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Charl Schwartzel, of South Africa, reacts after putting on the first hole during the third round of the US Open golf tournament. Morry Gash/AP/Press Association Images
Happy Days

South African Schwartzel grabs US Open lead

He is currently one stroke ahead of Australia’s John Senden, England’s Luke Donald and American Steve Stricker.

CHARL SCHWARTZEL, THE 2011 Masters champion from South Africa, seized the lead Saturday in the third round of the US Open by playing Merion’s first nine holes at two-under par.

Schwartzel took a bogey at the par-5 second but birdied the next two holes and added another at the par-4 seventh to make the turn at one-under for the tournament.

That put him one stroke ahead of Australia’s John Senden, England’s Luke Donald and American Steve Stricker, who were all on the front nine.

England’s Ian Poulter and Justin Rose and Americans Phil Mickelson and Billy Horschel were next on one-over with only Poulter having reached the turn.

Mickelson and Horschel led on one-under when the round began but each made bogeys at the par-3 third and par-4 fifth to stumble back.

Stricker, who at 46 can become the oldest US Open winner and second-oldest major champion in history, opened with eight pars in a row, the only player not to make a bogey among the leaders so far in round three.

World number one Tiger Woods was struggling. He made a 12-foot birdie putt on the first but came up short of the green at the par-3 third on his way to a bogey there and also made bogeys at the fifth, sixth and 10th holes to stand on six-over for the championship.

- © AFP, 2013

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