Buoyed by Third-Round 66, Cink Takes One-Shot Lead at Scioto C.C.

The 46th U.S. Senior Open at Scioto Country Club went back to the future on Saturday sans a souped-up DeLorean with a flux capacitor. 

With an ode to the popular 1985 movie, the dial only was turned back to 2025. Basically, the same protagonists are part of this script. Just replace Mark Hensby with George McNeill. 

Otherwise, it’s defending champion Padraig Harrington, Stewart Cink and Miguel Angel Jimenez taking starring roles. Cink, who was edged by Harrington a year ago at The Broadmoor, will take a one-stroke lead over the affable Irishman going into Sunday’s final round, thanks to a championship-best-tying, bogey-free 6-under-par 64 for a 9-under total of 201. The 64 is the lowest round ever produced in a U.S. Senior Open at Scioto.

Cink is trying to become the first player to win the year’s first three senior majors, having already claimed the Senior PGA Championship in April and the Regions Tradition a few weeks later. Like Harrington, he also owns a Claret Jug, having captured The Open Championship in a memorable playoff against then-59-year-old Tom Watson at Turnberry in 2009.

Despite a brilliant shot-making performance, especially on the back nine, Harrington bogeyed his final hole to shoot 66 (202).

Jimenez, who fired a 64 in last year’s final round for solo third, sits three behind after a third-round 67.

Meanwhile, the upstart McNeill, the 36-hole leader and U.S. Senior Open debutante who made just 2 of 12 cuts in majors and never broke 70 in five U.S. Open appearances, continued to stay close to the two senior stalwarts with a 1-under 69. 

Darren Clarke, who matched Cink’s 64, moved up 36 spots into a share of fifth at 3-under 207 with Paul Stankowski (68).

Cink, Harrington, McNeill and Jimenez seem to be the main four characters in this Sunday drama. Could Stankowski or Clarke put on a magical comeback? Allen Doyle rallied from nine back to win the first of his two consecutive titles in 2005 at NCR Country Club, in Dayton, just 75 miles west of Scioto.  

So it can happen. 

Rev up the flux capacitor.   

WHAT'S NEXT

Due to pending afternoon storms, Sunday’s final round will also feature threesomes going off split tees, beginning at 7: 11 a.m. EDT. Peacock and NBCSN will have live coverage from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. EDT with NBC re-airing the telecast from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. For those who want to attend, tickets are still available and can be purchased here.

NOTABLE

• To honor America’s 250th birthday on July 4, the USGA and Scioto C.C. organized a flag-raising ceremony between the first and 10th tees next to the practice putting green at 7 a.m. The Upper Arlington Police Department Color Guard raised the flag, followed by the National Anthem played by a bugle.
• Of the 60 competitors who made the cut, five survived both local and final qualifying to get in the field: amateur Haymes Snedeker, Alan McLean, John Rollins, Hank Kim and David Mathis. An additional 13 players who made the weekend qualified via the final stage, including club professional Michael Block. 
• Eighteen different countries, led by the United States, had representation on the weekend. The U.S. had 29 players, followed by Australia with six, and the Republic of Korea and England with three apiece. Northern Ireland, Sweden, Canada and Thailand each had two, while the Republic of Ireland, Spain, Germany, Wales, Denmark, Argentina, Japan, Scotland and Fiji had one. 
• Omar Uresti, who made the cut, also was joined on the weekend by his brother, Rusty. The other Uresti is on the bag of Chad Campbell, who drastically affected the cut late Friday afternoon when he birdied the par-3 ninth hole with a brilliant 9-iron to 2 feet. He took out all 10 players who posted 5-over 145. 
• Two local Scioto caddies made it to the weekend: David French (Haymes Snedeker) and Jeremy Benedict (Gene Sauers). 
• The 14th hole was stretched to 243 yards, making it the third-longest par 3 in U.S. Senior Open history.