England’s Paul Casey and South African Louis Oosthuizen pulled ahead of the pack in Saturday’s third-round of the Open, threatening to make the major title chase a two-man affair.
Oosthuizen, who missed the cut in seven of his prior eight majors, stood on 13-under par through 12 holes while Casey, trying to become England’s first major champion since Nick Faldo at the 1996 Masters, was two strokes off the pace.
Casey had five birdies on the front nine, twice moving within a stroke of the lead only to have Oosthuizen, the 36-hole leader by a five-shot margin that was the Open’s largest since 1982, answer each time with a birdie.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Oosthuizen began with a bogey, but birdied seven and nine to answer Casey’s challenge.
No other player was closer than Swedish clubhouse leader Henrik Stenson on seven-under 209 as brisk winds that ripped apart rounds Friday returned to the Old Course to wreck many dreams by those hoping to claim the Auld Claret Jug.
“It wasn’t as bad, but it really picked up. The gusts are extremely strong,” Stenson said. “It’s feels like the wind is trying to rip your pants off and that’s not a good thing.”
Stenson was hopeful of becoming the first Swedish man to win a major after a history of women’s golf success led by retired star Annika Sorenstam.
“It’s going to be a lot of guys fighting it out for this one, but we have been longing a long time,” Stenson said. “To have a Swedish male player win a major, if it could happen tomorrow, that would be great.”
World No. 1 Tiger Woods, a 14-time major champion seeking his first title since a sex scandal in November last year destroyed his iconic image, struggled to a one-over par 73 to stand on three-under 213 with 18 holes remaining.
Woods battled at level par for the day until finding the namesake pavement of the Road Hole at 17 and taking a bogey. Woods gave himself his fourth eagle putt of the round at 18 but three-putted for par.
The 14-time major champion, chasing the record 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus, won Open titles in 2000 and 2005 at the Old Course and hoped to become the first three-time Open winner at the birthplace of golf.
The poor performance came on a day when tame pin placements opened the door for players to make a run at the lead.
European players, many of whom play a tour event at the famed links layout every year, charged up the leaderboard at the birthplace of golf.
Germany’s Martin Kaymer and two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen of South Africa were on the course at seven-under, one stroke better than English world No. 3 Lee Westwood, Spain’s Alejandro Canizares and American Dustin Johnson.
Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez, American Ricky Barnes and South Korean amateur Jin Jeong, the British Amateur champion, were on five-under, while McIlroy and Spain’s Sergio Garcia were in the clubhouse on four-under 212.
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