Spieth locks down share of lead
American shoots 65 sporting new haircut that has buddies buzzing
CARNOUSTIE, SCOTLAND— The buzz about hair at the British Open had been about Tommy Fleetwood’s flowing locks.
On Saturday it shifted to the buzz Jordan Spieth got in the barber chair before going out for his third round.
“It looked like a military grade haircut,” cracked Kevin Kisner, one of Spieth’s housemates this week.
Spieth said his hair was getting long so he went to a barber before heading over to the golf course. He intended to get his normal cut, but the barber had some other ideas.
“Very British haircut,” he said. “A little shaved on the sides, a little longer on top. It is what it is. Summertime, it works out.”
Spieth’s cut not only got him some ribbing from his housemates for the week — he and five other players are sharing a house — but some questions at his post-round news conference, where he took his hat off briefly to show the new look. “How much did you pay?” one writer asked.
“Twenty pounds, I think,” Spieth said. “It was like a 9 pound haircut and I tipped them.” “Did they know who you are?” “I don’t think so,” Spieth replied. “He didn’t really say much.”
Whatever it cost, the haircut didn’t hurt. With the new style under his golf cap, Spieth went out and shot a 65 to share the lead going into the final round of the Open.
And on Sunday he’ll be more than happy to take the hat off for all to see if it means he’s won his second straight Open.
Seven players had a share of the lead at one point on Saturday. Kisner, who started the third round tied for the lead, was never far away but had to work hard to stay there. He made a tough par save on the 17th, and then got up-and-down from behind the18th green for a 68.
Xander Schauffele, the PGA Tour rookie of the year last season, holed a 30-foot putt from behind the 18th green for a 67. They were at 9-under 204 with Spieth.
“We’ve got pretty much a new tournament tomorrow,” Spieth said.
A dozen players were separated by four shots, which is nothing considering that the last two British Open champions at Carnoustie rallied from 10 shots (Paul Lawrie) and six shots (Padraig Harrington) on the final day.
Of the top five on the leaderboard, only Spieth has experience winning a major. He will try to become the first player since Padraig Harrington in 2008 to win golf’s oldest championship in consecutive years.
His move started with a sudden decision. The opening hole is 396 yards on the card, with the fairway getting narrow between two bunkers. Spieth, who spent Saturday morning watching the Open on television, asked caddy Michael Greller on the practice range, “Do we like driver?”
Greller told him no. Play short and it’s a wedge to a front pin, easy birdie chance.
Spieth walked to the tee with coach Cameron McCormick and asked him, “How about I just send it on No. 1?”
“I felt good about the range session. And he’s like, ‘I put my chips behind anything you decide, always.’ And that kind of gave me that little extra boost,” Spieth said.
He stuffed his approach to two feet on No. 4 and made two short birdie putts until he came to the par-3 16th, when his 5iron settled 12 feet away for his longest putt of the day.
This is the 16th time he has been in at least a share of the lead in the majors in the five years he has been playing them on a regular basis.