R&A: The Senior Open sponsored by ISPS.. Leaderboard Tee Times
Jerry Kelly and Cameron Percy will take a share of the lead into the final round of the ISPS HANDA Senior Open after a back-and-forth battle in windy conditions at Gleneagles during Saturday’s third round.
The lead changed hands several times between the final pairing on Saturday but a final-hole eagle from Percy saw the third-round leader regain his position alongside Kelly at the top of the leaderboard after 54-holes.
How it happened
Playing in the final group and with no big early move from the morning starters, Cameron Percy began the round with his overnight three-shot cushion intact. An immediate bogey saw the gap narrow, and after a double-bogey at the fourth found himself briefly tied at the top for the first time with Kelly, but very quickly regained an advantage.
Kelly had managed to get to -7 with a birdie at the third but immediately bogeyed the fourth and then gave away two more shots at the fifth and eighth holes to make the turn at -4 and two shots adrift of the leader.
Both players made brilliant birdies at the tenth to keep the lead at two shots, made good recoveries at the 11th, but a mistake from the tee left Percy scrambling at the 12th while a birdie for Kelly meant a two shot swing to see them draw level at -6.
Back-to-back bogeys from Percy meant the next swing went in favour of Kelly, whose third birdie in four holes at the 13th gave him his first time leading on his own. The American’s lead soon doubled to two strokes thanks to a mistake from Percy at the 14th, but two holes later the Australian was able to half the deficit with a birdie at 16.
After trading pars at the 17th, both men approach the 18th hole with a very different tactic. Percy opted for a huge 405 yard drive, while Kelly went for a rescue down the fairway from the tee, getting a great kick off the downslope and ending at the top of the ridge between two bunkers.
Despite being 99 yards behind Percy, Kelly’s second shot was brilliant, landing roughly 30 yards before the green and running up to around 15 feet from the hole. While Percy was further away with his approach, it was the overnight leader who became the first man to climb back to -8 with his eagle, while Kelly’s effort slid by the right of the hole and he ended his round with a birdie from a third round 67.
They said.
Kelly, who is already a two-time Senior Major champion said " “That was different, felt different. hit the ball different. You know, I'm glad I started off with a solid birdie. You know, just a three-putt, leaving it short on the first one which kind of was the theme of the day, even downhill, I was leaving it short.
“ To would be one of the most special things at this stage of my career. Like any player, I might treasure that above all else.”
Percy reflected on the opportunity tomorrow brings, and said that he was happy in the end after a day where he felt like he was doing everything wrong.
“Very happy with the end there. Struggled all day. I couldn't hit it. I couldn't chip it. I couldn't putt it. Then with misjudging wind I pretty much did everything wrong. So to finish birdie, par, eagle, was very nice. I'm not out of it anymore. So that's good.
"Winning the British Open, normal British Open would be incredible. But at my age and with these guys I'm playing with to win a Senior British Open here would be pretty cool."
Summary
Both at -8, the pair are three shots clear of Peter Baker, who leads the chasing pack at -5 after a 67 that included four birdies in his last five holes.
One shot further back at -4 is five-time DP World Tour winner Darren Fichardt, with Ernie Els, Pat Perez and Marcus Brier one behind him on -3.
europeantour.com
Bryan Angus (edit)
