Andy DevaneyThe ISPS HANDA Senior Open will enter its final round with Jerry Kelly and Cameron Percy tied at eight under par after a wonderfully untidy Saturday battle at The Gleneagles Hotel. Kelly signed for a two-under 68, while Percy’s one-over 71 was rescued by an eagle at the final hole, leaving the pair three shots clear of England’s Peter Baker.
It was not so much a procession as a prolonged exchange of the steering wheel. The lead changed hands repeatedly, the wind complicated almost every calculation and neither player seemed entirely willing to keep hold of the advantage for long.
Who Leads the ISPS HANDA Senior Open?
Jerry Kelly and Cameron Percy share the ISPS HANDA Senior Open lead on eight under par after 54 holes. Peter Baker is their closest challenger at five under, with Darren Fichardt fourth on four under. Ernie Els, Pat Perez and Markus Brier are tied a further shot behind on three under.
Percy had begun the third round with a three-shot lead, but that comfort disappeared with alarming efficiency. Three dropped shots over his opening four holes brought Kelly level for the first time, although the Australian quickly managed to edge back in front.
Kelly had made an early move with a birdie at the third, reaching seven under. That progress was immediately checked by a bogey at the fourth, before further dropped shots at the fifth and eighth sent him to the turn at four under and two behind Percy.
In ordinary circumstances, that might have looked like a missed opportunity. In the Gleneagles wind, ordinary circumstances had apparently taken the afternoon off.
Kelly Takes Control on the Back Nine
Both leaders produced excellent birdies at the tenth and then scrambled effectively at the 11th. The balance shifted again at the 12th, where Percy was left recovering from trouble off the tee while Kelly made birdie.
That two-shot swing pulled the American level at six under.
Percy then made successive bogeys, allowing Kelly to take the outright lead for the first time. A birdie at the 13th — Kelly’s third in four holes — put him ahead, and Percy’s mistake at the 14th doubled the margin to two.
Kelly’s scorecard had begun to look considerably healthier, even if he remained dissatisfied with the way he had handled the slower putting surfaces early in the round.
Felt different. Hit the ball different. You know, I’m glad I started off with a solid birdie. You know, just a three-putt, leaving it short on the first bogey which kind of was the theme of the day, even downhill, I was leaving it short.
He felt the later starting time and moisture on the greens had required an adjustment he did not make quickly enough.
We teed off pretty late. So it could have grown, especially with the moisture in there, and I didn’t give the moisture credit. So now that I’m thinking of it, yeah. But started liking it better coming in again but I’d like to have that from start to finish tomorrow.
Kelly’s recovery was built around patience rather than panic. His three birdies between the tenth and 13th holes turned a difficult outward half into a round that eventually moved him to the top of the leaderboard.
The significance of the scoreboard, however, will not fully arrive until the final round.
We scoreboard watch but it’s still Saturday. So there’s no real emotions going on for that scoreboard. Just want to position yourself for tomorrow and you want to get the job done tomorrow and that’s the key.
For Kelly, victory would carry considerable personal weight.
That would be one of the most special things at this stage of my career. Like any player, I might treasure that above all else.
Percy Finds an Eagle When He Needs It Most
Percy’s round had been coming apart in small but persistent pieces. His early cushion vanished, his ball-striking became difficult to control and mistakes at the 12th, 13th and 14th appeared to have handed the tournament initiative to Kelly.
A birdie at the 16th reduced the deficit to one, however, and both players parred the 17th.
Then came the final hole.
Percy reached eight under with an eagle, vaulting back into a share of the lead. Kelly had an eagle attempt of his own, but his putt slipped past the right edge. The American still made birdie, ensuring that the pair would finish the day together at the top.
It was an improbable ending to a round Percy described with unusual candour.
Very happy with the end. Struggled all day. I couldn’t hit it. I couldn’t chip it. I couldn’t putt it. Misjudging wind and pretty much did everything wrong. So to finish birdie, par, eagles, was very nice. So I’m not out of it anymore. So that’s good.
His difficulty was not simply a matter of the wind blowing hard. Percy had struggled to find the appropriate flight and club selection, particularly when playing into it.
I was trying – normally into the wind, I could pinch it to get it to go through the wind and I can’t do it this week. For some reason, the fairways – spiny ball this week and it’s going like this. I had to take three extra clubs instead of two, and at least I got them on the green, which was nice.
Took me a while to work that out, and then I misjudged the wind on the back nine, 12 and 13. 12 I thought I hit a good drive and had to chip it out, basically.
The statistical summary says Percy shot 71. The more revealing version is that he spent much of the round wrestling with his swing, his short game, the conditions and occasionally his own judgement — yet still walked away tied for the lead.
That ability to salvage a score when little feels comfortable can decide championships just as readily as a flawless afternoon.
Percy was also clear about the significance a final-round victory would hold.
Winning the British Open, normal British Open would be incredible. But at my age and with these guys I’m playing with to win a Senior British Open here would be pretty cool.
Baker Leads the Gleneagles Chasing Pack
Peter Baker remains the nearest challenger after reaching five under par. He will start the final round three shots behind Kelly and Percy, close enough to profit should either leader rediscover Saturday’s early generosity.
South Africa’s Darren Fichardt is fourth on four under, while Ernie Els, Pat Perez and Markus Brier sit together on three under.
The gap gives Kelly and Percy a measure of control, but not enough to invite caution. Saturday demonstrated how quickly Gleneagles can turn a three-shot advantage into a crowded leaderboard.
Kelly carries the cleaner third-round score and the stronger back-nine momentum. Percy carries the reassurance of having survived an afternoon when almost nothing worked, followed by the rather useful discovery that an eagle at the last can make a great many earlier problems look smaller.
They begin the final round level. Judging by Saturday, that may be the last orderly thing the tournament does.
