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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Senior Open: Darren Clarke shares lead with Paul Broadhurst after day three

Darren Clarke watches his approach shot at the opening hole on Saturday
Darren Clarke led by three shots at the turn but then lost his way as he bogeyed the 12th and 13th

Darren Clarke ended a frustrating day on the greens by birdieing the last to share The Senior Open lead with Paul Broadhurst after the third round.

Two ahead overnight, Clarke was three clear by the 11th tee but successive bogeys on 12 and 13 saw him lose the lead as Broadhurst produced a charge.

Broadhurst’s four-under-par 66 left him on nine under before Clarke finally holed an eight-foot birdie putt on 18.

Clarke had earlier missed numerous birdie opportunities at Gleneagles.

He did hole a 20 footer at the first to increase his lead but had to be content with eight straight pars to the turn as other chances slipped by when rain began to sweep on to the King’s Course.

A routine birdie four at the long 10th saw Clarke three clear but a three-putt bogey on the 12th and further dropped shot at the next after a missed fairway saw him fall one behind Broadhurst, who carded three straight birdies from the 13th.

Clarke missed further glorious birdie chances on the 15th and 17th following superb approaches but his closing birdie saw him join Broadhurst on nine under, with the 2016 champion having missed a six-foot birdie putt of his own at the last.

The Northern Irishman, attempting to join Gary Player, Bob Charles and Tom Watson as the lone golfers to win both The Open and Senior Open, led after 36 holes last year before going on to finish in third place behind winner Stephen Dodd.

The two leaders are only one ahead of US player Jerry Kelly and Australian Steven Alker with US Senior Open winner Padraig Harrington, Colin Montgomerie and Ernie Els among a quintet sharing fifth place three shots off the pace.

Kelly is bidding for his first career win at The Senior Open, while Alker is looking for his fourth victory in 2022.

Harrington mixed five birdies with four bogeys in his 69 while Montgomerie kept himself in contention with three closing birdies as he signed for a 68.

Australian Stuart Appleby and Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee are also in the group on six under – one ahead of Bernhard Langer and South Africa’s James Kingston.

Clarke’s playing partner Scott Parel struggled in the wet conditions as a 74 dropped him back to seven off the pace on two under.

Source: BBC

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