Jim Furyk doubled his lead in weather-delayed Round 3 of the 41st U.S. Senior Open Championship on Saturday, shooting a 4-under-par 66 to take a four-stroke advantage over Stephen Ames into Sunday’s final round at Omaha Country Club.
Furyk, the 2003 U.S. Open champion who turned 51 in May, is attempting to become the eighth player to win both the U.S. Open and the U.S. Senior Open, an illustrious list that includes Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Billy Casper and Gary Player. Furyk is also seeking to join nine other golfers who have won the U.S. Senior Open in their first attempt.
“I’ll take 66 any day,” said Furyk, of Jacksonville, Fla., of his round that was halted after six holes by a 2-hour, 55-minute weather delay. “I started off really well this morning, and when I came back out from the delay, I lost my rhythm a little bit and put myself in awkward spots.”
Furyk missed four out of five greens immediately after the stoppage, but made only one bogey in that stretch thanks to par-saving putts on Nos. 8, 9 and 12. A long birdie conversion on No. 13 was followed by two more birdies on Nos. 16 and 18, the latter set up by a wedge approach to 4 feet.
Furyk’s Rounds 2 and 3 this week of 64-66 match identically the scores posted by Steve Stricker in 2019 as the best middle two rounds in U.S. Senior Open history. Stricker went on to win by six strokes in his Senior Open debut; he is not defending his title this year after the 2020 championship was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Playing with Furyk, Ames, of Canada, birdied three of his final five holes for a 2-under 68 and a total of 4-under 206 through 54 holes. The 57-year-old, who won the 2006 Players Championship, held a share of the lead after Round 1 with a 65 and is also looking for his first senior major victory.
Two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen moved within striking range of Furyk on Saturday, closing with back-to-back birdies for a round of 4-under 66. Goosen, 52, of South Africa, finished in a tie for 14th in 2019 on the Warren Course at Notre Dame in his only previous U.S. Senior Open start.
“My expectations were really low in the beginning of the week,” said Goosen. “I was hitting it so bad the last few weeks, and I was trying everything. I just decided to stick with something, and as the week got on, I started hitting it better and better. My confidence is coming back a little.”
After a violent rain and wind storm moved through the Omaha area early Saturday morning, downing trees and TV towers on the golf course, play began three hours later than scheduled, at 10:15 a.m. CDT. It was halted just before 2 p.m. when more rain pelted the area, and resumed nearly three hours later.
Steve Flesch made the strongest move of the day with a 6-under 64, moving from a tie for 39th to solo fourth place. Four players are tied for fifth at 1-under 209: Masters champions Fred Couples and Mike Weir along with Kevin Sutherland and Wes Short Jr. Another group of six players – including past champions Jeff Maggert (2015) and Gene Sauers (2016) – sits in a tie for ninth place at even-par 210.
Six players have held a 54-hole lead of four or more strokes in U.S. Senior Open history and five of them have gone on to win. Only Bernhard Langer in 2012 at Indianwood Golf & Country Club failed to convert the advantage into a victory.
Said Goosen after his round of 66: “It could have been a really, really low round, but I’m going to take this and see what Jim does coming in and hopefully be out in the last group [Sunday], and we’re fun and games.”
Goosen ended up in the second-to-last pairing with Flesch at 2:50 p.m. CDT, 10 minutes ahead of Furyk and Ames, but that doesn’t preclude some fun and games to come on Sunday at Omaha Country Club.
What’s Next
Round 4 will begin at 9:40 a.m. CDT on Sunday, with the last group starting at 3 p.m. The TV broadcast will be on Peacock from 3 to 4 p.m. EDT and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. EDT on Golf Channel.
Notable
The U.S. Senior Open has not been known for come-from-behind champions. Thirty-six of the 40 champions were either first or second entering the final round. Only one champion all-time has started the final round outside the top 6 on the leader board: Allen Doyle was tied for 16th when he shot a final-round 63 to win in 2005 at NCR Country Club.
