Stephen Dodd storms into 2-shot lead at the Senior Open Championship presented by Rolex

BERKSHIRE, England (AP) — Stephen Dodd shot an outstanding 8-under 62 to take a two-stroke lead after three rounds of the Senior Open Championship presented by Rolex on Saturday.

The 55-year-old Welshman made four birdies on the first five holes and nine on the day at Sunningdale. He dropped a shot on the 10th but his otherwise stellar performance had him on 11-under 199.

Jerry Kelly, a 54-year-old American, was two shots back after carding a 68 and day two leader Darren Clarke (70) slipped three strokes off the lead in the final senior major championship of the year.

Defending champion Bernhard Langer (70) was four shots off the pace with Miguel Angel Jimenez (67) and Paul Broadhurst (69). Broadhurst won in 2016 and was runner-up in 2019.

The 63-year-old Langer won in 2019 at Royal Lytham & St. Annes for his fourth victory in the event. The 2020 tournament was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Two-time Open champion Ernie Els (70) was five shots back after three rounds.

Dodd, a three-time European Tour winner, made his Senior Tour debut at the Senior Open Championship in 2016, when he had his best finish at the event — a share of 14th place.

The Welshman, who won his first professional title at the 1992 Austria Open, is a three-time winner on the European Senior Tour. His last victory was on his 52nd birthday when he finished off a wire-to-wire victory at the Winston Senior Open in Germany.

Kelly, who leads the Schwab Cup, has yet to post a top 10 in this three Senior Open Championship appearances.