THIRD ROUND SPIETH & PALS ON THE CHARGE
JORDAN’S CUT ABOVE Americans dominating leaderboard
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WORLD No.444 Zander Lombard took a double bogey on 17, but got both shots back at the last by holing out from 135 yards for eagle. ECKLESS ickie Fowler’s opes of a first ajor title nded when he rove out of ounds at No.6 n his way to a riple-bogey 8. TIGER WOODS nailed a 30-foot birdie putt on the ninth to kickstart a run of three consecutive birdies. a £9 haircut, and I tipped them. I don’t even know where I went – and I don’t think he knew who I was. He didn’t really say much.
“He went a little high and tight. It was intended to be what I normally get. He went a little shorter, very British haircut. A little shaved on the sides, a little longer on top. It is what it is. Summertime, it works out.”
Spieth won the Claret Jug in thrilling style last year after getting a penalty drop in the lorry park at the 13th – and then picking up five shots in his last five holes.
The American, who blew a big lead at the 2016 Masters, said: “I know as well as anyone that anything can happen on the last day of a Major. And I know how difficult the last few holes are with 20mph winds forecast. But I hope to make it as boring as possible.”
Woods briefly topped a Major leaderboard for the first time since the 2013 Masters as he shot 66 – his best score at The Open since his last triumph at Hoylake in 2006.
He said: “I have got a shot. The forecast is for it to get up. I hope it proves right. I know that I will be there with a chance.”
Spieth added: “The way he’s striking those two or three irons, he’s certainly going to be in it.” 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.
The three-time Major winner leads a clutch of his countrymen into the final day with any one of them capable of lifting the Claret Jug.
Mcilroy and Fleetwood (below) lie four shots back – with Xander Schauffele and Kevin Kisner tied at the top alongside reigning Open champ Spieth.
The home talents threatened to spark but never truly fired with the Americans’ 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 his compatriots.
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 juggernaught trundling onwards.
Talent
Spieth produced the most eyepopping performance with his sixunder-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.
The 24-year-old, who triumphed 12 months ago at Birkdale, is level with Schauffele who is certainly on the cusp of his highest-ever finish in a Major.
He too is of the same vintage as Spieth – and shows the frightening depth of talent that is certainly 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 collective forces and blast the opposition into submission.
A host of them are living cheek-byjowl in two houses.
In-form Kisner and Zach Johnson travelled to 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.
The three-time major winner showed no fear from the first tee – blasting his ball on to the green. The rock-hard fairways undoubtedly played a part in Spieth’s buccaneering approach but the ball rolled on and on, eventually stopping 10 feet from the hole.
He sank the putt for an eagle two and completed his round without dropping a shot in a bold statement of intent.
He was helped hugely by the benign conditions which 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. He 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 them which 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 club house 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 for today, 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.