Byeong-hun An celebrated a hole-in-one on Friday, but quickly fell back to earth on Saturday when he needed three chip shots just to make the green on the 13th.
The Korean watched his ball dribble back twice before he finally got it to cooperate before settling for a double bogey.
Day to forget: Byeong Hun An trudges out of the bunker on the eighth.Credit:AAP
An also opted for a wedge – not a putter – on the monster 11th green given the distance from the flag.
The joint leader heading into the weekend had a stinker, notching three bogies and two doubles with three holes remaining.
Meanwhile, at Sandown: Craig Williams returns to scale on Yogi, a winner for part-owner Cameron Percy.Credit:AAP
Yogi salutes for Percy
Around the same time that Cameron Percy was hitting bogeys on the third and fourth holes, a horse he part-owns, Yogi, was saluting in the $150,000 Sandown Cup.
Still on the nags, John Walter, who manages top Sydney jockeys Josh Parr and Tim Clark, caddied for Aaron Pike. That's the reason Pike planned on spending the afternoon with a few beers and backing the pair at Rosehill.
Davis in familiar territory
To think if he never had that quadruple bogey on the first hole of the tournament.
Defending Open champion Cameron Davis made his move with seven birdies for a four-under 68, only for a double bogey on 13 to ruin his Saturday run.
Just like last year, Davis knows he comes into the final day with nothing to lose. He fired a 66 last year to come from nowhere and win it.
"It's exactly the same this year, I'm so far back only a great round will put me near the leaders,'' Davis said.
Momentary relief: Abraham Ancer was saved by ex-Fairfax snapper Steve Christo.Credit:AAP
"I can't force it because as soon as you try to force it, that's usually when things go wrong. That's what might have happened on 13 when I tried to reach the green [with a two iron] and tried to hit it too hard when [aiming for] just short of the green would have been fine.''
Snapper breaks 'fourth wall'
Former Herald photographer Steve Christo accidentally came to the help of high-flying Mexican Abraham Ancer on the 11th hole when he stopped his tee shot from trickling into the sand – with his belly.
Christo was snapping away and caught off guard when the ball ploughed into him. Sadly for Ancer, he found the sand on his second shot as Christo returned to the media centre for an icepack and cuddle.
Smith spices round with eagle
A double-bogey on the seventh hole fired up Cameron Smith, who immediately responded with an eagle on the eighth.
"I put it long and to the right and it was unplayable, and that fired me up I guess because I played solid from there,'' said Smith, the pre-tournament favourite who shot a two-under 70.
Smith has been battling a head cold the past couple of days and turned to some spicy Indian food on Friday night to help sweat it out.
Praying for light
Mikko Ilonen will play in Melbourne next weekend before flying home to Finland where he hopes it has finally snowed.
"It's so dark back home it's been miserable, but when it snows and there's a decent snow on the ground, it brings the light,'' Ilonen said.
The Finnish golfer, who played in two previous Opens, was left feeling miserable himself after a putt failed to drop for birdie on the 17th.
"I couldn't believe it didn't go in,'' said Ilonen, who smacked six birdies on his way to a third-round 68 to be three-under for the tournament.
Bad toilet joke
The portable loos did not have flush water until late on Tuesday at The Lakes because the company did not realise they were needed before the start of play on Thursday.
Source: Read Full Article