Louis Oosthuizen produced a dramatic turnaround between round two and three, but was left to rue two late bogeys at the Valspar Championship, writes WADE PRETORIUS.
The South African barely made the cut after struggling with his tee and iron game on Friday. He hit just six greens in regulation and was grateful for a Seve-like short game to keep him around for the next 36 holes.
Oosthuizen revealed that Friday’s effort was one of his worst rounds on tour, and instead of heading off to the range to iron out his flaws, it was off to his motorhome for some relaxation and time away from golf.
In a typically South African approach to round three, he thought he’d go out carefree and just play the game.
And it worked.
Oosthuizen was four under by the time he left the fifth green and his name was soaring through the chasing pack. Bunkered off the tee at the ninth, he found the green and left himself 8 foot for birdie, which he duly drained.
Out in 30 and now well and truly in the mix, with the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook not usually the type of place where you see such scoring.
Just short of the green at the 11th, he would watch as his chip just faded away to the left of the cup. The consolation was another birdie, and then he showed some of that short-game magic two holes later as he chipped in.
Now -7 through 13, Oosthuizen was the hottest player on the course and right up alongside the leaders. A far cry from his woes 24 hours prior.
But Copperhead is no cakewalk, and it showed. One bad swing or loss of concentration and it’s bogey time. A three-putt on 16 saw him chalk up his first bogey of the day before a wayward drive at the last cost him another shot.
Oosthuizen will start four back on Sunday as defending champion Paul Casey leads once again with Dustin Johnson one back.
