STEVENS POINT (WI). Jerry Kelly described it as a fairytale. Steve Stricker was astonished by the special moment.
Both players were paired Saturday for the third round of U.S. Senior Open, at SentryWorld. They were homegrown favorites to win a championship in their own backyard. And they didn’t disappoint.
Kelly said, “I believe there is a score somewhere.” If you can just get the front side, and then keep going backwards, I believe it is there. The front side is difficult to bring up to par. It’s really hard. “Just see if you can turn under and step on the accelerator a little.”
Kelly will play with Langer at 12:34 pm in the final group after he shot a 3-under-68 on Saturday. ET Sunday.
Langer has won 11 senior majors and shot a 68. He is also 6 under par for the tournament.
Langer admitted that playing with Kelly would be a challenge. I remember playing in Seattle against Fred Couples, in this championship. If there were 30,000 spectators, they were all cheering for Fred. The only person for me at that time was my caddie who was my son. It was similar to a Ryder Cup in America.
“It will be similar on Sunday, I assume.” I hope the crowd is fair, and they still enjoy good golf shots. I understand. I understand. I’ve seen it myself. “It’s going be an interesting day.”
Kelly made it into the final group when he hit a long birdie shot from the back of No. Langer was within one shot after 18th. Stricker then buried his own long birdie on top to keep up. After an unforgettable day, the two exchanged smiles, a hugs and some backslaps.
Langer continued to move at his own pace. He birdied No. He birdied No.
It will be hard to catch up with Langer, who needs only one more win in order to surpass Hale Irwin’s 46 senior tour victories.
Kelly said, “You already know he will be a tough guy.” He’s already smelling 46. He’s probably over the ‘I am tied and I will get my next one’ mentality. Now that he is looking forward to a USGA Championship, I believe he has moved on. I do. I really do. “I don’t think he will let up.”
Langer was astonished as he walked up the 18 th fairway, when Stricker spoke after his round. Stricker caught sight of Langer on television.
Stricker commented on Langer, “He seems determined just by looking at him.” It’s going be a challenge. Someone will have to try and catch him tomorrow, and hopefully I can do it.”
Kelly and Stricker’s matching birdies on the 18th hole and their hug at the end of the round was fitting, since the day had begun with a hug before they were even introduced. The fans had been building up for hours before their 1:29 pm tee time. Fans gathered not only at the first tee, but also on the fairways and greens.
The grandfather lifted the grandson on his shoulders and looked.
Stricker said, “It’s pretty special for us to walk up on No. Stricker stated, “To walk up there on No.
The standard bearers of the two following groups arrived early to take a peek. After the starter’s formal introduction, the cheers of the trees echoed.
Kelly said, “It’s pretty amazing that it was lined so early in the morning.”
Kelly found the fairway off the tee and Stricker was in the rough to the left. Kelly missed the green far, Stricker was able to get it to the edge a greenside bunker. It looked like trouble.
But nerves did cool down.
The sounded was off.
Langer walked behind the stars as they fought for pars on the first hole. He then sank a cool birdie at No. As the star duo fought for pars at the start, Langer walked behind them and coolly sank birdies on No. To increase his lead, he birdied No. 2 and No. Both Wisconsin players began to birdie at No. Langer’s bogey at No. 4 was the turning point.
Stricker turned in a 3-under-par performance on the first nine holes, while Kelly had two birdies and bogeys.
The friends seemed to be having a good time, despite all the pressures and the difficult setup of the course.
Stricker said, “We have played so much together over the years. We go back to our junior days here at SentryWorld. And we’ve done team competitions with each other.” Stricker said, “He is a special person to our family and us, so we always root for him and drive each other.”
Stricker gave Kelly a fist-bump congratulatory as Kelly jabbed the putter to encourage Kelly’s long birdie on hole 10 to continue rolling. Stricker then made his own birdie, and they laughed together on the way to the 11 thtee. This was a rare moment of camaraderie between competitors, but was the natural reaction among friends who were enjoying the moment.
Kelly stated, “I think that we have gotten more comfortable as we have played so many games in the last group and won. “We are doing better than before; you want him to do well.” You don’t like to see him making mistakes and other things, but you also can’t be caught up in that.
It was the missed putts and slightly off-centered shots that helped them to move forward.
Langer had none of that energy.
Langer was only watched by a few people. He was two groups behind Stricker and Kelly. Rod Pampling, who was playing with him on the front nine, also fell off the leaderboard with a 7 over 42. Langer may have missed a few birdie puts on the back nine but he did not give up any strokes, while Stricker completed his last six golf holes at one over.
Stricker, who trails Langer by 3 shots and must overtake Kelly on Sunday as well, is now in a position to join Jack Nicklaus’ exclusive club.
Nicklaus was the only senior golfer to win all three of the first majors on the tour in the same year. He did so in 1991, before Jim Albus beat him at the Senior Players Championship. Stricker opened his season with the Regions Tradition Senior PGA Championship.
Langer (2017), Alex Cejka (2021) and Stricker were the last two players to win the first two majors of the year before Stricker. However, their attempts to catch Nicklaus at the U.S. Senior Open ended.
Yang, who is in the fourth position with Retief Goosen, shot into contention on the leaderboard with a 2-under-par 69. Stricker and Yang will tee-off at 12:24 pm. ET.
Rob Labritz jumped into the tie for sixth place with a round of 66 that was bogey free. He will be paired up with Goosen 12:14 pm. ET. Cejka tied Labritz with a 3-under-68 for even par in the tournament. He will play with Dicky pride (1-over) in the 12:04 pm. ET.
