Paul Lawrie battled back from a poor start to head into the final round of the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship with a four-shot lead.
The 1999 Open champion dropped four shots over his opening five holes on a day of tough scoring at Trump International Golf Links but recovered to shoot a one-over 73.
He sits seven-under for the tournament – four strokes ahead of Englishmen Simon Khan and Robert Coles.
Lawrie followed up a bogey at the second with a double bogey seven at the fourth and another dropped shot at the par-four fifth.
He said: “There was all sorts going on in the first five holes.
“We hit it everywhere.
“It was some of the worst golf of my career in those first five holes.
“It was unbelievably bad.
“Then you get to the point where you think it’s surely the bottom of the pile and time to get going.
“Sometimes that happens. You aren’t always going to play perfectly.
“I hit a couple of shockers today. The older you get the more that’s going to happen.”
But Lawrie was delighted with the way he finished his round with birdies at three of the final four holes.
He said: “I hit a lovely shot on the par-three sixth. I stiffed it to a couple of feet with an 8-iron to make a birdie.
“You think you are going and then I three-putted nine and fatted it into the hill on 10 with a 5-iron.
“I must have hit it 120 yards. You are thinking ‘Wow, I want to go home’.
“And then I just played lovely coming home.
“It is an amazing game.
“One-over was a good effort – you can see by the scoring.
“I started two ahead and I’m now four ahead and I shot over par.
“It was a good salvage job but I need to play better tomorrow.”
Henderson hangs in there
Fellow Aberdonian Scott Henderson is well-placed going into the final 18 holes.
The 54-year-old is tied fifth after shooting a 72 to remain level par.
That was one shot better than his playing partner and tournament host Colin Montgomerie.
Henderson said: “I had never played with Colin before. I have hit balls next to him on the range and chatted to him before.
“He was absolutely bang on.
“I enjoyed it apart from my ball-striking abilities. I enjoyed watching what he does.
“I would love to hit the ball as straight as that.
“I struggled a bit. That was as poor as I’ve hit the ball all week.
“I saved a lot of shots with the putter when I needed to, which I didn’t do yesterday.
“I hit it nicely on the range but I felt uncomfortable on the course.
“I sometimes feel claustrophobic around here.
“You can’t really give it a smash.
“It’s not one of these places where you open your shoulders.
“It wasn’t the time to have a couple of hundred folk following you with the way I was hitting it.
“You just have to get on with it.
“I missed a short birdie putt on the last but I can’t complain about that.
“I had no business beating Monty or tying with (his other playing partner) Bradley Dredge as they both played very solid.
“They were playing nice stuff and I was a bit choppy.
“I wasn’t with it but I will hopefully get it going tomorrow.”
The joint lowest round of the day was posted by Adilson Da Silva, who won this event two years ago.
He shot a four-under 68 to move to level par and tied fifth spot alongside Henderson.
The Brazilian hit the opening tee shot when golf was included in the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Watching this week’s events from the Paris Olympics brings back nice memories for the 52-year-old.
He said: “I was very fortunate to have the honour of doing something like that.
“It was amazing and one of the highlights of my career.
“As for this event, to win it again would be amazing but it is such a good field this year.
“To win with these guys around will be quite a challenge.”
