Ernst another stroke off the pace.

Nick Watney lines up a putt during the third round of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club on May 4, 2013 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

World number two Rory McIlroy fired a 73 on his 24th birthday to stand on 211 with Americans D.A. Points, Kevin Streelman, Brian Harman and Jason Kokrak.

Three-time Masters champion Mickelson found the right rough at the 15th, put his second shot out of bounds, dropped for a penalty stroke and blasted short of the green then needed three strokes to get down from there.

Mickelson struck a spectator in the head at the 16th on the way to a bogey but finished with two pars to salvage a share of the lead.

He had started with a bogey at the third but answered with birdies at the par-5 fifth, par-4 eighth and par-5 10th. He answered a bogey at the 12th with a birdie two holes later before disaster struck.