Miguel Angel Jimenez goes two clear in The Senior Open
Sunday 29 July 2018 19:21, UK
Miguel Angel Jimenez will take a two-shot lead into the final round of The Senior Open at St Andrews.
The 54-year-old Spaniard carded a level-par 72 on a brutal day when blustery winds made conditions extremely difficult on the Old Course, especially on the back nine.
He is on nine-under 207 following 54 holes and two clear of defending champion Bernhard Langer, American duo Tom Pernice Jnr and Kirk Triplett and Stephen Ames of Canada.
Jimenez started the third round in a share of the lead with Ames on nine under after the Canadian returned to the course early on Saturday morning to wrap up his second round with a par at the 18th.
He slipped up with a bogey at the first, though, before recovering with back-to-back birdies at the fifth and sixth which he subsequently gave back with bogeys at the ninth and 11th.
Birdies at the 12th and 14th, the former thanks to a lengthy putt and the latter following a superb third shot from the rough to around a foot, took Jimenez into a clear lead.
He then three-putted the 15th for a bogey, but an excellent up-and-down from the bunker at 17 and a par at the last, where he missed a six-footer for birdie, kept him in command.
"Tomorrow is going to be a tough day. It's going to be hard and there are some top players there, all playing very well. Whoever has the most patience in these conditions will win," said Jimenez.
Langer was one of only three players to birdie the 17th when he holed a putt from off the green to get within one of Jimenez, but he then missed a short par putt at the last as he carded a one-over 73, a score which was matched by Triplett.
Ames mixed two birdies with four bogeys in his 74, while Pernice Jnr turned in 32 after holing his second shot for an eagle at the ninth, but he then had four bogeys on the back nine to sign for a 71.
Tom Watson, who eagled the fifth on the way out, held the outright lead when he holed a monster putt to birdie the 13th, but a double-bogey seven at the 14th and bogeys at the 16th and 17th left him with a 73 and saw him slip back to six under.
He shares sixth place with fellow Americans Scott McCarron (70) and Tom Lehman (71) and Thai duo Thaworn Wiratchant (69) and Prayad Marksaeng (70).
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Paul McGinley (72) and Colin Montgomerie (72) are among a group of seven players on five under.
Jeff Sluman, the first-round leader, was one of many players to struggle on the back nine as he carded a 76 to slip back to four under.
Watch the final round of the Senior Open Championship on Sunday from 4pm on Sky Sports Golf.