2,999 golfers entered this championship, and 82 of the 156 who started on Thursday earned their spot in the field through qualifying, rather than exemptions. Of those 82, 20 survived the 36-hole cut on Friday. That’s the most qualifiers to make the weekend in the U.S. Senior Open since 2015, when 24 advanced (out of 85 qualifiers). Tim Petrovic, who tied for 2nd in 2018 at The Broadmoor, has the best finish by a qualifier since Don Pooley won in 2002. Pooley’s victory in a playoff over Tom Watson is the only one by a qualifier in Senior Open history.
Bernhard Langer broke par for the first time this week with a 2-under 68 on Saturday. It marked the 25th time in Langer’s U.S. Senior Open career that he shot in the 60s. That broke a tie with Tom Watson at 24 for the most all-time. Hale Irwin is third with 21, and Jay Haas had his 20th career round in the 60s on Thursday.
No left-handed golfer has ever won the U.S. Open or U.S. Senior Open. Steve Flesch (4th) and Mike Weir (T-5) will try to make history tomorrow. Flesch’s best finish to date in a senior major is a tie for fifth in the 2017 Senior Players Championship. Weir, of Canada, who had a double bogey in each of the first two rounds, had only one bogey on Saturday in his round of 68.
Quotable
“It’s a cool statistic, but the reason all of us are out here playing the Champions Tour and playing the U.S. Senior Open is just for opportunities to get in the hunt and get to compete. I’m just really excited about the opportunity tomorrow and to come out here and compete and try to win a golf tournament like everyone else.” – Jim Furyk, on his opportunity to join those who have won both the U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Open
“Jimmy’s too solid, he’s not going to shoot, whatever, I won’t even put a score out there. Could he shoot 68 and win by nine? Of course he can, he’s that good. But you know, when you get to a certain age, I’m not going to go out there and worry about it. I’m just going to try and make more birdies.” – Fred Couples, who is tied for fifth, seven strokes back through 54 holes
“I was left of the green on No. 10 and didn’t hit a very good chip and made a nice putt there for par and that really set the rest of the round. But I played pretty well. I feel like I’m due for a good one. I’ve kind of been just playing OK, I would say, and hopefully tomorrow all facets show up.” – Mike Weir, who rallied for a round of 2-under 68 on Saturday
“Spent the time watching “Talladega Nights” in the fitness trailer with some of the guys. Did a little stretching, kind of warmed back up again because I had a feeling that it was going to be in that 4:30, 5 o’clock window.” – Mike Weir, on what he did during the nearly three-hour delay on Saturday
OMAHA, Neb. - Results from Saturday’s third round of the 2021 U.S. Senior Open Championship, played at 6,718-yard, par-70 Omaha (Neb.) Country Club.
POS, NAME, SCORES-TOTAL, STATUS
1, Jim Furyk,72-64-66-202,-8
2, Stephen Ames,65-73-68-206,-4
