Golf

Jordan Spieth on the prowl as Irishman Dunne shares lead

Ireland's Paul Dunne celebrates on the 18th during day four of The Open Championship 2015 at St Andrews
Ireland's Paul Dunne celebrates on the 18th during day four of The Open Championship 2015 at St Andrews Ireland's Paul Dunne celebrates on the 18th during day four of The Open Championship 2015 at St Andrews

JORDAN Spieth’s bid for the third leg of an unprecedented calendar grand slam remained firmly on track after a breathless third round of the 144th Open Championship yesterday.

But the Masters and US Open champion could be denied a place in the record books by an equally remarkable performance after Wicklow amateur Paul Dunne claimed a share of the lead at St Andrews.

Days after being mistaken for Spieth by fans seeking autographs due to their identical clothing, Dunne carded a flawless 66 on the Old Course to finish 12-under-par alongside playing partner Louis Oosthuizen – who won the 2010 Open at St Andrews – and Australian Jason Day.

Spieth (below) also shot 66 to lie just a shot behind, with 2007 and 2008 champion Padraig Harrington a shot further back after a superb 65.

Nine players were tied for sixth on nine-under, including another amateur in American Jordan Niebrugge, Justin Rose, Sergio Garcia and Adam Scott, along with England’s Danny Willett, who led outright after 10 holes but drove out of bounds on the 14th.

Dunne is the first amateur since the legendary Bobby Jones to lead the Open after 54 holes, the American going on to lift the Claret Jug at St Andrews in 1927.

Three years later, Jones became the last amateur winner of the Open at Royal Liverpool and went on to complete the “Impregnable Quadrilateral” of Amateur Championship, Open Championship, US Open and US Amateur titles.

Asked if he could lift the Claret Jug in the second Monday finish in championship history, the 22-year-old Dunne said: “I don’t see why not. I’m well capable of shooting the scores that I need to win if everyone else doesn’t play their best.

“Whether it happens or not, I can’t really control. I can just go out and try to play my game and see where it leaves me at the end of the day. Hopefully I play great again and post a good number.

“It’s surreal I’m leading the Open, but I can easily believe that I shot the three scores that I shot. If we were playing an amateur event here, I wouldn’t be too surprised by the scores I shot. It’s just lucky that it happens to be in the biggest event in the world.

“Hopefully I can do it again tomorrow, but whether I do or not, you know, I’ll survive either way.”

Spieth is looking to become the first player to win the first three Majors of the year and just the third to win any three in a single season.

Ben Hogan won the Masters and US Open in 1953 but missed the US PGA to compete in and win the Open at Carnoustie. Tiger Woods won the US Open, Open and US PGA in 2000 and completed the ‘Tiger Slam’ in the 2001 Masters.

“It hasn’t come up in my head while I’ve been playing yet,” said 21-year-old Spieth.

“I can’t speak for tomorrow given it’s the last round and if I have a chance coming down the stretch, if it creeps in, I’ll embrace it. I’ll embrace the opportunity that presents itself.

“I don’t look at it as a negative thing, I look at it almost as an advantage.

“Why should it add more pressure in a negative way? If it adds more pressure, it just makes me feel like this is something a little more special, let’s go ahead and get the job done.

“I know it’s easier said than done, but when you say added pressure, most people associate that with negativity or something that can hinder what’s comfortable.

“For me, I think it could be advantageous. You hit the ball a little bit further, you can really get your mind around a more specific target and block out other things.”

Third round scores & totals

(Gbr & Irl unless stated, par 72)

204 Paul Dunne (a) 69 69 66, Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 67 70 67, Jason Day (Aus) 66 71 67

205 Jordan Spieth (USA) 67 72 66

206 Padraig Harrington 72 69 65

207 Zach Johnson (USA) 66 71 70, Adam Scott (Aus) 70 67 70, Retief Goosen (Rsa) 66 72 69, Danny Willett 66 69 72, Robert Streb (USA) 66 71 70, Justin Rose 71 68 68, Marc Leishman (Aus) 70 73 64, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 70 69 68, Jordan Niebrugge (a) (USA) 67 73 67

208 Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 67 72 69, Steven Bowditch (Aus) 70 69 69, Eddie Pepperell 72 70 66

209 Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn) 72 66 71, Ryan Palmer (USA) 71 71 67, Stewart Cink (USA) 70 71 68, Anthony Wall 70 71 68, Dustin Johnson (USA) 65 69 75, Marc Warren 68 69 72, Rickie Fowler (USA) 72 71 66, Patrick Reed (USA) 72 70 67

210 Matt Jones (Aus) 68 73 69, Jim Furyk (USA) 73 71 66, Paul Lawrie 66 70 74, Brooks Koepka (USA) 71 70 69, Greg Chalmers (Aus) 70 71 69, Ashley Chesters (a) 71 72 67, Anirban Lahiri (Ind) 69 70 71

211 Jason Dufner (USA) 73 71 67, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 71 68 72, Martin Kaymer (Ger) 71 70 70, David Lingmerth (Swe) 69 72 70, David Duval (USA) 72 72 67, Webb Simpson (USA) 70 70 71, Hunter Mahan (USA) 72 72 67, Ben Martin (USA) 74 70 67, Andy Sullivan 72 71 68, Jimmy Walker (USA) 72 68 71, Luke Donald 68 70 73, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 74 69 68

212 Oliver Schniederjans (a) (USA) 70 72 70, John Senden (Aus) 72 72 68, Greg Owen 68 73 71, Romain Langasque (a) (Fra) 69 72 71, Graham Delaet (Can) 71 73 68, James Morrison 71 71 70, Harris English (USA) 71 72 69, Kevin Na (USA) 67 75 70, Phil Mickelson (USA) 70 72 70, Russell Henley (USA) 74 66 72, David Lipsky (USA) 73 69 70, Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Spa) 71 73 68

213 Brett Rumford (Aus) 71 71 71, Richie Ramsay 72 71 70, Ernie Els (Rsa) 71 73 69, Brendon Todd (USA) 71 73 69, Gary Woodland (USA) 72 70 71, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 72 71 70, Lee Westwood 71 73 69

214 Graeme McDowell 72 72 70, David Howell 68 73 73, Branden Grace (Rsa) 69 72 73, Jamie Donaldson 72 71 71, Matt Kuchar (USA) 71 73 70, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 73 70 71

215 Mark O’Meara (USA) 72 72 71, Billy Horschel (USA) 73 71 71, Bernd Wiesberger (Aut) 72 72 71, Cameron Tringale (USA) 71 71 73

216 Francesco Molinari (Ita) 72 71 73, Thomas Aiken (Rsa) 75 69 72, Ross Fisher 71 73 72, Paul Casey 70 71 75

217 Bernhard Langer (Ger) 74 70 73, Ryan Fox (Nzl) 72 69 76, Scott Arnold (Aus) 71 73 73