Saturday is moving day in golf tournaments - especially at a major. Erik van Rooyen went nowhere.
The former Gophers golfer, playing in his first major championship, finished Round 3 at Carnoustie just as he did in Round 2, with an even-par 71. That kept him at 4-under-par for the championship. He is one of seven players - joining Justin Rose, Austin Cook, Adam Scott, Charley Hoffman, Tony Finau and fellow South African Zander Lombard - in a tie for 13th place, five shots out of the lead.
Van Rooyen made par on his final seven holes in Round 2 and said afterward his third-round goal was simple: "Make birdies."
But he carded eight pars on the front nine Saturday. A birdie followed on No. 10 to get to 6 under for the championship before "Carnasty" bit back.
Van Rooyen bogeyed Nos. 12-13, got a shot back with a birdie at the short par-5 14th then limped to the finish with bogeys on 16 and 17 ahead of a bounce-back birdie at the last.
He will tee off in the final round at 7:15 a.m. (Twin Cities time) with Yusaku Miyazato.
BRIAN STENSAAS
