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Not a single player broke par in the third round. It was a day in which the early starters hoped first to minimize the damage to their own scorecards, and then to watch a whole lot of damage on TV.
Ben Curtis went off at 10:30 a.m. and made eagle 2 on the third hole, his 165-yard 9-iron diving into the cup. As the leaders were starting their rounds, he signed for a par 70 (seven over total), which playing partner Phil Mickelson called "one of the better rounds I've seen."
But it got better. Tied for 19th when he finished, the 2003 Open champion started rising up the leaderboard as the leaders leaked shots, and "Curtis Watch 2008" became the parlor game du jour in the press tent.
He was 11th. No, he was 10th, ninth, tied for sixth. By the end of the day, he was tied for fifth, having made his biggest move up the board while reading the paper and nibbling digestive biscuits, one imagines.
With balls moving around the grounds like air hockey pucks, not everyone was so lucky.
The best feel-good comeback story this side of Norman, Duval went from a tie for fourth place to T64. Justin Rose began the day with an outside chance at just six over for the tournament, but the darling of Birkdale in 1998 made 10 bogeys and a double and signed for an 82.
"The only good thing about today is it didn't rain," Harrington said, but he looked none the worse for wear. He said his injured wrist felt fine, and was a blessing as it limited his pre-tournament practice to nine holes. The forecast is for more wind, and the champ is in his element. As a certain French golfer might say, Everybody out of the way!
