Bernhard Langer heads a packed leaderboard going into the final round of the US Senior Open after posting a two under par third round of 68 to share the lead with Jeff Maggert at Del Paso Country Club.
While the conditions cooled off on Saturday after consecutive days above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the competition heated up, with eight players just one shot behind the leading pair, including defending champion Colin Montgomerie, and American Kenny Perry, who fired a superb 64.
Langer is hoping to add the US Senior Open, which he previously won in 2010, to the Senior Open Presented by Rolex title he won at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club last year by a dominant 13 shots.
The German birdied the opening hole of his third round but gave that shot back immediately on the second, before a run of three birdies in a row from the 11th hole. That moved into him into the outright lead, but he missed an eight foot par putt on the last to drop back to five under par alongside Maggert.
"The only way to separate yourself is by playing great golf," said Langer, the two-time Masters Champion.
“You can't make a lot of bogeys. You've got to try and avoid mistakes and make some putts and hit some incredible shots. It's the only way to really separate yourself. There are probably 20 guys, maybe more, 30 or 40, that have a shot. We saw what Kenny Perry did today. So there's everything to play for. It's good to be in the last group. That way you have an idea what you have to do coming down the last few holes. In case you're playing solid and you're in the hunt, at least you know what's ahead of you and what you have to do to finish.”
Maggert, who tied for the 36-hole lead with Tom Watson and Peter Fowler, maintained his challenge with a round of 70.
Watson is among the group of eight players poised to strike a shot behind the leaders following a round of 71, making a 20 foot par putt on the last to the delight of the gallery.
"It's like a horse race," said Watson. "Getting close to the wire."
Montgomerie continued his defence with a 70, but after moving into the lead with three birdies and a bogey on the front nine, he fell back into the pack with consecutive bogeys on the 12th and 13th holes.
“I didn't play very well today,” said the Scot. “I made a couple of mistakes late, on 12 and 13. But I’m still in there. Still in there with a chance. It was very difficult. No one's run away with it.”
Perry’s impressive 64 joined Watson and Montgomerie on four under par, alongside Fred Funk (68), Grant Waite (69), Scott Dunlap (68), Woody Austin (69) and Jim Carter (70).
Australian Fowler shot a 72 and is among six players at three under par, alongside fellow European Senior Tour Members Miguel Angel Jiménez (67) and Barry Lane (69).
