Dawson & Montgomerie Enter Sunday with Senior Open Championship Lead


Though many in the field didn't complete their third rounds on the Old Course at Sunningdale Golf Club in England due to a rain-caused suspension on Friday, the bad weather held off and, at the end of Saturday, American Marco Dawson and Scotsman Colin Montgomerie sat atop the leaderboard at 10-under par.

Each player had completed nine holes of their third rounds before darkness halted play; they will go out early Sunday morning to finish up before starting the final round.

After opening with two straight 3-under 67s, Montgomerie rattled off four birdies on the front nine in his third round before calling it a day. All three of Montgomerie's Champions Tour titles have been in majors. He won the Senior PGA and U.S. Senior Open in 2014, and tacked on another Senior PGA victory in May.

Monty was pleased with how his Saturday concluded. "I was 4-under for the front nine and I started off well, birdie, birdie, birdie and kept it going, so I look forward to tomorrow," said the 52-year-old, a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. "It was exactly what I wanted."

Dawson, a 51-year-old whose only title on the Champions Tour came in March at the Tucson Conquistadors Classic, started with a 65 and 67 and had two birdies on his front nine.

He, too, has enjoyed his performance this week, which has experienced several starts and stops due to the weather. "I was just trying to stay energized," Dawson said. "It was a long day. And now it's going to be even longer because we are going to have to go for a quick dinner and have to get up early, finish our second nine and go back out and play another 18. This is just a survival test now. It's been fun."

Trailing the co-leaders by two are Ireland's Philip Walton, who was 6-under in his third round through 17 holes, and Fred Couples (2-under through 11).

Sharing fifth at 7-under through various stretches of their third rounds were defending champion Bernhard Langer of Germany, Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez, and American Bart Bryant and Australia's Peter Fowler.

Aussie Peter Senior and American Jeff Sluman are tied for ninth at 6-under. Three-time Senior Open champion Tom Watson was able to complete his third round, a fine 4-under 66, to rise into a share of 11th with three others.

For updated scoring, visit http://www.europeantour.com/seniortour/season=2015/tournamentid=2015862/leaderboard/index.html#yFI3a7LDgevGfyur.97.