Hensby's US Senior Open title hopes alive in Colorado

Perth Now

4 days ago

Padraig Harrington has chipped in from 20 yards off the green on the 18th hole to salvage a floundering round and pull back into a tie for the lead with Stewart Cink and Australian Mark Hensby at the US Senior Open.
Harrington's chip-in for birdie capped a round of two-under 68 on Saturday and put him in the same spot he was in to start — tied with the same two opponents he played with over another tricky day at the Broadmoor that included wind, rain, even a flash of lightning that pulled the players off the course for a half-hour.
"We could've taken the day off," the Irishman said as he shook hands to wrap up a day of twists and turns.
Hensby's 68 included another four birdies, along with an eagle, to bring his total to 19 for the tournament. But his best look of all — a six-foot uphill attempt on No.18 that came as the course was still buzzing from Harrington's shot — fell far off to the right and he settled for par.
Harrington needed two chips from the deep rough on the par-3 12th and made a double bogey to fall out of the lead. Another bogey came on 15 when he babied a five-foot par putt and it curled away well before the hole.
Harrington yanked his tee shot on 18 into the rough left of the fairway and he had no choice but to hack out over the lake and short of the green. But he turned a possible bogey into an unlikely birdie and guaranteed himself a spot in the final group Sunday, where he'll try to add to the US Senior Open title he won in 2022.
The leading trio are tied at eight-under 202. One shot behind sits Dane Thomas Bjorn, whose 66 matched the best round of the day and set up what appears to be a four-man fight for the title.
Steve Flesch (67) was next at four under and Steven Alker's 66 left him at three under, tied with Miguel Angel Jimenez (68) and Paul Stankowski (67).
Seven other Aussies in the field have some work to do to finish in the red.
Rod Pampling (69) is even, Steve Allan (69) and Scott Hend (71) one over, Greg Chalmers (71) and Cameron Percy (70) three over, Stuart Appleby (73) four over and Richard Green (73) five over the card.
With AAP.