3, Retief Goosen,72-69-66-207,-3
4, Steve Flesch,73-71-64-208,-2
T5, Wes Short Jr.,66-75-68-209,-1
T5, Mike Weir,70-71-68-209,-1
T5, Kevin Sutherland,72-68-69-209,-1
T5, Fred Couples,69-71-69-209,-1
T9, Fran Quinn,68-73-69-210,E
T9, Gene Sauers,71-70-69-210,E
T9, Peter Fowler,71-70-69-210,E
T9, Jeff Maggert,71-70-69-210,E
T9, Rod Pampling,69-72-69-210,E
T9, Greg Kraft,75-65-70-210,E
T15, Bernhard Langer,71-72-68-211,+1
T15, Paul Goydos,72-72-67-211,+1
T15, David Toms,70-71-70-211,+1
T15, Miguel Angel Jimenez,68-71-72-211,+1
T19, Jerry Kelly,71-72-69-212,+2
T19, Lee Janzen,69-73-70-212,+2
T19, Vijay Singh,75-70-67-212,+2
T19, Alex Cejka,67-74-71-212,+2
T19, Bob Estes,71-70-71-212,+2
T19, Shane Bertsch,70-70-72-212,+2
T19, Ted Tryba,69-71-72-212,+2
T26, Tom Lehman,70-72-71-213,+3
T26, Kent Jones,70-70-73-213,+3
T26, Billy Andrade,65-75-73-213,+3
T29, Marco Dawson,72-71-71-214,+4
T29, Colin Montgomerie,69-74-71-214,+4
T29, Ernie Els,73-70-71-214,+4
T29, Robert Karlsson,67-75-72-214,+4
T29, Dicky Pride,74-70-70-214,+4
T29, Jay Haas,69-71-74-214,+4
T29, Tom Byrum,70-70-74-214,+4
T36, Joey Sindelar,74-70-71-215,+5
T36, Woody Austin,72-75-68-215,+5
T36, Thongchai Jaidee,69-71-75-215,+5
T39, Darren Clarke,74-68-74-216,+6
T39, Robin Byrd,71-71-74-216,+6
T39, Jerry Smith,69-76-71-216,+6
T39, Glen Day,71-75-70-216,+6
T39, Paul Broadhurst,72-75-69-216,+6
T44, Scott Parel,71-73-73-217,+7
T44, Kevin Kraft,70-75-72-217,+7
T44, Markus Brier,71-73-73-217,+7
T44, Harry Rudolph,74-72-71-217,+7
T44, Billy Mayfair,75-72-70-217,+7
T49, Mark O'Meara,70-71-77-218,+8
T49, William Mitchell (a),70-76-72-218,+8
T49, Rocco Mediate,71-76-71-218,+8
T52, Judd Gibb,72-71-76-219,+9
T52, Doug Barron,72-72-75-219,+9
T52, Jeff Sluman,74-72-73-219,+9
T52, Bobby Gage,73-74-72-219,+9
T56, Todd White (a),71-72-77-220,+10
T56, Mark Strickland (a),71-74-75-220,+10
T56, John Aber,74-72-74-220,+10
T56, David Shacklady,72-74-74-220,+10
T56, Jean-Francois Remesy,77-69-74-220,+10
T56, Jody Bellflower,73-74-73-220,+10
62, Steve Runge,70-74-77-221,+11
63, Jesus Rivas,72-72-78-222,+12
T64, Barry Lane,78-69-76-223,+13
T64, Mike McCoy (a),73-74-76-223,+13
66, John Riegger,74-72-78-224,+14
Marcus Meloan,74-69,DQ
OMAHA, Neb. – Pairings and tee times for Sunday’s fourth round of the 2021 U.S. Senior Open Championship, played at 6,718-yard, par-70 Omaha (Neb.) Country Club.
All Times CDT
9:40 a.m. -- John Riegger, Paducah, Ky., 74-72-78 224, +14; Mike McCoy (a), Des Moines, Iowa, 73-74-76 223, +13
9:50 a.m. -- Barry Lane, England, 78-69-76 223, +13; Jesus Rivas, Colombia, 72-72-78 222, +12
10 a.m. -- Steve Runge, Conway, Ark., 70-74-77 221, +11; Jody Bellflower, Milledgeville, Ga., 73-74-73 220, +10
10:10 a.m. -- Jean-Francois Remesy, France, 77-69-74 220, +10; David Shacklady, England, 72-74-74 220, +10
10:20 a.m. -- John Aber, Sewickley, Pa., 74-72-74 220, +10; Mark Strickland (a), San Diego, Calif., 71-74-75 220, +10
10:30 a.m. -- Todd White (a), Spartanburg, S.C., 71-72-77 220, +10; Bobby Gage, Boynton Beach, Fla., 73-74-72 219, +9
