Walton makes a move at Sunningdale;
Colin Montgomerie. Picture/ Getty Images
Philip Walton is just three shots behind co-leaders Colin Montgomerie and Marco Dawson entering the final day of The Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex.
The Malahide star shot a five under par 65 at Sunningdale to move into a share of sixth on seven under par with Fred Couples.
After completing his weather-affected second round by birdieing the 14th hole on Saturday morning for a second consecutive round of 67, a well-rested Montgomerie was quick out of the blocks when he began his third round nine hours later.
Starting two shots behind pacesetter Dawson, Montgomerie immediately rattled off three birdies in a row to join the American at the top of the leaderboard, with Dawson also birdieing the opening hole.
Dawson eventually sho a 68 to Montgomerie’s 66 to leave them on 10 under, one clear of Bernhard Langer (68) with Peter Fowler (68) tied fourth with Miguel Angel Jimenez on eight under.
Montgomerie is bidding to add the Senior Open crown to the three Senior Major Championships he has already won since turning 50 - two US Senior PGA Championships and the 2014 US Senior Open.
The biggest mover of the day was Walton, who followed a second round of 67 with seven birdies and a bogey in the 17 holes he completed in round three to move to eight under par.
He was just two shots back with one hole to complete but he bogeyed the 18th on Sunday morning to end the third roind tied with Couples, the 2012 Senior Open Champion, on seven under.
Des Smyth and Ronan Rafferty missed the halfway cut.
McGee best in France
European Challenge Tour — Ruaidhri McGee shot a 73 and Niall Kearney slipped to a 77 as New Zealand’s Ryan Fox birdied the closing hole to take a three shot lead into the final round of the Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge in France.
McGee ended the day on three under, 13 shots being Fox while Kearney’s disappointing third round relegated him to two under with Simon Thornton a shot further back after a 74.
Chris Selfridge shot a five over 76 to find himself near the back of the field on one-over as Fox maintained his impressive bid for a maiden European Challenge Tour title in just his fourth appearance.
The 28-year old has led for the duration of the tournament at Golf PGA France du Vaudreuil, following a course record 62 on Thursday and second round of 67 with a three under par third round of 68, for a 16 under par total.
