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Todd Hamilton hoping for a major change in fortune

Todd Hamilton shoots out of a bunker onto the eighth green on the first day of the British Open Golf Tournament at Royal Liverpool in Hoylake, northern England on July 20. PHOTO: EPA

There is a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel for Todd Hamilton.

His 2004 British Open victory may seem a lifetime away for the popular 40-year-old from Illinois, but a 4-under 68 in the third round of the Deutsche Bank Players' Championship yesterday may have signaled an escape from the morass.

"It is nice to finally see some good things happen with my golf game. It hasn't happened for a while," Hamilton said. "In the last month or so, during a couple of weeks at home on a break, I was playing well and had some good scores with my friends. I know that doesn't mean much. But it's nice to see good things happen, whether it's at home with your friends or out on Tour."

Hamilton needed a birdie at the last hole on Friday to get into the weekend, following his 68th-place finish in last week's British Open at Hoylake.

That was an improvement on his title defense last year at St. Andrews, where he missed the cut.

Hamilton would no doubt like to write off last year entirely -- he did not have a top-10 finish from 31 events and finished 134th on the money list.

This year has not been better, 15 missed cuts showing from 20 events with one top 10 and nothing else better than 60th.

Yesterday, he was on fire for 10 holes, making five birdies against a lone bogey. He had a birdie and a bogey over the last eight holes.

"I've been playing well this week. I've just hit a couple shots here and there, or some three putts, that held me back." he said. "But I like the way, especially today, I hit the ball really solidly."
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