Miguel’s in pole position to emulate Seve Major victory at the Old Course
Miguel Angel Jimenez is just 18 holes away from emulating Seve Ballesteros as a Spanish winner at St Andrews.
fired a level-par 72 in testing conditions around the Old Course yesterday to take a twoshot advantage into the final round of the Senior Open.
It was back in 1984 when Seve won, the second of his three Opens, at the Home of Golf and the Spaniard’s celebration at holing his putt on the 18th green remains one of golf’s mostenduring images.
This is the first time the Senior Open has ever been staged at St Andrews and Jimenez would dearly love to follow in the footsteps of his late friend.
He won his first senior Major – the Regions Tradition – over in America earlier this year, but this would represent the most memorable win of his career.
After two ideal days for scoring, a fresh breeze yesterday kept the players on their toes. The Old Course was protected, especially on the back nine, as holes played straight into the wind.
But the 54-year-old battled admirably for his score, as he mixed four birdies with four bogeys as other challengers went backwards.
There are a quartet of players tied for second, including defending Champion Bernhard Langer.
The German has dominated seniors golf ever since turning 50 and has won this event three times, but he would love to be crowned a winner at St Andrews.
He holed a monster putt for a birdie on the Road Hole which sparked a rare show of celebration to move to within one of Jimenez.
But he carelessly gave it back with a bogey from the Valley of Sin at the last to drop back into a group with American pair Kirk Triplett and Tom Pernice Jr and Canada’s Stephen Ames.
Tom Watson’s hopes of finally winning at St Andrews are still alive, but he will have to do it from three strokes behind the leader.
The American has won five Opens and three Senior Opens, but none of them came at the Home of Golf.
At one stage yesterday, he was out in front, but he dropped four shots in four holes into the wind from the 14th to end up with a one-over 73.
Hopes of a home winner rest with Colin Montgomerie after he fought his way to a level-par round.
It leaves him at five-under-par and in a tie for 11th, but only four behind Jimenez and in with a chance of the Senior Major he wants above all.
But it was a day to forget for Sandy Lyle. Playing in the same group as Monty, he slumped to a miserable six-over 78.
After carding a best-of-the-day 66 on Friday, the Scot had five bogeys and two double bogeys as the Old Course took its revenge. M Jiménez (Esp) 68 67 72, K Triplett (USA) 65 71 73, B Langer (Ger) 67 69 73, S Ames (Can) 66 69 74, T Pernice Jnr (USA) 70 68 71,
T Wiratchant (Tha) 65 76 69, T Watson (USA) 69 68 73, P Marksaeng (Tha) 70 70 70, S Mccarron (USA) 67 73 70, T Lehman (USA) 68 71 71,
C Montgomerie (Sco) 71 68 72, S Dodd (Wal) 72 69 70, M Dawson (USA) 71 67 73, J Sandelin (Swe) 68 69 74, P Mcginley (Irl) 66 73 72, K Perry (USA) 68 71 72, B Andrade (USA) 70 72 69,
V Singh (Fij) 68 69 75, D Mckenzie (Aus) 70 72 70, B Jobe (USA) 70 69 73, J Sluman (USA) 68 68 76,
J Parnevik (Swe) 70 70 73, J Kelly (USA) 74 67 72,
M Brooks (USA) 72 70 72, P Price (Wal) 68 72 74, D Waldorf (USA) 74 71 69, W Austin (USA) 70 73 71, P Broadhurst (Eng) 71 70 73, K Sutherland (USA) 70 71 73, P Lonard (Aus) 73 70 71.
G Orr (Sco) 71 70 74.
S Lyle (Sco) 73 66 78. R Chapman (Eng) 73 70 75, A Oldcorn (Sco) 71 73 74.