I'll put Open agony behind me to win Senior Open, vows John Cook

Jul 27 2008 Euan Mclean

JOHN COOK will seek salvation from a Senior Open victory today to ease the pain of letting the Claret Jug slip through his fingers 16 years ago.

The American is still haunted by the memory of a costly three-putt on Muirfield's 17th green that wrecked his hopes of winning The Open in 1992.

Missing the hole from just two feet handed victory to Nick Faldo and would surely be a moment painful enough to make a lesser character wake up screaming at night.

But today the 50-year-old stands on the verge of lifting a smaller version of the Claret Jug that would go a long way to easing his disappointment.

The Ohio man moved to the top of the leader board at Royal Troon yesterday with a stunning round of 67 - the joint lowest round of the week matched only by Greg Norman - to stand proud on six-under 207.

Just one adrift of Cook is halfway leader Bruce Vaughan, who deserves credit for taking a deep breath and battling back from a horror run of four bogeys around the turn to rescue a 69.

Below that lesser-known pair lurks a star-studded chasing pack lying in wait to pounce on the slightest mistake.

Eduardo Romero - another chasing redemption after losing a play-off for this coveted title to Loren Roberts two years ago - is very much in the hunt, just two shots back on four under.

But don't be too quick to rule out defending champion Tom Watson or original bookies favourite Bernhard Langer doing something special from joint fourth on one under.

For now it's Cook's to lose and he insists the motivation not to let this one slip away couldn't be higher.

He said: "I won 11 times on tour but unfortunately I did not win a Major despite having a couple of chances I didn't capitalise on.

"I feel incomplete because that's how you are judged and remembered in this game. So winning this would help in the redemption process of 92.

"But I can't let that cross my mind because there are a lot of great players here, champions who know how to close deals and I have to keep doing the right things."

Vaughan holed a birdie putt on the last to keep his place in the final group and was pleased to fight back from pending disaster.

Argentine Romero was delighted to buck what he believes is a national trend for bad putting.

After his 68 he said: "I don't know why - we must have bad greens - but I spoke to Roberto di Vicenzo about this and he said to me, 'I've never seen an Argentinian putt well'.

"Only Anders Romero has been a good putter on tour but now Eduardo too after today!

"I played great, my putting was unbelievable and I'm a different player this year from the one who lost the Turnberry play-off. I can win this tournament."

Watson was so dismayed with his level-par 71 that he vowed to take a leaf out of arch-rival Jack Nicklaus' book to get his defence back on track.

He said: "I hit the ball indifferently and got what I deserved. I'm going to the practice ground to work on my alignment.

"I need to go back to the Jack Nicklaus method and get right back to basics."

Special mention to Gene "The Gene Machine" Jones whose 68 put him level with Greg Norman on one over.

He used to work as a road sweeper in Orlando and aims to clean up at the trophy presentation.

Jones said: "I had injured my wrist and did some night work for a buddy of mine.

"I swept parking lots in the middle of the night but enjoyed it. I had to quit once my hand got better and was able to start practising again.

"Working for Û100 a day makes me appreciate what I have now."