Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
LOUIS IS FEELING ALL ZEN
OOSTHUIZEN STAYS CALM TO LEAD BY ONE
LEADER Louis Oosthuizen will battle Collin Morikawa in another Open duel in the sun after fighting his swing yesterday.
But fellow former Major champion Jordan Spieth will strive to join a three-way battle in a potentially thrilling climax to the Major season at scorching Royal St George’s.
The 2010 Open winner shot a 69 yesterday to lead by one from his playing partner and last year’s US PGA winner Morikawa (right). The pairing will go headto-head again today.
Three-time Major winner Spieth had joined a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard after 14 holes but two closing bogeys – including missing a two-foot par putt on the last – saw him drop three shots off the pace. The 2010 champion Oosthuizen had described his 64 as a “perfect opening round” and then smashed Nick Faldo’s 36-hole low-scoring record with his second round 65.
But yesterday the sweetswinging South African picked up a bad moment to lose his timing on the back nine – especially with his irons – before showing his steely nerve over the closing holes. “I was definitely not swinging it freely today,” said the world No.13.
“I was a little all over the place with iron shots. I felt I kept the round together at the end there. The R&A wasn’t happy with the low scoring – they put some pins out there which were very questionable. But it was tough and I am glad I could hold it together.
I am excited – it is a great position. I need to play well now and get rid of those loose swings.”
Oosthuizen has one Major but also a six-pack of second-place finishes in Majors, including two this year, and today will be a golden chance to win in Europe for the first time since St Andrews. The previous two times the Open was staged in Kent this century, world No.396 Ben Curtis won in 2003 and 42-year-old Darren Clarke won in 2011 when ranked world No.111.
But with the weather like Turnberry in 1977, when Tom Watson duelled with Jack Nicklaus, the top three here are also Major winners.
Yesterday Oosthuizen had started steadily before birdies at No.7 and No.9 saw him threaten to open up blue water on the field alongside the English Channel. Then Louis the sun king seemed all set for a royal procession to the title, like in 2010 when he led by four shots after 54 holes and won by seven.
But this was a different story as his swing started to misfire.
His first bogey at 11 was followed by another dropped shot at 13. And he needed to scramble pars at 14 – after failing to make the green with his first chip – and 15 to see a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard.
His playing partner Morikawa had made two bogeys in his first five holes before making the turn in level par. But the world No.4, who shot a 64 on Friday, showed why he is the best iron player in the world with stunning approaches to 13 and 14 on his way to a 68.
Spieth made five birdies in his first 10 holes but did not make any more as Oosthuizen nervelessly found his swing and the green on 16 before rolling in the birdie putt which sees him start as leader.
Golf is not coming home today with no English contenders on the leaderboard. US Open winner Jon Rahm is the top European after he followed his 64 with a 68 to move to seven under par.
“Hopefully we get some wind tomorrow and some tough pin locations and if you get off to a good start, you never know,” said the world No.2.
But world No.1 Dustin Johnson hit a marshall with his second shot into the fourth hole on his way to a poor 73.