The Locker Room :: Tournament Report

DOUGHERTY OPENS UP THREE SHOT LEAD AFTER HIS BEST EVER ROUND ON THE OLD COURSE

• A sparkling 66 - and Dougherty says it could have been better
• Els, Harrington, Lawrie and Rose in the chasing pack
• Exciting final day in prospect for St Andrews galleries
• “I love this tournament” says Samuel L Jackson despite missing cut


ST ANDREWS, October 6, 2007 – England’s Nick Dougherty opened up a three shot lead after a sparkling 66 in the third round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship – his best ever round on the Old Course.

His closest challenger is Australia’s Peter O’Malley, who shot a 69 at St Andrews, to be on 14-under-par, but, ominously, lining up behind them is a pack of chasing players including some of the best in the world.

On 13-under-par are Open champion Padraig Harrington, who shot 67 at Kingsbarns, England’s Justin Rose (66) and Steve Webster (68), plus Scotland’s Paul Lawrie (64). A further shot back are World No 5 Ernie Els (70) and Sweden’s Niclas Fasth (67).

After another beautiful day in St Andrews, the low scoring has guaranteed the prospect of one of the most thrilling final rounds in the history of the championship, unless Dougherty can put together a round of similar quality to the one he crafted today.

Dougherty, whose previous best on the Old Course was a 68 in the first Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, said: “This was a course which I’ve never played well. Apart from that 68, I seem to have shot a lot of 72s, 73s and 74s around here, so it’s very pleasing. And it was quite an easy 66. I missed a few chances on the back nine. This gives me a lot of confidence going into tomorrow. I’m going to go out there and shoot a great score and if I do that then it’s going to be hard to catch me.”

The tournament, conceived as a celebration of links golf, is played over three of the world’s best known and respected links courses - the Old Course at St Andrews, the Championship Course at Carnoustie and the highly regarded Kingsbarns Golf Links.

Joining the professionals were an enthusiastic group of talented amateur golfers including Hollywood stars Dennis Hopper, Samuel L Jackson, Kyle MacLachlan and Bill Murray, popular British actors Hugh Grant and Dougray Scott, US TV star Ray Romano from Everybody Loves Raymond, George Lopez, US sitcom writer and actor, music stars Don Felder of the Eagles, Ronan Keating, Huey Lewis and Tico Torres of Bon Jovi.

Three of Britain’s greatest sporting knights – Sir Ian Botham, Sir Bobby Charlton and Sir Steve Redgrave - led a strong locker room of sports stars including football legends Johan Cruyff, Ruud Gullit and Matthew Le Tissier, Wimbledon tennis hero Boris Becker, cricket captains Michael Vaughan from England and Steve Waugh from Australia, South African rugby giant Morné du Plessis, American Football’s renowned running back Marcus Allen and Austria’s Olympic gold medal skier Franz Klammer.

In tomorrow’s final round Volvo, the Official Car Supplier to the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship will be offering a new VOLVO XC70 for the first hole-in-one at the 175 yard par 3, 8th hole on the Old Course. The ‘Volvo hole-in-one Challenge’ will be open to both professionals and amateurs although should an amateur win, the XC70, which offers significantly improved levels of all-road, all-weather performance combined with class-leading safety features, will be donated to the charity of their choice.’

Australia’s Peter O’Malley followed up his course record 64 at Carnoustie on Friday with a 69 at St Andrews, but it could have been much better. He ran into trouble with a double bogey six at the dreaded 17th, the Road Hole, a hole which Dougherty birdied.

O’Malley said: “I just tried to run a shot up to the green, but it hit the right side of the bunker. When I came out I tried to play it to where I thought I could putt it up nicely, but it ran 10ft past and I missed the putt. After that I fought back really well, so I’m still very happy with what I did. I’m driving the ball well, hitting lots of greens and I’ve putted well. Now I just have to do the same tomorrow.”

Open champion Padraig Harrington, who is bidding for an unprecedented third Dunhill title, shot a five-under-par 67 at Kingsbarns. He said: “I hit a lot of really, really bad shots, so 67 is very pleasing. If you are hitting bad shots and still making pars and birdies, it doesn’t hit you as hard as if you are dropping shots. Four shots is a lot, but there is only one guy up there. I made up six shots at the Open, so it can be done, but I need to play well tomorrow.”

England’s Justin Rose, whose 66 at Kingsbarns included an eagle three at the par five 5th hole, said: “This is a huge tournament. I am four back so have some chasing to do tomorrow. This is the fourth time I have played this event and have never made it through to the final round with my amateur, so we have done really well. I have enjoyed that side of things and the camaraderie and team feeling. Tomorrow we will try to help each other out.”

Scotland’s Paul Lawrie, who was the winner of the inaugural Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in 2001, brought himself back into the picture with a 64 at Carnoustie which equalled the course record. Lawrie, who won the Open at Carnoustie in 1999, had a birdie putt at his last hole, the 9th, to create a new course record, but he missed it.

“I knew standing over the birdie putt that it was for a new record, but I pushed it. I hit some good shots today and knocked in the chances. Carnoustie is just a great golf course. There’s no gimmickery about it. You have to play good to make a score round here and I did that today.”

Although still in contention, World No 5 Ernie Els was not happy with his 70 at Kingsbarns. “I was disappointed with my play. I hit the ball pretty well but just lost all my touch on the greens. I think I had 36 putts today and three putts from nowhere. I really have to step it up tomorrow.”

At the end of the third round there was a two way tie on 27-under-par for the Team Championship between Swedish pair Niclas Fasth & Bjorn Algkvist and South African professional Thomas Aiken & Frank Keener from the United States.

Frank Keener, who qualified for the US Mid-Amateur Championship in 1994, said: “My partner just did everything right. All week he’s played terrific. When he needed help I just managed to par the right holes.” But Aiken, who has won six times in South Africa, was far more complimentary. “I think I’ve had six bogeys this week, and every time Frank has made a birdie or a par. He’s been great. I can’t ask for a better partner. He’ll beat the gross score of some of the pros this week. He’s definitely only single digits over par for three rounds.”

Bjorn Algkvist said: “We had a lot of fun today. It was great to play alongside Niclas. He played well. If you’re a golf player this is a dream, playing here. My game was quite good – I got four birdies and that’s what counts, I helped out. I have never played in Scotland in this weather. I think the Scottish bad weather is a myth.”

Hollywood star Samuel L Jackson, paired with former US Open champion Michael Campbell, missed the cut on 15-under-par, but said he had a great time. “I started off pretty good, everything was working out great, but I just couldn’t make enough birdies. Golf has brought me a lot of joy and peace. It has given me new goals and a great outlook. I love this tournament. I’ll come here every year if I can.”