Jimenez has two-shot lead in Senior Open with 18 holes to go

Miguel Angel Jiménez will take a two-stroke lead into the final round of The 

Senior Open Presented by Rolex after maintaining his composure in testing 

conditions on the Old Course at St Andrews.

The Spaniard, who started the day in a share of the lead with Canada’s Stephen 

Ames, carded a level par round of 72 as blustery winds battered the Fife coast 

for most of the afternoon.

Jiménez recovered from a bogey on the first with birdies on the fifth and sixth 

holes, before making the turn level par after dropping a shot just before the

turn.

He came home level par after two birdies and two bogeys on the back nine to 

hold a two-stroke lead over American duo Tom Pernice Jnr and Kirk Triplett, 

Ames and the defending champion Bernhard Langer, of Germany.

“Conditions were difficult today, brutal,” said Jiménez. “It’s tough in this wind. 

You could see the scores, people got to nine under and ten under but then made 

bogeys. It’s not easy.

“I was ten under par after birdies on the 12^th and 14^th, then bogeyed and made three pars. I missed a birdie on the 15^th by rushing myself, but that’s golf.

“I like this tournament and, of course, I like St Andrews. I would love to win. I 

hope I can hold the trophy, I would love to. Tomorrow is going to be a tough 

day. It’s going to be hard and there are some top players there, all playing very 

well. Whoever has the most patience in these conditions will win.”

Langer, who won a record tenth Senior Major Championship at last 

year’s Senior Open at Royal Porthcawl, bogeyed the 18^th hole to sign 

for a round of 73, one over par, and a seven under par total.

“You have to bring a good attitude, whether you’re chasing or leading,” said 

Langer. “This golf course changes so dramatically when there’s wind, when you 

get rain on top of it, it’s going to be even harder.”

Tom Watson remained in the hunt for a fourth Senior Open title after also 

carding a one over par round. The 68 year old delighted the crowds at St 

Andrews with an eagle on the par five fifth hole, and birdie on the sixth, but 

dropped four shots on the last five holes to settle for a 73 and a six under par 

total

“The wind blew hard today, and it was a tough inward nine,” said Watson. “I 

made some mistakes and I paid the penalty for them. But it’s good to be in this 

position; I wish I had just been a couple of shots lower.

“Right now, I’m in a bunch just behind the leaders and I’m going to have to 

play some really good golf tomorrow to come out in front.”

Watson shares sixth place with compatriots Tom Lehman and Scott 

McCarron, and Thai pair Prayad Marksaeng and Thaworn Wiratchant.

Scores after round three:

par 216 (3x72)
207 M Jiménez (Spn) 68 67 72
209 K Triplett (USA) 65 71 73, B Langer (Ger) 67 69 73, S Ames (Canada) 66 69 74, T Pernice jun (USA) 70 68 71
210 T Wiratchant (Thailand) 65 76 69, T Watson (USA) 69 68 73, P Marksaeng (Thailand) 70 70 70, S McCarron (USA) 67 73 70, T Lehman (USA) 68 71 71
211 C Montgomerie (Sco) 71 68 72, S Dodd (Wales) 72 69 70, M Dawson (USA) 71 67 73, J Sandelin (Swe) 68 69 74, P McGinley (Ire) 66 73 72, K Perry (USA) 68 71 72, B Andrade (USA) 70 72 69
212 V Singh (Fiji) 68 69 75, D McKenzie (Australia) 70 72 70, B Jobe (USA) 70 69 73, J Sluman (USA) 68 68 76
213 J Parnevik (Swe) 70 70 73, J Kelly (USA) 74 67 72
214 M Brooks (USA) 72 70 72, P Price (Wales) 68 72 74, D Waldorf (USA) 74 71 69, W Austin (USA) 70 73 71, P Broadhurst (Eng) 71 70 73, K Sutherland (USA) 70 71 73, P Lonard (Australia) 73 70 71
215 J Maggert (USA) 70 72 73, B Mayfair (USA) 69 70 76, J Daly (USA) 69 74 72, G Orr (Sco) 71 70 74, J Remesy (Fra) 73 70 72, S Parel (USA) 71 72 72, S Tinning (Denmark) 69 73 73, P Fowler (Australia) 71 70 74
216 B Faxon (USA) 76 69 71, T Petrovic (USA) 73 68 75, G Koch (USA) 71 73 72, F Couples (USA) 71 72 73, J Durant (USA) 69 72 75, B Estes (USA) 75 70 71, M Atlevi (Swe) 68 76 72
217 C Dennis (USA) 68 72 77, P Archbold (Australia) 69 75 73, S Lyle (Sco) 73 66 78, G Sauers (USA) 72 71 74,
218 A Bossert (Sui) 71 68 79, S Simpson (USA) 71 72 75, M Brier (Aut) 73 69 76, M Mamat (Sin) 70 73 75, S Verplank (USA) 69 73 76, C Pavin (USA) 72 69 77, M Calcavecchia (USA) 74 71 73, L Roberts (USA) 71 73 74, R Gomez (Arg) 77 68 73, R Chapman (Eng) 73 70 75, A Oldcorn (Sco) 71 73 74,
219 T Thelen (USA) 70 73 76, D Frost (SAf) 72 73 74,
220 S Luna (Spn) 73 72 75, R Cochran (USA) 72 72 76, M Ridley (Eng) 70 75 75, D Toms (USA) 67 73 80
221 G Wolstenholme (Eng) 72 69 80, S Flesch (USA) 74 69 78
222 D Smyth (Ire) 75 70 77, M Molina (Arg) 70 68 84
224 M McNulty (Ire) 77 68 79
226 G Marks (Eng) 69 75 82,