Scott snatches lead in Australian Open, Meronk ties course record
The old firm of Adam Scott and Kiwi caddy Steve Williams rocked Victoria golf club’s intimidating course today to deny Poland’s golfing trailblazer Adrian Mernok a shock third-round lead in the Australian Open.
Mernok’s course record-equalling 63 had him the clubhouse leader for much of the afternoon until Scott eagled the par-five 18th hole for the second consecutive day to post a round of 67 and snatch a one-shot lead into tomorrow’s final round.
Scott ripped his driver down the 18th fairway and hit a wedge into the green.
“I don’t know if it gets over the hill it gets down there.,” he said. explaining how he played the hole.
“It’s funny because the 17th is a par four and it was playing a driver and a 7-iron today.
“The 18th is a par five and it’s a driver and a sand wedge.
“They’re just numbers. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. A good way to finish, because I played really well today so I felt like at least I got something out of the round in the end.
Asked if he had found the formula to playing the Victoria course he said the pin placements tomorrow would dictate his tactics.
“The pins, where they are kind of dictates the way you can play these courses,” he said.
“You can get into a lot of trouble on the wrong side of some pins and it’ll also depend on what the rest of the field’s doing. If someone starts hot and gets running, then I’m going to make sure I’m running with them.
“I’m not thinking that Old Man Par is going to be just winning me the tournament tomorrow.”
Mernok’s round included nine birdies in a front nine of 30 with only two blemishes at the nine and 17th holes.
He was not overawed by his position and was looking forward to the challenge tomorrow of playing with his childhood hero, Scott.
“I love it, you want to be in this position going especially into Sunday,” he said before Scott nabbed the lead off him.
“I feel really good about my game. I got familiar with the course so I’m going to enjoy tomorrow.
“I’d love to play with him (Scott) tomorrow because he’s been my role model since I was a child, so that would be also a dream come true for me.”
Mernok opened the Open with a less-than-spectacular 73 on Thursday but two outstanding rounds of 66 and 63 have set him up to add the Australian Open to his Irish Open victory.
Golf is not all that popular in Poland but Mernok could be a hero in his home country if he wins tomorrow.
“Golf is quite small, the golf society is quite small so whenever I’m in any golfing tournament I’m known there, but if I go for dinner in my city, nobody would know me.<; he said. Unfortunately, the Open's headline act, Cameron Smith could not pull out a low enough round to keep him in the tournament, narrowly missing the 54-hole cut with a third round of 69 to finish on 212 after rounds of 73-70-69 and tied for 47th. Smith left the golf course yesterday and went to the pub convinced he would not make the cut to tee up today. "I wasn’t really expecting (to be playing) to be honest," said Smith after his third round. "I was pretty quick to the pub (yesterday) and yeah and was probably a few too many beers deep before I realised we had an early tee time, so I got back on the waters and was a good boy the rest of the night." Meanwhile, Korea's former world number one Jayai Shin fired a third-round 67 to wrestle the lead off South Africa's Ashleigh Buha who played magnificently for her 66. Shin heads into tomorrow's final round with a one shot lead at -14 from Buhai with overnight leader, Australia's Hannah Green still, well in contention at -13. Latest sports betting news
Hopefully Scottie can go on and win. Been a great ambassador for golf.
I bet Smithy was back at the pub buying everyone drinks.. Such a great guy