2026 ISPS HANDA Senior Open: Percy and Kelly set to battle for Senior Claret Jug after rollercoaster Saturday at Gleneagles

Jerry Kelly and Cameron Percy will take a share of the lead into the final round of the ISPS HANDA Senior Open after a back-and-forth battle in blustery conditions at The Gleneagles Hotel.

Kelly carded a two under 68, while Percy posted a one over 71 as the pair are tied at eight under, three shots clear of England’s Peter Baker, who leads the chasing pack at five under par.

The lead changed hands several times between the final pairing on Saturday but a final-hole eagle from Percy saw the third-round leader regain his position alongside Kelly at the top of the leaderboard after 54-holes.

Percy entered the day with a three-shot cushion but after dropping three shots in his first four holes, he found himself briefly tied at the top for the first time with Kelly, but very quickly regained an advantage.

Kelly had managed to get to seven under with a birdie at the third but immediately bogeyed the fourth and then gave away two more shots at the fifth and eighth holes to make the turn at four under and two shots adrift of the leader.

Both players made brilliant birdies at the tenth to keep the lead at two shots, made good recoveries at the 11th, but a mistake from the tee left Percy scrambling at the 12th while a birdie for Kelly meant a two shot swing to see them draw level at six under.

Back-to-back bogeys from Percy meant the next swing went in favour of Kelly, whose third birdie in four holes at the 13th gave him his first time leading on his own. The American’s lead soon doubled to two strokes thanks to a mistake from Percy at the 14th, but two holes later the Australian was able to half the deficit with a birdie at 16.

After trading pars at the 17th, Percy was the first man to climb back to eight under with his eagle, while Kelly’s effort slid by the right of the hole and he ended his round with a birdie to join the lead. "Felt different. Hit the ball different. You know, I'm glad I started off with a solid birdie. You know, just a three-putt, leaving it short on the first bogey which kind of was the theme of the day, even downhill, I was leaving it short," said Kelly, speaking to Sky Sports after his round.

"We teed off pretty late. So it could have grown, especially with the moisture in there, and I didn't give the moisture credit. So now that I'm thinking of it, yeah. But started liking it better coming in again but I'd like to have that from start to finish tomorrow.

We scoreboard watch but it's still Saturday. So there's no real emotions going on for that scoreboard. Just want to position yourself for tomorrow and you want to get the job done tomorrow and that's the key.

That would be one of the most special things at this stage of my career. Like any player, I might treasure that above all else."

Percy, speaking after his final hole eagle, said: "Very happy with the end. Struggled all day. I couldn't hit it. I couldn't chip it. I couldn't putt it. Misjudging wind and pretty much did everything wrong. So to finish birdie, par, eagles, was very nice. So I'm not out of it anymore. So that's good.

I was trying - normally into the wind, I could pinch it to get it to go through the wind and I can't do it this week. For some reason, the fairways - spiny ball this week and it's going like this. I had to take three extra clubs instead of two, and at least I got them on the green, which was nice. Took me a while to work that out, and then I misjudged the wind on the back nine, 12 and 13. 12 I thought I hit a good drive and had to chip it out, basically.

Winning the British Open, normal British Open would be incredible. But at my age and with these guys I'm playing with to win a Senior British Open here would be pretty cool."

South African Darren Fichardt sits in fourth position on four under par, while Major Champion Ernie Els, American Pat Perez and Austrian Markus Brier are a shot further back in fifth.

Report courtesy DP World Tour