A day after needing an eagle to shoot the European Tour’s first-ever round of 59 and Florida’s Peter Uihlein sensationally holed his second shot at the 18th for eagle to snatch a two shot lead on day three of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.
Uihlein, 24 was competing on the famed Old Course at St. Andrews for a first time in his career and set up a second European Tour victory this season when his 47-yard wedge shot found the bottom of the cup in a round of 65 for a 20-under par tally.
A day earlier Uihlein went within three inches of producing the Tour’s first-ever score of 59 in matching the Kinsbarns course record with a 12-under par 60.
Now the reigning Maderia Islands Open winner is one round away from collecting an $800,000 first prize cheque and become the first American-born winning in the 13-year history of the event.
“I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to do with my second shot but it worked out well and when I saw it go in, it was pretty sweet and a nice way to sign off,” he said.
“It’s always tough backing up after shooting a low round like I had yesterday at Kingsbarns but I managed to get off to a great start today with four birdies in a row from the fifth and then to eagle the last was a real bonus.
“And to play the Old Course for a first time was awesome and it’s one of the best, if not it is the best golf course in the world.
“It was fun to play and we got lucky with the weather and with the wind not blowing. I just love the imagination side of playing these links courses.”
Since winning in Maderia Uihlein has managed three other top-10s including second in the recent Wales Open and climbed to 30th on the Race to Dubai and 100th on the World Rankings.
However Uihlein faces a tough final round assignment with 16 players lying within five shots of the lead including four-time Major winning Ernie Els (64) and former World No. 1 and past event winner Martin Kaymer of Germany (63) who were also at St. Andrews and among six players sharing second place on 18-under par.
Els has been competing at St. Andrews since 1992 and while he enjoyed success helping South Africa to victory in the 1997 and 1998 now defunct Dunhill Cup he’s never won an individual event on the Old Course.
“I’ve been in a bit of a rut in recent week’s playing that FedEx Cup in the States and I needed a change as I was kind going brain dead over there,” said Els.
“So I’ve come here and again teamed with my dad (Neels) who turned 70 this year and we’ve been playing on beautiful links courses here in Scotland so that’s what I needed.
“I am in a great position but then there are a lot of guys up there and we’ll see what happens on the back nine.
“But then I’ve finished second in this event before and it would be nice to finally get my name on the trophy though there is a lot of hard work to do.”
Also on 18 under par is recent KLM Open winner Joost Luiten of Holland (68) and England’s David Howell (63) also both competing at St. Andrews.
Ireland’s Shane Lowry had moved to 19-under par at Carnoustie but bogeyed the last in a round of 64.
And England’s Paul Casey equalled the new Old Course with a 10-under par 62 but finds himself back in a share of 25th spot on 13-under par.
