BMW Championship 3rd round, Vijay and Phil at the top.
Vijay Singh & Phil Mickelson/Getty Images
Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson sit atop the leaderboard after the third round of the BMW Championship at Crooked Stick Golf Course in Carmel Indiana on Saturday. Vijay had a modest -3 under par 69, against Phil and his magnificent third round of -8 under par 63. Both players sharing the top spot at -16 under par. The rest of the field is very close behind them, World number one, and last weeks winner Rory McIlroy is tied in third place with Lee Westwood at -15 under par. The best golfers in the world tore it up, aided and abetted by the organizers, lift, clean and place just made it too easy for the likes of these guys.
Vijay answered a question about whether he could last the four rounds;
” I’ve one more to do, I’ve got to play a little better than what I did today. I’ve got to make less mistakes than I did today. I think I can do that.”
Phil Mickelson is glad that his game is back, he affirmed that with his 10 birdies on the round today;
” It’s taken me a little while to piece it back together, but I could tell last week that my game was back and I was ready to play at the highest level again, I came out Thursday and forced it a little too much the front nine. But after that, I’ve been able to settle down and play some good golf. I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s shootout. It should fun.”
Rory McIlroy was delighted to be only one shot back of the leaders after a not very good third round;
” I’m delighted just to be one back going into tomorrow because the display of golf I put on out there from tee to green was not very good. I hung in there and made some putts on the back nine and was able to get myself back in the tournament.”
Lee Westwood spoke about the star-studded top of the leaderboard;
” The cream has risen to the top, hasn’t it.”
There are 16 players that are separated by only five shots, that between them have won 29 majors and 21 World Golf Championships, and four of them have been at No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking over the last decade, that’s some leaderboard.
There are three players hovering at -14 under par, Adam Scott and Robert Garrigus shot rounds of -6, 66 today, while Dustin Johnson had a -5, 67 for the same total for the tournament. Tiger Woods is alone in eighth place at -13 under par after his meager third round of -1 under par 71.
Tiger said he thinks he still has a chance, if he plays well;
” I’m within reach, I have to probably shoot 63 or 64 tomorrow to have a chance.”
Adam Scott commented on the gallery, and said he was pleased to be in the mix;
“The crowd is pretty rowdy, and it’s an incredible leaderboard, it’s going to be fun. I’m glad I put myself in that position.”
It seems that just about everyone has something at stake tomorrow, and everyone has a chance, Dustin Johnson summed it all up;
” It’s the Playoffs, guys come to play golf in the big tournaments. It seems like all year the top guys are up there every time.”
Lets go play golf.
