Branden Grace’s history-making 62 and Shaun Norris brilliant 65 were the pick of the bunch from a South African perspective, writes WADE PRETORIUS.
WATCH: Grace makes Open move, breaks history
Much has already been written of Grace’s wonderful effort, but it was Norris who alerted the watching world and the galleries around Royal Birkdale that something special was brewing on Saturday.
READ: Grace writes himself, South Africa in Major history
Moving is largely an overused cliche when describing the third round of a tournament, but Norris personified the phrase as he made his way around the Southport course on Saturday.
Entering the day last in of those who made the cut, Norris birdied the first, third and the fifth to quickly grab some attention as he moved steadily up the leaderboard. Four consecutive pars followed for the 35-year-old multiple Asian Tour winner before a birdie on the 10th moved him to +1 for the championship.
He managed just one further birdie on the second of the par 5s to get to even and on to the first page of the leaderboard before the afternoon starters teed off. He would hold his ground to finish T18 in what will no doubt go down as one of the rounds of his life.
Norris’ 65 was three behind Grace, but three ahead of the next best of the day – Brandon Stone. The young South African’s Saturday had it all – an early birdie, two front nine bogeys to make the turn in level. He then dropped two more shots before a stunning close to his round, which included a birdie on the 15th, another on the 16th and an eagle on the 17th before closing with a par as he moved up 18 places to 43rd.
14 places above Stone is Ernie Els. The Big Easy had two birdies and two bogeys in what was a quiet afternoon for the veteran South African, unable to stretch his record (41) for the most rounds under par in Open history. After his horror second round, Charl Schwartzel shot 71 on Saturday, despite a bogey at the first.
Photo: Andrew Redington/Getty Images
