‘I’d really like to have a good front nine, like I did today, and play hopefully even par on the back side would be nice and at least get one birdie would be good, ‘ he said.
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Stenson shot a 3-under 68 in Round 3 to pass Mickelson by one shot at Royal Troon.
Stenson, 40, still chasing his first major triumph, was not so lucky, his effort did find sand and a bogey dropped him to 10-under.
Sunday should be full of dramatics, with a competition too close to call right now.
Phil Mickelson and Henrik Stenson are hardly enemies, but even friends would be getting sick of each other by now with the time the two have spent together this year.
None of the “Big Four” have been able to make their presence felt this week – US Open champion Dustin Johnson is one-under, world number one Jason Day sits at one-over and Jordan Spieth is five over.
Bogeys by Stenson on the sixth and eighth holes sent Mickelson into the back nine with a one-stroke lead, at 11 under.
England’s Andrew Johnston, nicknamed “Beef” because of his bulky build, shot a 1-under 70 to finish the third round in fourth at 5 under.
That leaves Stenson leading a major all by himself for the first time. Stenson, who was second to Mickelson in the 2013 Open at Muirfield, said he would approach the final round somewhat as match play – head-to-head – as well as use his planned strategy. “Old” Tom Morris was a few days older than Mickelson. He made his first trip to America for last month’s U.S. Open, and then did a piece for the Golf Channel where he downed a 32-ounce steak in the blink of an eye during the Bridgestone. Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark reached 8 under par until a double bogey from thick grass on the 10th, and three more bogeys over the next four holes.
But his momentum was snuffed out when he missed par-saving putts at the ninth and 10th holes, both from about 4 feet.
“The game of golf, it just comes and goes”, Mickelson said. He had just enough room to hammer it up the fairway, and then played a shot rarely seen in links golf – instead of running it up along the ground, he used his quick hands to produce enough backspin to bring it back down a ridge to 6 feet from the hole.
The 49-year-old American turned in another fine round Saturday, shooting a 3-under 68 in cool, blustery conditions at Royal Troon. Major championships in the United States continue to push green speeds to the extreme to combat this.
An errant drive at the 555-yard fourth hole forced Lefty to settle for a par. “When you’re putting into 25mph winds and the greens are a lot slower than you’re used to, these things happen”, he said after his third round.
Mickelson extended his lead to two strokes with a birdie on the 13th, but the tide started to turn in Stenson’s favor after that.
Stenson had the lowest round in the field on Friday and Saturday.
Mickelson once again surged into the lead by birdying the par-five 16th, but he quickly gave it away with a bogey on the following hole, while Stenson carded another birdie.
J.B. Holmes and Patrick Reed are also playing well on the outward leg, but they’ve still got the toughest holes to go.
‘I haven’t had a birdie on the back side this week; it’s been awful and that’s why I’m not in the tournament right now’. The 1861 Open was played in September.
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He putted for eagle on three holes, including the par-4 seventh that was downwind.
