Pepperell leads at British Masters
England’s Eddie Pepperell was in position to win the British Masters for the second time in four years after moving to the top of the leaderboard heading into the final round. Pepperell holed from 40 feet for a birdie on the 18th at The Belfry to record a thirdround score of 68.
At 10 under par, Pepperell enjoyed a one-shot lead over Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre and Calum Hill, the Italian pair of Edoardo Molinari and Guido Migliozzo, Poland’s Adrian Meronk and South Africa’s Dean Burmester.
England’s Andy Sullivan and Dave Coupland were part of a four-strong group on eight under, with tournament host and Former Masters winner Danny Willett and former Ryder Cup teammate Chris Wood another stroke adrift.
Pepperell was in the world’s top 35 after winning this event at Walton Heath in 2018, but has fallen down the rankings and began the week 210th. “I think confidence returns quite quickly, although I’ve been awful to be honest so I don’t feel that confident,” Pepperell said.
“I’ve still got things going on in the swing that I can feel aren’t where they once were and can cause me aggro, so the game still feels difficult. I remember the game feeling easier when I was playing better a few years ago. That’s what I’m trying to get back to and I’m confident I will.”
MICKELSON RECEIVES SPECIAL EXEMPTION INTO US OPEN
Five-time major winner Phil Mickelson has received a rare special exemption into the 121st US Open, where he will try to complete a career Grand Slam, the US Golf Association said.
The 50-year-old American left-hander has never won the US Open but has finished second a record six times and will make his 30th start in the event when it is staged June 17-20 at Torrey Pines, near Mickelson’s San Diego home.
Mickelson won the Masters in 2004, 2006 and 2010, the PGA Championship in 2005 and the British Open in 2013. His last top-10 effort in a major was at the 2016 British Open. Mickelson was a US Open runner-up in 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2013.
If Mickelson should win the US Open, he would join Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan and Gary Player as the only players to capture all four major titles in their careers. Mickelson has won 44 career US PGA Tour titles and played on 12 Ryder Cup and 12 Presidents Cup teams.
The only other US Open special exemptions issued in the past 10 years were to South African Retief Goosen in 2016, American Jim Furyk in 2018 and South African Ernie Els in 2018 and 2019. Hale Irwin is only player to win on a special exemption, doing so in 1990. It will be the first major at Torrey Pines since Woods won the 2008 US Open in a playoff over Rocco Mediate.