Field still chasing Oosthuizen at Open
Source: Agencies |
July 18, 2010, Sunday
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LOUIS Oosthuizen's overnight five-shot lead was there to be shot at yesterday as sunny, breezy conditions saw the red, below-par numbers pile up on the British Open scoreboards in the third round.
The 27-year-old South African, on 12 under, was the last of 77 players to tee off in the third round in St Andrews, Scotland, and was looking to defend the biggest halfway lead in the Open since American Bobby Clampett ripped up the first two rounds at Troon in 1982.
He led overnight from playing partner Mark Calcavecchia, but Sweden's Henrik Stenson closed the gap to four when an outrageous eagle two at the par-four 13th put him six under for the day and eight under overall.
Tiger Woods, warmly received by the galleries as he walked down the first with playing partner and close friend Darren Clarke, endured a frustrating start. His birdie attempt at the first lipped out and he slammed his club into the Old Course turf after his second on the second went astray.
He parred the first four holes before a bogey at the fifth pegged him back to three under.
Spain's Sergio Garcia was one of the main movers with a chipped-in eagle three at the par five fifth helping him to five under overall.
The day's best round so far had gone to Robert Rock, the Englishman plundering four birdies and an eagle as he fired a five-under 67.
That was one better than compatriot Ross Fisher who looked set to post a half-decent clubhouse mark until he ballooned his second at the 17th hole onto the road and hurtled out of bounds. He double bogeyed but birdied the 18th for a 68 that left him on three under and nine behind Oosthuizen.
Thirty players returned to the Old Course early yesterday to finish up the second round. Facing only a cool breeze, British Amateur champion Jeong Jin birdied the 18th hole for a remarkable two-under 70.
Three broke par
Of the last 105 players to tee off in the second round, only three broke par - Jeong, Alejandro Canizares (71) and Clarke (70).
Everyone was chasing Oosthuizen, a 27-year-old regular on the European Tour who's given South Africans another reason to beam on the heels of successfully hosting soccer's World Cup.
This is new territory for the player who's given name is Lodewicus Theodorus. This is the first time he's ever made the cut at the British Open, and only the second time in nine major tournaments that he's played on the weekend.
His lead was large but so was the pressure. And so much depends on the weather, the most bedeviling defense at the seaside course.
"It's everybody's dream to win the Open," said Oosthuizen. "But to win at St Andrews ... you never really think it will happen."
Then again, the British Open has a history of producing unlikely champions - Ben Curtis (2003) and Todd Hamilton (2004). Maybe this is Oosthuizen's week. In March, he won for the first time on the European Tour. "That win earlier this season just got my mind set in a different way. I'm reading it really nice and looking forward to it from here on," Oosthuizen said.
The 27-year-old South African, on 12 under, was the last of 77 players to tee off in the third round in St Andrews, Scotland, and was looking to defend the biggest halfway lead in the Open since American Bobby Clampett ripped up the first two rounds at Troon in 1982.
He led overnight from playing partner Mark Calcavecchia, but Sweden's Henrik Stenson closed the gap to four when an outrageous eagle two at the par-four 13th put him six under for the day and eight under overall.
Tiger Woods, warmly received by the galleries as he walked down the first with playing partner and close friend Darren Clarke, endured a frustrating start. His birdie attempt at the first lipped out and he slammed his club into the Old Course turf after his second on the second went astray.
He parred the first four holes before a bogey at the fifth pegged him back to three under.
Spain's Sergio Garcia was one of the main movers with a chipped-in eagle three at the par five fifth helping him to five under overall.
The day's best round so far had gone to Robert Rock, the Englishman plundering four birdies and an eagle as he fired a five-under 67.
That was one better than compatriot Ross Fisher who looked set to post a half-decent clubhouse mark until he ballooned his second at the 17th hole onto the road and hurtled out of bounds. He double bogeyed but birdied the 18th for a 68 that left him on three under and nine behind Oosthuizen.
Thirty players returned to the Old Course early yesterday to finish up the second round. Facing only a cool breeze, British Amateur champion Jeong Jin birdied the 18th hole for a remarkable two-under 70.
Three broke par
Of the last 105 players to tee off in the second round, only three broke par - Jeong, Alejandro Canizares (71) and Clarke (70).
Everyone was chasing Oosthuizen, a 27-year-old regular on the European Tour who's given South Africans another reason to beam on the heels of successfully hosting soccer's World Cup.
This is new territory for the player who's given name is Lodewicus Theodorus. This is the first time he's ever made the cut at the British Open, and only the second time in nine major tournaments that he's played on the weekend.
His lead was large but so was the pressure. And so much depends on the weather, the most bedeviling defense at the seaside course.
"It's everybody's dream to win the Open," said Oosthuizen. "But to win at St Andrews ... you never really think it will happen."
Then again, the British Open has a history of producing unlikely champions - Ben Curtis (2003) and Todd Hamilton (2004). Maybe this is Oosthuizen's week. In March, he won for the first time on the European Tour. "That win earlier this season just got my mind set in a different way. I'm reading it really nice and looking forward to it from here on," Oosthuizen said.
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