Exciting 3rd round sets up for final at U.S. Senior Open
COVER PHOTO: Stewart Cink waves to fans after finishing on the 18th hole during the third round of the 2026 U.S. Senior Open at Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio. Picture by: Edward M. Pio Roda/USGA.
It was a wild third round of play at the 46th annual U.S. Senior Open on Saturday where four different guys positioned themselves for the Francis D. Ouimet Memorial Trophy.
Last year's runner-up, Stewart Cink, shot a blistering 6-under par, 64, in the sweltering 96 degree heat at the Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio to take a one-stroke lead over defending champion, Padraig Harrington, who shot a 4-under, 66.
Staying in the mix with a 3-under, 67, was two-time Senior Open runner-up, Miguel Angel Jimenez, who currently sits in fourth overall at 6-under par. And first-time Senior Open participant George McNeill followed up his 66 on Friday with a 69 on Saturday to put him in third place at 7-under.
Cink went bogey-free with four birdies and an eagle (which came on par-5, no. 6) after sticking his second shot from the fairway to within two feet of the hole.
He said it was a conversation with his caddie, Chris Jones, who told him his commitment level wasn't "quite there" before each shot and that he needed to be more focused.
"Today was a day about making the choice to be committed and be willing to accept anything," Cink said. "That just has a tendency to free me up. When I play freed up, it's just the results are usually a lot better, and executing is a lot better."
Harrington started his round with three pars but hiccupped on par-3, no. 4 with a bogey after sending his tee shot into the right rough, short of the green, then chunked his pitched within 25 feet of the hole, then two-putted from there. However, he would go on a six-birdie streak between nos. 6 and 14 but hiccupped again on the last hole with his second bogey of the round.
Despite getting a birdie on no. 6, he had to watch Cink and McNeill (whom were all playing together) get eagles and that woke him up.
"When it comes to a U.S. Open, you always know if you hang in there and try and dig deep when things aren't going your way and you wait for a run, five (more) birdies in six holes, that's the sort of run that gets any card moving."
McNeill came into Saturday's round with a two-stroke lead at 6-under and held a three-stroke lead at 9-under after he matched his playing mate, Cink, with an eagle of his own no. 6. However, his lead would drop to one stroke when he carded a double bogey on par-4, no. 8 after shanking his tee shot into the left rough, then followed up his second shot into the right fairway rough. His pitch just off the green would come up 30 feet short and a two-putt from there gave him a 6 on the card. He would follow it up, though, with a birdie on the next hole, but went birdie-less with one more bogey on the final nine holes.
"Tee shots were for the most part fine off the tee, but second shots got fooled by the wind," he said. "Made one bogey, and just really kind of ho-hum around the back nine."
Jimenez started strong on the front, going bogey-free with four birdies. But the back would be less forgiving as he sandwiched one more birdie between to bogeys on the final three holes.
The 62-year-old, 12-year PGA Tour Champions veteran said it's all about sticking to his routines and the good Lord giving him the ability to do it.
"I'm doing what I like to do in my life, and that is God give me the means to continue working every day, stretching, and enjoying myself." And all that while able to still enjoy puffing on a stogie, which he said were limited to two during Saturday's round.
Cink, Harrington and McNeill will once again be paired up in the next-to-last group to tee off on the first hole at 8:45 a.m. Jimenez is grouped with Darren Clarke and Paul Stankowski, starting off the first tee at 8:35 a.m.
See Sunday's final pairings and times HERE.