Hensby on target for big birthday bash in Colorado
Australian Mark Hensby is on track to celebrate his 54th birthday in style, co-leading the US Senior Open with Stewart Cink and Padraig Harrington with one round to play.
The trio are tied at eight-under 202 in Colorado Springs.
The New South Welshman's 68 on Sunday (AEST) included four birdies, along with a chip-in eagle on the par-5 9th, taking 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 a stunning Harrington birdie — fell far off to the right and he settled for par.
Hensby is aiming to become just the second Aussie to win the event after Graham Marsh in 1997 and the first to win a senior major championship since Stewart Ginn at the 2002 Senior Players Championship.
"Any time you play with two great players like that, it's definitely fun," said Hensby, who also had four bogeys in round three.
"Didn't get off to the best start, but ... we all kind of made a few birdies there in a row and we started to get things going.
"I just felt like I've just got to play my game and try and just do the best I can do all day and see what happens.
"Fortunately, some things started to go my way, got a couple of nice breaks."
Harrington chipped in from 20 yards off the green on the 18th to salvage a floundering round.
It capped a two-under 68 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.
Harrington yanked his final tee shot into the rough left of the fairway and 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.
"I was very happy with the chip," said the 2022 champion, "and it was a big bonus that it went in."
One shot behind sits Dane Thomas Bjorn, whose 66 matched the best round of the day.
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 the AP.
Australian Mark Hensby is on track to celebrate his 54th birthday in style, co-leading the US Senior Open with Stewart Cink and Padraig Harrington with one round to play.
The trio are tied at eight-under 202 in Colorado Springs.
The New South Welshman's 68 on Sunday (AEST) included four birdies, along with a chip-in eagle on the par-5 9th, taking 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 a stunning Harrington birdie — fell far off to the right and he settled for par.
Hensby is aiming to become just the second Aussie to win the event after Graham Marsh in 1997 and the first to win a senior major championship since Stewart Ginn at the 2002 Senior Players Championship.
"Any time you play with two great players like that, it's definitely fun," said Hensby, who also had four bogeys in round three.
"Didn't get off to the best start, but ... we all kind of made a few birdies there in a row and we started to get things going.
"I just felt like I've just got to play my game and try and just do the best I can do all day and see what happens.
"Fortunately, some things started to go my way, got a couple of nice breaks."
Harrington chipped in from 20 yards off the green on the 18th to salvage a floundering round.
It capped a two-under 68 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.
Harrington yanked his final tee shot into the rough left of the fairway and 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.
"I was very happy with the chip," said the 2022 champion, "and it was a big bonus that it went in."
One shot behind sits Dane Thomas Bjorn, whose 66 matched the best round of the day.
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 the AP.
Australian Mark Hensby is on track to celebrate his 54th birthday in style, co-leading the US Senior Open with Stewart Cink and Padraig Harrington with one round to play.
The trio are tied at eight-under 202 in Colorado Springs.
The New South Welshman's 68 on Sunday (AEST) included four birdies, along with a chip-in eagle on the par-5 9th, taking 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 a stunning Harrington birdie — fell far off to the right and he settled for par.
Hensby is aiming to become just the second Aussie to win the event after Graham Marsh in 1997 and the first to win a senior major championship since Stewart Ginn at the 2002 Senior Players Championship.
"Any time you play with two great players like that, it's definitely fun," said Hensby, who also had four bogeys in round three.
"Didn't get off to the best start, but ... we all kind of made a few birdies there in a row and we started to get things going.
"I just felt like I've just got to play my game and try and just do the best I can do all day and see what happens.
"Fortunately, some things started to go my way, got a couple of nice breaks."
Harrington chipped in from 20 yards off the green on the 18th to salvage a floundering round.
It capped a two-under 68 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.
Harrington yanked his final tee shot into the rough left of the fairway and 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.
"I was very happy with the chip," said the 2022 champion, "and it was a big bonus that it went in."
One shot behind sits Dane Thomas Bjorn, whose 66 matched the best round of the day.
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 the AP.
Australian Mark Hensby is on track to celebrate his 54th birthday in style, co-leading the US Senior Open with Stewart Cink and Padraig Harrington with one round to play.
The trio are tied at eight-under 202 in Colorado Springs.
The New South Welshman's 68 on Sunday (AEST) included four birdies, along with a chip-in eagle on the par-5 9th, taking 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 a stunning Harrington birdie — fell far off to the right and he settled for par.
Hensby is aiming to become just the second Aussie to win the event after Graham Marsh in 1997 and the first to win a senior major championship since Stewart Ginn at the 2002 Senior Players Championship.
"Any time you play with two great players like that, it's definitely fun," said Hensby, who also had four bogeys in round three.
"Didn't get off to the best start, but ... we all kind of made a few birdies there in a row and we started to get things going.
"I just felt like I've just got to play my game and try and just do the best I can do all day and see what happens.
"Fortunately, some things started to go my way, got a couple of nice breaks."
Harrington chipped in from 20 yards off the green on the 18th to salvage a floundering round.
It capped a two-under 68 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.
Harrington yanked his final tee shot into the rough left of the fairway and 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.
"I was very happy with the chip," said the 2022 champion, "and it was a big bonus that it went in."
One shot behind sits Dane Thomas Bjorn, whose 66 matched the best round of the day.
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 the AP.
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