Retief Goosen fought hard to stay in it on Saturday with a third round of level-par 71 in the US Senior Open Championship at SentryWorld in Stevens Point, Wisconsin putting him in a share of fourth place.
At one-under-par for the championship after his opening 70 was followed by two successive 71s, he is in a share of fourth, five strokes off the lead with all to play for in the final round. In the lead was the extraordinary Bernhard Langer of Germany at six-under after a third round of three-under-par 68. He was two strokes clear of local favourite Jerry Kelly, who also had a 68. Another local favourite, Steve Stricker, was on three-under in third, and he also had a 68. Goosen shared fourth with Korea’s YE Yang.
Goosen started strongly with successive birdies on the fourth and the fifth. But he dropped a shot ahead of the turn on the ninth, and then two more on the 13th and 15th. But he pulled things back with a closing birdie on the 18th.
In a share of ninth on two-over was Ernie Els, who slipped three places down the leaderboard after his third-round 73. James Kingston also had a 73 in the third round and also slipped three places down to a share of 20th at six-over.
Adilson Da Silva battled to a six-over 77, and was in a share of 42nd on 10-over heading in to the final round.
