Senior Tour champion David Frost made a significant surge up the leaderboard with a superb round of 66 on the third day of The Senior Open Championship.
Frost’s flawless display, which was the joint lowest of the week, moved the South African to seven under par and into contention to capture his maiden Senior Major.
Frost, who won in Mauritius earlier in the season, flew out of the blocks with two opening birdies at Walton Heath Golf Club, in Surrey, before making further gains at the sixth, ninth, 11th and 18th holes to move within one stroke of the clubhouse lead, currently held by American Russ Cochran.
He said: “Somehow minus eight crept into my head last night before I went to bed, and I just saw this number in the sky all day long. Unfortunately, I just missed it by one. But I made a lot of good putts, a lot of crucial putts, which gives me confidence for tomorrow.”
Despite bogeying the last hole, Calcavecchia’s compatriot Tom Watson is also in the frame after signing for a round of 69 for a four under par aggregate total.
Watson said: “I played a really solid front nine, then I three putted the tenth. But I birdied 12 and 13, which were two good, solid birdies. Then I got a little scruffy, hit a bad too shot on the 16th, but still managed to make a wonderful par. You never like to end on a bogey, but that's the game. Overall, I played a very good round of golf – 69 is a good score out there today.”
Barry Lane is currently the leading European on six under par after the Englishman mixed five birdies with two bogeys through 16 holes.
The 1989 Open Champion Mark Calcavecchia looked to be building a sizeable lead, until a triple bogey at the 13th hole derailed his charge.
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