Porthcawl (Wales), Jul 30 (PTI) India’s Jeev Milkha Singh compiled a highly creditable even par 71 to rise to 11th position on a day when some of the star players at the Senior Open suffered at the windswept Royal Porthcawl Golf Club that showed its teeth.

Jeev (69-77-71) was 4-over tied 11th, but only four shots behind the leader Alex Cejka (68-71-74) at even par.

Finding four birdies to make up for his four bogeys, Jeev was one of the only seven players to shoot even par 71, which was the best score of the day with no one going below par.

Alex Čejka birdied the last hole to move into the lead as the German carded four birdies and seven bogeys. He battled to a three over par 74 on day three and despite moving backwards to level par for the event.

No player was under par. Cejka was followed by Ireland’s Pádraig Harrington and Englishman Phillip Archer who were in a tie for second place with New Zealand’s Steven Alker and three-time Major winner Vijay Singh on 1-over.

Jeev, who after being fourth on the first day slipped to 48th on the second day, played gritty and determined golf and did not allow the elements to overcome him.

He birdied the Par-3 fifth to make up for the double he had a day earlier, and added a second birdie on sixth, which also he had bogeyed on the second day. Bogeys on seventh and ninth, like the second round, meant he turned in even par.

On the back nine, Jeev bogeyed 11th and 15th and birdied the 13th and 18th, which he has birdied all three days.

“This was real Links golf, just the way I saw it on my first trip here as a 15-year-old,” recalled Jeev.

“I am all excited and raring to go on the final day.” Second round leader Alker struggled to a five over par round of 76 but still remains in the hunt for his second Senior Major title after recording an ace at the par three 15th hole, the 14th in Senior Open history.

American Jerry Kelly and Scotland’s Grieg Hutcheon share sixth place on two over par, while 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie, America’s Mario Tiziani and Australia’s Richard Green are a shot further back in a tie for eighth.

Germany’s Bernhard Langer remains in the hunt for a fifth Senior Open title – and third at Royal Porthcawl – as he sits in a tie for 11th on four over, alongside nine others including Welsh duo Bradley Dredge and Phil Price.

Miguel Angel Jimenez, the first round leader shot 83 and slipped way down to 12-over. He has rounds of 66-76-83. His third round had three doubles, seven bogeys and just two birdies.

Source: PTI News