If Friday at Doral was defined by a Rory McIlroy fit of pique – and it most certainly was – then day three at the WGC-Cadillac Championship provided an altogether different tale. An even more remarkable one, as Dustin Johnson and JB Holmes secured freakishly similar aces on the Blue Monster’s 4th hole.
These holes in one must be placed in appropriate context. None at all had ever been recorded on the 227-yard par three at this event before Saturday. Johnson and Holmes, both using seven-irons, carded two within just three groups. Or 24 minutes.
“I got lucky,” said Johnson. “I actually pushed it a hair right, I had been aiming to the left of the flag.” Holmes claimed an alternative plan. “I was going right for that spot,” he said.
Holmes is the player with this tournament to lose. At 11 under par, his advantage is five over Johnson and Bubba Watson. After success in China in November, Watson is chasing back-to-back WGC triumphs. It is no coincidence that all three of these players are huge hitters.
Ryan Moore, Bill Haas, Adam Scott, Henrik Stenson, Louis Oosthuizen, Webb Simpson and Sergio García are just some of the players who will head into Sunday with aspirations of glory. Scott’s cause may, though, have been fatally undermined by a horrible double bogey on the 54th hole. At four under, Oosthuizen said he would gladly accept his Saturday score, 67, to sign off.
Lee Westwood, making a record 50th WGC appearance, is similarly prominent; what a story it would be if the Englishman wins for the first time in this format here. Westwood went on a run of three successive birdies between the 14th and 16th to move to four under par, a score only ruined by a dropped shot on the last. Still, Westwood is serious part of the discussion in endorsing the sense that he is returning to something like his best form.
“I actually didn’t realise about the 50 until somebody told me on Wednesday or Thursday,” Westwood admitted. “I knew I’ve played in a lot. It just shows I’ve been playing a high level of golf for more years than I can remember. That’s obviously great if you can stay at a top level for all that time. I played well today. I started off strongly and finished it off strongly. The golf course doesn’t get any easier.”
McIlroy continues to suffer fluctuating fortunes here. He had moved to two under par for the day after seven holes but proceeded to record back-to-back bogeys – no clubs were flung into a water hazard this time.
The world No1 produced a back nine of 36 for a 72 and to lie at one under for the tournament; barring something spectacular over the final 18 holes, he is probably now playing for second place. In the Northern Irishman’s mental locker is his previous scoring of 65 –twice – on this course.
“My iron play just isn’t really where I want it to be,” McIlroy said. “Everything else feels good. I’m driving the ball pretty well but just not giving myself enough opportunities from hitting good tee shots, and I think that’s the one thing I need to work on a little bit.
“I felt coming off the two starts in the Middle East, I was playing well, but I guess the wind over the last couple weeks has just exposed a couple things that I need to work on. There wasn’t much wind in Abu Dhabi and Dubai so I could sort of get away with it a little bit, whereas you really need to control your ball flight better in conditions like this. The last couple of weeks, I just haven’t really done that.”
McIlroy confirmed the playing of his third round with only 13 clubs, having opted not to replace the three-iron which was tossed into a water hazard a day earlier. That club was retrieved by a scuba diver on Saturday; Doral’s proprietor, Donald Trump, will no doubt have a plan for it now on the basis McIlroy is highly unlikely to want it back.
