By Will Pearson, europeantour.com
at Rockliffe Hall
There was a ding-dong battle in progress on the final day of the English Senior Open, as overnight leader Steen Tinning was doing well to hold off a charging Santiago Luna at Rockliffe Hall.
After recovering from a nervy opening, where he did well to get up and down for par at the first hole following an errant tee shot, the Dane’s two-shot overnight cushion was immediately reduced as Spaniard Luna birdied the par four second hole.
Tinning responded in kind, however, with a birdie two at the short third hole before a second gain of the day at the fifth for Luna, followed by an eagle at the par five seventh, saw the 50 year old Copenhagen man reined in on 14 under par.
Famed for the stamina and physical endurance needed to compete in his ironman competitions, though, Tinning was not about to buckle as a birdie at the eighth hole helped him turn one clear of his Spanish counterpart as the tournament reaches what promises to be a thrilling denouement.
Englishman Paul Eales was the next closest challenger on ten under par after a trio of birdies on his front nine, alongside a resurgent Paul Wesselingh.
The current Order of Merit leader, who would most likely be overhauled were Tinning to triumph on Sunday, reached six under par for the day through 12 holes to claim a share of third place as the afternoon continued – a mark also held by Spaniard Miguel Angel Martin.
