Johnson Wins Individual Title, and NDSU Wins the Team at Torrey Pines
March 27, 2024
OMAHA -- For anyone who remembers the 2003 U.S. Open, the 2021 U.S. Senior Open has a familiar look to it.
In 2003, Jim Furyk climbed to the top of the leaderboard with second-round 66 at Olympia Fields and then shot 67 in the third round to take a three-stroke lead into the final round. He wound up winning his only major by three.
So far in the '21 Senior Open, Furyk took over the top spot with a second-round 64 at Omaha Country Club, and then on Saturday he stretched his lead to four shots with a 4-under 66. He's at 202 after 54 holes, and Stephen Ames is four shots behind in second place, after a 68. Retief Goosen, who won two U.S. Opens, in 2001 and '04, moved up from a tie for 15th into solo third at 207, thanks to a 66.
Steve Flesch was the only player to do better than 66 on Saturday. He shot 64 and will go into Sunday's final round in fourth at 208. Right behind him, there's a four-way tie for fifth at 209 -- Fred Couples, Mike Weir, Kevin Sutherland and Wes Short.
That's probably about as far back as you need to go if you're looking for someone who might stage a Sunday rally.
Tom Lehman had chances to win the U.S. Open for four consecutive years in the 1990's -- he played in the final twosome on Sunday in 1995, '96, '97 and '98 -- but he never did claim the crown. It looks as though he won't win the Senior Open this year, either. He's 11 behind at 213, after a third-round 71. (The former Univeristy of Minnesota star from Alexandria had to go across the Atlantic to win his only major during the PGA Tour phase of his career -- the 1996 British Open.) Lehman does, however, have three majors to his credit since becoming a regular on the Champions Tour in 2009.
Furyk, 51, was bogey-free during Friday's 64. He made it another nine holes without a bogey on Saturday, but he added two more birdies on the front nine, at the 419-yard, par 4 fourth hole and the 192-yard, par-3 fifth. His bogey-free streak was snapped at 27 holes when he made 5 at the long, par-4 10th (490 yards). But that was his only bogey Saturday, and the two-time winner on the Champions Tour finished with a flourish, birdying three of his last six holes -- No. 13 (315 yards, par 4), No. 16 (540, par 5) and No. 18 (422).
U.S. Senior Open
At Omaha Country Club
Par 70
Third-round results
1, Jim Furyk 72-64-66--202
2. Stephen Ames 65-73-68--206
3. Retief Goosen 72-69-66--207
4. Steve Flesch 73-71-64--208
T5. Kevin Sutherland 72-68-69--209
T5. Fred Couples 69-71-69--209
T5. Wes Short 66-75-68--209
T5. Mike Weir 70-71-68--209
T26. Tom Lehman 70-72-71--213
Missed cut -- 147
Cameron Beckman 75-75-- 150
March 6, 2024
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