Cream of the crop
SPIETH’S ON TOP AFTER CLOSE SHAVE AT BARBER
JORDAN SPIETH wants to avoid another close shave at The Open after getting his hair cut too short in Carnoustie.
The defending champion shot a bogey-free 65 to share the lead with fellow Americans Xander Schauffele and Kevin Kisner.
Tiger Woods, Rory Mcilroy and Tommy Fleetwood are all four shots back.
Spieth’s day started with a trip to a local barbers before eagling his first hole.
“My hair got a little long, and I needed to get a haircut, so I did this morning,” he said. “I paid £20, I think. It was like
JORDAN SPIETH led a charge from across the pond as the Americans attempted a shut-out at The Open.
Last year’s winner stormed through the field, leaving the likes of Rory Mcilroy and Tommy Fleetwood trailing in his wake.
Three-time Major winner Spieth leads a clutch of his fellow countrymen into the final day with any one of them capable of lifting the Claret Jug.
Mcilroy and Fleetwood lie four shots back – with Xander Schauffele tied at the top alongside the reigning Open champ with Kevin Kisner.
The home talents threatened to spark but never truly fired with the American stranglehold on the current game almost certain to strengthen today.
It’s been some ride they’ve been on too. As well as winning the Ryder Cup two years ago, the last five Majors have all been claimed by Spieth and Co.
And this one appears to be going the same way – unless Mcilroy, Fleetwood or the in-form Francesco Molinari can pull off the spectacular and stop the Yankee juggernaut.
Spieth, who triumphed 12 months ago at Birkdale, produced the most eye-popping performance with his six-under-par round but a gang of his pals are in hot pursuit. And any one of them is capable of mounting a bid for glory this afternoon.
Schauffele is of the same vintage as 24-year-old Spieth – and underlines the frightening depth of talent that is coming to the fore at present. Webb Simpson and Kevin Chappell are also in the mix.
And we haven’t even mentioned the big beast in the forest yet, Tiger Woods, who is lying menacingly just off the pace four shots back.
It’s almost as if they have taken a collective decision to combine their forces and blast the opposition into submission.
A host of them are living cheek- by-jowl in two houses. Kisner and Johnson travelled into the course together after watching television. Spieth wandered into Carnoustie and grabbed a haircut.
But rather than diminish his strength, it had the opposite effect.
Spieth showed no fear at all from the first tee – blasting his ball on to the green.
The rock-hard fairways undoubtedly played a part but the ball rolled on and on, eventually stopping 10 feet from the hole.
He sank the putt for an eagle two, then completed his round without dropping a shot in a bold statement of intent. He was helped hugely by the benign conditions that were tailor-made for the Americans to thrive.
Apart from the scorched earth, it could have been any one of those picture-perfect courses that appear to be sprinkled Stateside.
And the Americans all showed a deftness of touch and maturity in their course management as the birdies kept coming.
But Mcilroy refused to be shaken off – even though he took time to get going.
The Northern Irishman had finished two strokes under regulation on the opening days.
And his round only really spluttered into life just before the turn.
Three birdies in the first five on the way back gave rise to thoughts that the 29-year-old Ulsterman was building up a head of steam.
But he ruined his chances of putting the squeeze on the leading pack by dropping two shots in the final three holes. It could be those that prove crucial as he undoubtedly would have had a platform from which to attack.
As it is, the chances of Old Glory being raised at the clubhouse this evening are high after a day on which the horrors of a links course were kept well-hidden.
But with a day of high winds forecast, it may well blow up in the Americans’ faces if they take it for granted on a course where the devil is never too far away.