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Senden soars as Tiger slumps
Source: Agencies |
November 13, 2011, Sunday
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FORMER champion John Senden hit a course-record equaling 9-under 63 to outshine Jason Day and a slumping Tiger Woods and take a one-shot lead after the third round of the Australian Open in Sydney yesterday.
Overnight leader Woods, looking to revitalize his career after two years blighted by personal problems and injury, opened the day with three successive bogeys on his way to a 75.
Senden, who won his home Open in 2006, carded an eagle and seven birdies - the last with a brilliant 30-foot putt at the 18th - to stand on 12-under for the tournament.
Day, Australia's top-ranked golfer at No. 7 in the world, celebrated his 24th birthday with a round of 68 to stand a shot further back in second place.
Australian Greg Chalmers was third on 10-under after a 67, a shot better than compatriot Nick O'Hern (66) and American Nick Watney (68), who shared fourth.
The putter deserted 14-time major winner Woods as he foraged for birdies to stay in touch with the leaders in the middle of his round and an errant drive at the 11th had him slashing at the ground in frustration.
A bogey at that hole and another at the 12th after a foray into a bunker were mitigated by a birdie at the 14th but he finished the day six shots off the pace in a share of eighth.
"I couldn't get any momentum," the 35-year-old American said. "Any time I hit the golf ball in there stiff, I'd miss it and it kept happening again and again."
Woods is not yet out of the running for his first title in two years but it was a big step backwards after his first blemish-free round in nine months on Thursday and his first overnight lead of the year on Friday.
Day played steady par golf over the tricky first four holes before superb approach shots at the fifth and eighth resulted in birdies that gave him sole lead at the top of the leaderboard.
Better was to come at the ninth, where, roared on by a partisan gallery, he snaked a birdie putt fully 25 feet across the green and in to move to 10-under for the tournament at the turn.
Senden, meanwhile, had been playing with easy confidence after hitting a pitching wedge 100 meters to secure an eagle two at the sixth.
The Queenslander got back on terms with Day after a three-foot birdie putt at the 17th before his long putt at the last, as his younger compatriot found the water at the 14th, gave him the outright lead.
"It was a good day," said Senden, whose second-place finish at the BMW Championship in September was not enough to secure him a place at next week's Presidents Cup in Melbourne.
"The goal was to stay in the moment and I think I did that well right until the end."
In Singapore, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano of Spain shot a scorching 10-under 61 to jump to a three-shot lead after the second round of the rain-affected Singapore Open yesterday.
Fernandez-Castano holed nine birdies and one eagle to bolt ahead of James Morrison of England and Edoardo Molinari of Italy, who both had 68s to be tied at 12 under.
Play was suspended just as the third round began at about noon because of the threat of lightning. The rain continued through the afternoon meaning no more play was possible, and officials shortened the tournament to three rounds.
The 31-year-old Fernandez-Castano is at 15-under 127 through two rounds. Ernie Els shot a 66 to be at 4 under while Graeme McDowell's 71 put him at 3 under and just inside the cut mark.
The second round was completed early yesterday because rain delayed play for nearly three hours on Friday.
Overnight leader Woods, looking to revitalize his career after two years blighted by personal problems and injury, opened the day with three successive bogeys on his way to a 75.
Senden, who won his home Open in 2006, carded an eagle and seven birdies - the last with a brilliant 30-foot putt at the 18th - to stand on 12-under for the tournament.
Day, Australia's top-ranked golfer at No. 7 in the world, celebrated his 24th birthday with a round of 68 to stand a shot further back in second place.
Australian Greg Chalmers was third on 10-under after a 67, a shot better than compatriot Nick O'Hern (66) and American Nick Watney (68), who shared fourth.
The putter deserted 14-time major winner Woods as he foraged for birdies to stay in touch with the leaders in the middle of his round and an errant drive at the 11th had him slashing at the ground in frustration.
A bogey at that hole and another at the 12th after a foray into a bunker were mitigated by a birdie at the 14th but he finished the day six shots off the pace in a share of eighth.
"I couldn't get any momentum," the 35-year-old American said. "Any time I hit the golf ball in there stiff, I'd miss it and it kept happening again and again."
Woods is not yet out of the running for his first title in two years but it was a big step backwards after his first blemish-free round in nine months on Thursday and his first overnight lead of the year on Friday.
Day played steady par golf over the tricky first four holes before superb approach shots at the fifth and eighth resulted in birdies that gave him sole lead at the top of the leaderboard.
Better was to come at the ninth, where, roared on by a partisan gallery, he snaked a birdie putt fully 25 feet across the green and in to move to 10-under for the tournament at the turn.
Senden, meanwhile, had been playing with easy confidence after hitting a pitching wedge 100 meters to secure an eagle two at the sixth.
The Queenslander got back on terms with Day after a three-foot birdie putt at the 17th before his long putt at the last, as his younger compatriot found the water at the 14th, gave him the outright lead.
"It was a good day," said Senden, whose second-place finish at the BMW Championship in September was not enough to secure him a place at next week's Presidents Cup in Melbourne.
"The goal was to stay in the moment and I think I did that well right until the end."
In Singapore, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano of Spain shot a scorching 10-under 61 to jump to a three-shot lead after the second round of the rain-affected Singapore Open yesterday.
Fernandez-Castano holed nine birdies and one eagle to bolt ahead of James Morrison of England and Edoardo Molinari of Italy, who both had 68s to be tied at 12 under.
Play was suspended just as the third round began at about noon because of the threat of lightning. The rain continued through the afternoon meaning no more play was possible, and officials shortened the tournament to three rounds.
The 31-year-old Fernandez-Castano is at 15-under 127 through two rounds. Ernie Els shot a 66 to be at 4 under while Graeme McDowell's 71 put him at 3 under and just inside the cut mark.
The second round was completed early yesterday because rain delayed play for nearly three hours on Friday.
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