Carnoustie casualty - Senior Open leader suffers two big stumbles late in third round

KJ Choi makes his way up the first during day three of the Senior Open Championship presented by Rolex at Carnoustie Golf Links. Picture: Kenny Smith/Getty Images.

It was Carnoustie at its best - or should that be worst? Korean K J Choi looked to be heading into the final round of the Senior Open presented by Rolex with a big lead, but that was before he’d tackled the notorious closing stretch on the Angus course.

He double bogeyed the par-4 15th then did likewise at the par-3 16th, where he left his first attempt to get out of a deep bunker in the trap. From being five shots ahead after 14 holes, the 54-year-old suddenly found himself tied for the lead with Australian left-hander Richard Green.

Bearing in mind his head was probably frazzled, Choi did well to make a rock-solid par at the 17th and then close with a brilliant birdie, using one of his trusty utility clubs to safely find the putting surface on both occasions. But, boy, did those two late lapses change the complexion of the leaderboard at the end of the day.

On eight under, Choi (70) leads by one from Green (68), with India’s Arjun Atwal (67) one further back. Englishman Paul Broadhurst (69), the winner here eight years ago, sits on four under while two-time major champion Angel Cabrera is just five shots off the lead.

Add in Padraig Harrington, winner of The Open in 2007, and Canadian Stephen Ames both on two under and a group on par including four-time winner Bernhard Langer and Paul Lawrie, who, of course, came from ten shots behind heading into the final round to get his hands on the main Claret Jug here 25 years ago, and a belter of a final day has been teed up.

“A couple of mistakes, but happy with the round,” said Choi, a prolific winner on the regular tours - his biggest success came in The Players Championship in 2011 - but with only one over-50s victory to his name, of his day’s work on a pleasant afternoon.

As had been the case on the opening two days, Choi looked as though he was tackling a different course to the others as he reeled off four birdies on the trot from third before giving one of those shots back at the seventh.

The spring was back in his step following birdies at the 12th and 14th, but, as many have discovered over the years, Carnoustie has a habit of biting you at some point and tangling with a gorse bush at the 15th then finding himself close to the face in that bunker at the 16th left marks in his case.

“It's a dream come true,” said the leader of having an opportunity to be crowned as the third Senior Open champion at this venue after Langer (2010) and Broadhurst (2016). “Carnoustie is very special, so I will try my best to do well tomorrow and win.”

Green, a three-time European Legends Tour winner, is also chasing a maiden senior major win, having finished second and third already this year in the marquee events.

“As much as I can,” said the 53-year-old in reply to being asked how he could learn from those experiences as he bids to get the job done on this occasion. “I think you've got to learn in those situations to deal with the pressure the right way. As much experience as you can have in those situations is good. I'm going to take that little bit of experience out of those events and see how I go.”

Atwal signed for seven birdies in his effort. “A lot,” he said of what landing this prize would mean. “I haven't won a tournament since 2014 (the Dubai Open on the Asian Tour). My last PGA Tour event was 2010 (in the Wyndham Championship). So we'll see. I'm going to give it my best tomorrow. We'll see.”

Broadhurst, who is using a walking stick as he battles severe arthritis, has played the back nine in 11 under par, making an eagle, which came at the 12th, and three birdies on this occasion.

“Three shots is nothing,” he said. “You don't know what the leaders are going to do tomorrow. Just keep it steady if I can, keep it in play. Keep out of this rough. Make a few putts and you never know.”

Lawrie was disappointed to cover the last six holes in two over after earlier picking up shots at the second, sixth, 11th and 12th. “Disappointed with my finish,” said the Aberdonian after signing for bogeys at both the 15th and 18th. “Parred 14 as well so it feels like three-over for the last five holes. But I played nice and could easily have been three or four better. Even though the conditions are better, you still have to hit the right shots and if you don’t you are in bother.”

Having come from further behind in 1999, though, he’s certainly not discounting his chances and even more so after Choi opening the door for a few more of those in the chasing pack. “You never know,” he admitted. “But Choi is something else. It’s great play from him. But there’s still a long way to go.”

Assessing his week so far, Lawrie said: “Not unhappy. This is only my fourth event (this season). Competitively, I don’t do an awful lot. But, when you are standing on the 14th tee, if you get one-under there you are right in the mix. But it was a poor finish.”

South African-based Scot Doug McGuigan shot a 71 to sit alongside both Colin Montgomerie (73) and Scott Henderson (74) on six over while Greig Hutcheon (73) and Euan McIntosh (74) will head into the final round of eight and nine over respectively.