American prodigy Jordan Spieth disagrees with co-leader Brett Rumford that the Australian Open course is bordering on unplayable heading into Sunday’s final round.
Rumford claimed after grabbing a share of the 54-hole lead with Spieth and plucky two-time champion Greg Chalmers that the Jack Nicklaus-designed layout at The Australian was “on a razor’s edge” following an overhaul four years ago.
Only eight players – headed by Spieth, Rumford and Chalmers – were in red figures after Saturday’s dramatic third round, which seemingly put paid to Rory McIlroy’s quest for back-to-back championships.
The world No.1 chopped his way to a five-over-par 76 to fall from equal leader mid-round to six strokes off the pace after racking up a triple-bogey seven and double-bogey six in successive holes.
“The course is on a razor’s edge,” Rumford said after carding a two-under-par 69 to be equal leader with Spieth (69) and Chalmers (71) entering the final round.
“They are trying to create a golf course that’s as unplayable as they can get it without it being so and it’s right on that point.”
Spieth, Masters runner-up at Augusta this year to Bubba Watson, had no complaints, saying the course was set up beautifully for a national championship.
“I certainly don’t mind it it all,” the 21-year-old said on his first visit to Australia.
“I almost prefer it – wind and a very difficult golf course, I feel like plays into my hands.”
Sitting one off the pace at four under for the championship, crowd favourite Adam Scott also has no qualms with the set-up.
The 2013 Masters champion and world No.3 merely warned title hopefuls to brace themselves for five hours of mental torture in Sunday’s final-round shootout for the Stonehaven Cup.
“In these conditions, it’s going to take an incredible round just to make sure you’re in with a chance the last few holes,” Scott said after shooting 69 to snare a share of fourth with veteran Rod Pampling, who also produced a two-under round on Saturday.
“You probably saw it slipped pretty quickly for a few guys out there today and, if you’re not careful, that can happen and I certainly don’t want to do that.
“So it will be a thinking hat on right from the first tee.”
Long-hitting amateur Todd Sinnott (73) is outright sixth at two under – two behind Scott and one ahead of rising star Jake Higginbottom (72) and Sydney touring professional Aron Price (69).
After only making the half cut right on the number, Queenslander Daniel Nisbet fired the round of the day in the easier morning conditions – a bogey-free four-under 67 – to surge up the leaderboard into equal ninth at even with the card.
World No.1 and defending champion Rory McIlroy is one stroke further back – but six adrift of the lead – after a horror third-round 76.
