Louis Oosthuizen knows what it’s like to hit every shot right where he’s aiming and to stand over every putt thinking it will go in. He once shot a 57 on his home course in South Africa, a number he wears on his left sleeve.
For two hours Sunday in the Deutsche Bank Championship, that’s how it felt.
Oosthuizen made seven straight birdies after he nearly three-putted from 5 feet. He shot 29 on the front nine of the TPC Boston in Norton, Mass. He didn’t miss a green until the 17th hole. That’s all it took to race by PGA champion Rory McIlroy, leave Tiger Woods behind and seize control going into the Labor Day finish.
Oosthuizen had an 8-under 63, setting tournament records for consecutive birdies, low front nine and 54-hole score of 19-under 194.
“Probably the start anyone would dream of on that front nine,” Oosthuizen said. “I made everything, so you get those days where you just look at a putt and you hole it. That was my first nine holes.”
McIlroy did well just to stay in range.
“You think going out with a one-shot lead and shooting 67 that you … might still be in the lead going into the last day,” McIlroy said. “But Louis put on a display out there for a few holes, reeling off seven birdies in a row. It was great to watch. Louis is the sort of player that can do that. He’s very explosive and he didn’t really put a foot wrong today.”
ELSEWHERE
Scotland’s Richie Ramsay shot a 5-under 66 to win the European Masters by four strokes in Crans-Sur-Sierre, Switzerland. Ramsay, 29, earned $440,000 after finishing 72 holes in 16-under 267. He won the U.S. Amateur in 2006. … Robert Streb made the Mylan Classic in Canonsburg, Pa., his first Web.com Tour title, closing with a 7-under 64 for a four-stroke victory. He jumped to fourth on the money list.
TRACKING LOCAL GOLFERS on the pga tour
This week: Deutsche Bank Championship, through today, TPC Boston, Norton, Mass.
In the field: Puyallup’s Ryan Moore, Gig Harbor’s Kyle Stanley.
Moore’s third-round score: 1-under-par 70.
Stanley’s third-round score: Even-par 71.
Position: Moore (11-under 202) is tied for fifth, and Stanley (2-under 211) is tied for 42nd – all trailing leader Louis Oosthuizen (19-under 194).
Recap: Moore got to experience a slice of Tiger Woods’ chaotic on-course life when he was paired with the star in the penultimate group Sunday. But with the tees forward on many of the holes, setting up the course to be scoring-friendly, Moore likely wasn’t happy with 70. The Cascade Christian graduate made the turn at even par, made seven consecutive pars and then birdied the 17th hole when he hit a pitching-wedge approach close and sank a 3-foot putt for birdie. … The par-3 holes (3-over) took a toll on Stanley. The third hole was particularly troublesome when the Bellarmine Prep graduate made double bogey from the right-side bunker.
Tee times today: Stanley at 7:20 a.m. (PDT) with Robert Garrigus, and Moore at 10:30 a.m. with Bryce Molder.
todd.milles@thenewstribune.com
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