Fox stays in the hunt as Ogilvy charges
Ryan Fox will play alongside American superstar Jordan Spieth as he tries to become the first New Zealander to win the Australian Open in more than a century.
The Kiwi golfer shot a one-under par 71 yesterday to be tied second with two-time major winner Spieth and Australian Aaron Baddeley, two shots back from leader Geoff Ogilvy.
Ogilvy expressed surprise after firing the low round of the tournament, a brilliant, unblemished eight-under-par 64 at Royal Sydney. The former US Open champion is 11-under, with Spieth lurking ominously after grinding out a third-round 68 despite a shaky start.
Fox had his worst round of the tournament, mixing in an eagle, three birdies and four bogeys.
He moved to within one shot of Ogilvy when he birdied the par-five 16th but immediately gave the shot back when he bogeyed the short 17th.
Ogilvy made the most of the favourable early morning conditions to go out in a red-hot sixunder 30 courtesy of birdies at the first, second, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth holes.
He didn’t grab another birdie until the par-five 16th, where he moved into the outright lead.
The 2010 Open champion iced his round with a stunning approach on the 18th for a tap-in birdie three. ‘‘To be honest, I didn’t really see 64 on the first tee,’’ Ogilvy said.
‘‘But after going out so well on the front nine I kind of started seeing a score like that. It’s always a To be honest, I didn’t really see 64 on the first tee. nice feeling. I’m back in the mix.’’
Spieth will draw on the good memories of his final round charge at the 2014 Australian Open, which kick-started a golden run of two major victories. ‘‘[I] felt very confident starting that round,’’ Spieth said after a late flurry helped him sign for a four-under 68 yesterday. ‘‘Felt like it was my tournament. ‘‘I feel that way here; I feel my best golf is yet to come out. At this present moment I feel very confident about where things are. I can draw on 2014 for sure.
‘‘I’m going to play pretty aggressive [today]. I may dial back on a couple holes – I’m in the position to do so. I’m going to stay true to myself.
‘‘That [2014] was a round that felt like an easy 63 if that makes any sense. It did wonders for me going forward so I’m very excited about [today].’’
In-form veteran Rod Pampling is three off the pace after a rollercoaster round of 70 vaulted the 47-year-old into contention for his maiden national championship.
Adam Scott is a further shot back at seven under after salvaging a 71 with two late birdies.
Halfway leader James Nitties (74), along with Jake Higginbottom (66), Jason Scrivener (69) and 20-yearold Lucas Herbert (71) all share sixth place with Scott.
Two-time former champion Robert Allenby (68), teenage amateur Min Woo Lee (71) and fellow young gun Cameron Smith (68) are not out of it at six-under and five in arrears of Ogilvy.
– AAP/Stuff