Peter Senior retains a slim hope of winning the US Senior Open after a third round 68 left him six shots behind runaway leader Olin Browne at Inverness Club.
Australian Senior birdied the first, 12th and 14th holes to move to nine under par for the championship and into a share of third place, with Browne extending his lead after birdieing the last two holes for a 65.
Browne had previously picked up shots on the tenth, 12th and 13th on the way in for a back nine of 29, the lowest nine hole total in US Senior Open history.
The American’s 54 hole score of 15 under par 198 is also the lowest in US Senior Open history beating the previous record of 199 set by Simon Hobday at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club in 1994.
Browne is two shots clear of compatriot Mark O’Meara, with Senior, Jeff Sluman, Joey Sindelar and Mark Calcavecchia all tied for third.
Senior said: “I played really well on the back nine. I had a lot of chances that I could have made birdie and sort of ran it by the edge. All in all, I'm pretty happy with today's round.”
Bernhard Langer, the defending champion, is the next best placed European Senior Tour Member, three shots behind Senior on six under par after a 68. South African Chris Williams fell back after a 77 to sit in a share of 57th place on six over par.
