The Open 2018: Jordan Spieth leads a gaggle of talented golfers into a final day his childhood dreams were made of
The Texan will get to fight it out for a major with Tiger Woods, a scenario that had only ever happened in his dreams
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Jordan Spieth will live out his childhood dream tomorrow at Carnoustie, and he doesn’t even need to win the 147th Open Championship to make it come true.
Because while the 24-year-old Texan is tied for the overnight lead and favourite to win back-to-back Claret Jugs, he knows that the real pleasure is in the journey as much as the destination, and he can’t wait to fight it out with one of his idols, a resurgent Tiger Woods , on what promises to be a special Sunday at The Open.
“I’ve always wanted to battle it out in a major with Tiger. Who hasn't? It's kind of a dream come true just to have the opportunity. It's nice that he's on point. It's really good for the sport.”
Spieth conceded that, in his head, those imagined showdowns with Woods came on Augusta’s brilliant-green fairways rather than the weathered, brown links of Carnoustie but it is on Scotland’s east coast where it will play out, with a breeze whipping in off the North Sea and more than just Tiger for company.
Because the reigning champion only jointly holds the lead with compatriot Xander Schauffele and housemate Kevin Kisner. Both are delighted to be in the mix but know that with a generational talent in Spieth level and another, Rory McIlroy, within reach, this won’t be easy.
McIlroy is four back and tied with Woods, Webb Simpson, Alex Noren, Matt Kuchar, Zach Johnson and Englishman Tommy Fleetwood for sixth place. Any could rise and many will fall in the final round while Kevin Chappell sits quietly and alone in fourth on seven under par and Francesco Molinari a shot back from him in fifth.
In short, there’s a gaggle of immensely-talented golfers ready to attack Carnoustie on Sunday and behind them a pack of outsiders, led by Justin Rose, who can’t be ruled out.
The Englishman carded a 64, the best round of the day, early on Saturday morning out to set himself up for an unlikely but nonetheless bold tilt at the Claret Jug. “I might take this opportunity to really rest up,” he said. “I get to recover a bit quicker than they do going into tomorrow so I’m going to take advantage of that.”
Whether simply a day of putting the feet up will be enough for Rose to overhaul a raft of such skilful players is yet to be seen but there is a feeling that with so many good golfers in the mix - an exciting blend of proven class, young talent and surprise packages - that The Open is precisely that - wide open.
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