The weather conditions are similar to yesterday so The Aisla Course is not going to be a pushover today as the players try and jockey for position on moving day at The Open.
Double Defending champion Padraig Harrington
Double defending champion Padraig Harrington and Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy struggle today. Harrington is +9 and despite birdies on the last three holes McIlroy is +7.
Like déjà vu, Sergio Garcia, Vijay Singh and Ernie Els are being let down by their putters. Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and is three under for the first nine holes. Bryce Molder from the USA shoots the best round of the day with a 67 to get to even par for the tournament. John Daly has put together two very well crafted, disciplined rounds and is in the process of making it three. A pitch in from off the green on the third for birdie helps.
Steve Marino's Disaster
The final ten groups, as Watson and Marino tee off, are making very few birdies. Jimenez, Calcavecchia, Westwood and Marino all drop shots early. Ross Fisher bucks the trend with an excellent birdie on three. Steve Marino starts disastrously, dropping five shots in five holes. Retief Goosen drops two shots on the par five seventh to slip back to -2 after an early birdie. Tom Watson drops his first shot on the fifth but gets it back on the seventh to retain a two shot lead at -5.
Steve Marino bravely recovers three of his dropped shots with an eagle at 7 and another birdie to get back to -3. Tom Watson drives the ball superbly, reading the cross winds well. Goosen drops another shot at 11 and is back to -1 and equal eighth with Furyk who posts an even par 70. Jimenez drops two shots on fourteen and Goosen another one and both are now back to level par for the tournament.
Australian Matthew Goggin posts an excellent 69 to set a demanding lead in the clubhouse with -3.
Lee Westwood’s approach lands in the tall stuff on 18 and he fluffs his first shot out but makes up and down for bogey and a par 70 and is just one behind at -2. Ross Fisher birdies 16 and 17 to get to -3. Retief Goosen eagles 17 to get two of this rounds dropped shots back and he shoots a 71 to finish with Westwood on -2. Jimenez drops five shots in three holes from fourteen. Only five players are under par for their rounds today.
Tom Watson Holds his Nerve
Tom Watson holds his nerve and looks very settled despite dropping a shot on fifteen but playing partner Marino stumbles after recovering earlier in his round but he surely won’t recover from this triple bogey and a double at the sixteenth. Watson startles everyone again on 16 with a stunning 30 foot putt on the sixteenth once again. Ross Fisher hit’s a majestic iron into the final hole and pars out for a 70 and is -3 for the tournament.
Tom Watson sees it through as he hit’s a fine shot into 17 to give him an eagle chance. He doesn’t make it but does birdie to take the outright lead on -4. He pars the last and is leading The Open 2009 going into the final day.
See also:
Tiger Woods misses the cut at Turnberry
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