Sublime Spieth leads but there’s a Tiger prowling at Carnoustie
What happened on Saturday at The Open?
Jordan Spieth backed up a Friday 67 with a sensational six-under-par round of 65 to head into Sunday at Carnoustie in prime position to successfully defend his Open Championship title.
Spieth, who survived a back-nine scare at Birkdale last year to win his first Claret Jug, got off to a dream start by driving the green on the par-4 opening hole and rolling in his eagle putt.
He’d then go on to pick up a further four shots to hold a share of the lead with Xander Schauffele and Kevin Kisner.
It was a thrilling penultimate day on the east coast of Scotland, with Justin Rose kicking things off with an early round of 64, and then Tiger Woods catapulted into contention with a super 66.
At one point, Woods held a share of the lead. A bogey at the tough par-3 16th and a gutsy par-save at the 18th has the 14-time major champion just four shots back heading into tomorrow’s final round.
In the final few groups, both Schauffele and Kisner played excellently, particularly over the final stretch of holes, to hold on and maintain a fine opportunity to get off the mark at major championship level.
Elsewhere, Rory McIlroy managed to get around under-par, but his round of 70 leaves the Northern Irishman with plenty of work to do if he’s to win his second Open, while the in-form Francesco Molinari shot a 65 to sit solo fifth and three shots back of the American trio at the top.
Leaderboard
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Talking point
Since finishing third at The Masters in April, Jordan Spieth has missed two cuts and hasn’t registered a top-20 in six starts. If it wasn’t already clear, this week just evidences that the 24-year-old lives for the big tournaments.
Spieth has dropped to 6th in the world rankings and his only two top-5 finishes this season have come at the Masters and the Houston Open the week prior.
There’s been absolutely no indication that this sort of performance has been brewing – he entered this week off the back of missed cuts in two of his last three events, while his putting rank has fallen to 175th on the PGA Tour, losing almost 0.33 of a stroke on the greens per round.
But now, after rounds of 72, 67 and 65, Spieth is the big favourite to land the Claret Jug with just 18 holes to go.
And he did it all with a fresh haircut, which he revealed cost him £9. The barber got quite the tip…
You won't believe @JordanSpieth's morning in Carnoustie – and we aren't talking about the course ? ? Sound on ? pic.twitter.com/dFIdmSYUp3
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 21, 2018
Best stats
Jordan Spieth has now led or co-led following more than 20% of his career rounds in major championships.
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGC) July 21, 2018
The last time a player under the age of 25 won consecutive #TheOpen titles was 1870 and 1872 (there was no Open in 1871) – Young Tom Morris. The event was 3 rounds, the course was 12 holes, and there were only 8 players to finish the tournament.
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGC) July 21, 2018
Superstitious types who like symmetry will note that the last man to win back-to-back Opens was Pádraig Harrington at Carnoustie & Birkdale. Tomorrow Jordan Spieth could accomplish the same feat at the same two courses.
— Eamon Lynch (@eamonlynch) July 21, 2018
66 for Woods today; each of the previous two times Woods carded a score of 66 or lower during The Open, he went on to win (2005, 2006).
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGC) July 21, 2018
Today's 66 is Tiger's lowest round in #TheOpen since the 2nd round in 2006 at Royal Liverpool. That was the week of Woods' 3rd Open title.
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGC) July 21, 2018
60-year-old Bernhard Langer and 19-year-old Sam Locke each shot under par in the third round. When Locke was born, Langer had won already won 39 times on the European Tour.
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGC) July 21, 2018
.@JustinRose99 shoots 64, tying the lowest ever round in an Open at Carnoustie
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGC) July 21, 2018
Jordan Spieth is 117th in putts per round this season on the PGA Tour. He's T-3 in the field in that statistic this week.
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGC) July 20, 2018
Best moments
. @XSchauffele joins the leaders at -9.https://t.co/qpzqXJ4BrC#TheOpen pic.twitter.com/KlQOtpiXLK
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 21, 2018
What an image. What a shot.
EAGLE 2 at 18 for @ZanderLombard.#TheOpen pic.twitter.com/yTRr2tBMWl— The Open (@TheOpen) July 21, 2018
Monster putt by @ZachJohnsonPGA at Hogan's Alley to tie for the lead.
Full scoring https://t.co/gVDayzkpiZ#TheOpen pic.twitter.com/C3yWpHfkMh
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 21, 2018
.@TigerWoods shoots his lowest round in a Major for seven years.#TheOpen pic.twitter.com/r9q1q9cxvH
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 21, 2018
Brilliant up and down for par for @TigerWoods. You're not going to want to miss tomorrow.#TheOpen pic.twitter.com/BNyeWTWu9n
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 21, 2018
Three birdies in a row for @TigerWoods takes him to -5. https://t.co/qpzqXJ4BrC#TheOpen pic.twitter.com/kc8we836jk
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 21, 2018
. @TigerWoods holes his fourth birdie of the day after this amazing approach at the 10th.https://t.co/qpzqXJ4BrC#TheOpen pic.twitter.com/cQeLeLBcDB
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 21, 2018
WHAT. A. START. ?@JordanSpieth drives then green then holes the putt ? pic.twitter.com/ejTWtd9uY9
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 21, 2018
Three birdies in his opening 9 holes, @TigerWoods is on the prowl.https://t.co/qpzqXJ4BrC#TheOpen pic.twitter.com/LhvbsakZRi
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 21, 2018
What a putt! @Chris3Wood saves par on the 18th as he cards a 66 on day 3.https://t.co/qpzqXJ4BrC#TheOpen pic.twitter.com/KlwZ3X1qsW
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 21, 2018
'Outrageous!'@JasonDufner ends his round with a contender for shot of the day.#TheOpen pic.twitter.com/hK1ODzyDmX
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 21, 2018
6️⃣4️⃣ What a round from @JustinRose99. Equalling the lowest round score in #TheOpen at Carnoustie ? pic.twitter.com/siDTZvTelb
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 21, 2018
A birdie on 18 on Friday meant @JustinRose99 made the cut, the same today puts him in contention heading into Sunday.
Full scoring https://t.co/gVDayzkpiZ#TheOpen pic.twitter.com/a9RGwS4YG2
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 21, 2018
.@Chris3Wood is having the round of this life. Now -7 through 13 and 1 off the lead.
Full scoring https://t.co/gVDayzkpiZ#TheOpen pic.twitter.com/n1izSJgh0w
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 21, 2018
The Open final leaderboard
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Tom Irwin
Tom is a lifetime golfer, now over 30 years playing the game. 2023 marks 10 years in golf publishing and he is still holding down a + handicap at Alwoodley in Leeds. He has played over 600 golf courses, and has been a member of at least four including his first love Louth, in Lincolnshire. Tom likes unbranded clothing, natural fibres, and pencil bags. Seacroft in Lincolnshire is where it starts and ends.
