For about 25 seconds, Steve Bowditch shared The Open Championship lead.
But it says it all about the laconic Queenslander’s mindset and improvement that it barely registered on his radar when asked about it after his third-round 69 left him eight under and tied for 15th, just four back.
“I feel like this is about the worst spot I could be right now for my week.,” Bowditch said in direct reference to a putter that hasn’t quite reflected the majesty of his iron play.
“It was all right. I actually played just like I've been playing the last few days, and yeah, just didn't make any putts again.
“I hit it a little closer today earlier … I felt like I should have nearly birdied every hole there for a lot of the front nine.
“And then from there, I just … I don't know.”
Bowditch is understandably happy to be in contention to win his first major championship, but his responses accurately reflect his increased expectations of his game.
“It's great to be here … (and just like) any other golf tournament, it's nice to have a shot (in the final round),” he said.
“It's a great spot to be able to maybe go out and shoot a real low one. Obviously I'm going to need a real low one.
“I'm just trying to go out and play Sunday golf on Monday and see what happens.”
His third-round golf was brilliant enough that his fifth birdie on the 12th hole momentarily put a T1 next to his name on the leaderboard until Irish bolter Paul Dunne birdied two groups back to go out alone.
The only downer for Bowditch came when he three-putted the 13th after staring at a makeable birdie try.
“It's golf. It's out of mind. A lapse in concentration there and I should have backed away (on the par putt) and didn't.
“I (also) hit two fat 3-woods today out of nowhere, so it is what it is.”