10:40 a.m. -- Jeff Sluman, Hinsdale, Ill., 74-72-73 219, +9; Doug Barron, Germantown, Tenn., 72-72-75 219, +9
10:50 a.m. -- Judd Gibb, Fort Dodge, Iowa, 72-71-76 219, +9; Rocco Mediate, Greensburg, Pa., 71-76-71 218, +8
11 a.m. -- William Mitchell (a), Atlanta, Ga., 70-76-72 218, +8; Mark O'Meara, Las Vegas, Nev., 70-71-77 218, +8
11:10 a.m. -- Billy Mayfair, Scottsdale, Ariz., 75-72-70 217, +7; Harry Rudolph, La Jolla, Calif., 74-72-71 217, +7
11:20 a.m. -- Markus Brier, Austria, 71-73-73 217, +7; Kevin Kraft, Harrisburg, Pa., 70-75-72 217, +7
11:30 a.m. -- Scott Parel, Augusta, Ga., 71-73-73 217, +7; Paul Broadhurst, England, 72-75-69 216, +6
11:40 a.m. -- Glen Day, Alotian, Ark., 71-75-70 216, +6; Jerry Smith, Oskaloosa, Iowa, 69-76-71 216, +6
11:50 a.m. -- Robin Byrd, Satellite Beach, Fla., 71-71-74 216, +6; Darren Clarke, Northern Ireland, 74-68-74 216, +6
Noon -- Thongchai Jaidee, Thailand, 69-71-75 215, +5; Woody Austin, Derby, Kan., 72-75-68 215, +5
12:10 p.m. -- Joey Sindelar, Ithaca, N.Y., 74-70-71 215, +5; Tom Byrum, San Antonio, Texas, 70-70-74 214, +4
12:20 p.m. -- Jay Haas, Greenville, S.C., 69-71-74 214, +4; Dicky Pride, Tuscaloosa, Ala., 74-70-70 214, +4
12:30 p.m. -- Robert Karlsson, Sweden, 67-75-72 214, +4; Ernie Els, South Africa, 73-70-71 214, +4
12:40 p.m. -- Colin Montgomerie, Scotland, 69-74-71 214, +4; Marco Dawson, Melbourne, Fla., 72-71-71 214, +4
12:50 p.m. -- Billy Andrade, Bristol, R.I., 65-75-73 213, +3; Kent Jones, Albuquerque, N.M., 70-70-73 213, +3
1 p.m. -- Tom Lehman, Scottsdale, Ariz., 70-72-71 213, +3; Ted Tryba, Orlando, Fla., 69-71-72 212, +2
1:10 p.m. -- Shane Bertsch, Parker, Colo., 70-70-72 212, +2; Bob Estes, Austin, Texas, 71-70-71 212, +2
1:20 p.m. -- Alex Cejka, Germany, 67-74-71 212, +2; Vijay Singh, Fiji, 75-70-67 212, +2
1:30 p.m. -- Lee Janzen, Orlando, Fla., 69-73-70 212, +2; Jerry Kelly, Madison, Wis., 71-72-69 212, +2
1:40 p.m. -- Miguel Angel Jimenez, Spain, 68-71-72 211, +1; David Toms, Shreveport, La., 70-71-70 211, +1
1:50 p.m. -- Paul Goydos, Long Beach, Calif., 72-72-67 211, +1; Bernhard Langer, Germany, 71-72-68 211, +1
2 p.m. -- Greg Kraft, Clearwater, Fla., 75-65-70 210, E; Rod Pampling, Australia, 69-72-69 210, E
2:10 p.m. -- Jeff Maggert, Sea Pines, S.C., 71-70-69 210, E; Peter Fowler, Australia, 71-70-69 210, E
2:20 p.m. -- Gene Sauers, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., 71-70-69 210, E; Fran Quinn, Holden, Mass., 68-73-69 210, E
2:30 p.m. -- Fred Couples, Newport Beach, Calif., 69-71-69 209, -1; Kevin Sutherland, Sacramento, Calif., 72-68-69 209, -1
2:40 p.m. -- Mike Weir, Canada, 70-71-68 209, -1; Wes Short Jr., Austin, Texas, 66-75-68 209, -1
2:50 p.m. -- Steve Flesch, Union, Ky., 73-71-64 208, -2; Retief Goosen, South Africa, 72-69-66 207, -3
3 p.m. -- Stephen Ames, Canada, 65-73-68 206, -4; Jim Furyk, Jacksonville, Fla., 72-64-66 202, -8
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