The New South Welshman will mark his 54th birthday by playing in the final group at The Broadmoor alongside major champions Padraig Harrington and Stewart Cink on Sunday after all three posted rounds of 2-under 68 in Round 3.

Harrington and Cink both made fast starts on Saturday, Hensby reviving his hopes with an eagle at the par-5 ninth and a chip-in birdie at the par-4 13th.

He assumed the outright lead at 9-under with birdie at the par-4 14th but squandered a golden chance to end the day one clear, missing a short birdie chance at the par-4 finisher to remain locked together with Harrington and Cink at 8-under par.

Hensby is seeking to become just the second Australian to win the US Senior Open and the first Aussie to win a senior major championship since Stewart Ginn at the 2002 Senior Players Championship.

It marks the third straight week an Aussie has played in the final group of a major championship (Adam Scott at US Open, Minjee Lee at KPMG Women’s PGA), Hensby embracing his place within the marquee grouping.

“Any time you play with two great players like that, it’s definitely fun,” said Hensby.

“Didn’t get off to the best start, but as Padraig said, we all kind of made a few birdies there in a row and we started to get things going.

“It’s fun playing with those two guys. They’re just such great players.

“When you get two great players like that who start off as well as they did, especially Padraig, you kind of expect it to a certain extent.

“I just felt like I’ve just got to play my game and try and just do the best I can do all day and see what happens.

“Fortunately, some things started to go my way, got a couple of nice breaks.”

Expecting an early birthday call from family back home in Australia before sleeping on a share of the lead, Hensby hopes to make it a celebration to remember.

“It’s funny, my birthday is always on this week. It’s either Thursday, Wednesday, or tomorrow it’s Sunday,” he added.

“My family will call me tonight, I’m sure, but yeah, we’ll celebrate tomorrow.”

Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn is the only other player within four strokes of the lead, Kiwi Steven Alker five back after a superb 4-under 66 in Round 3.

Photo: Logan Whitton/USGA

Round 3 Australasian scores
T1          Mark Hensby              -8
T6        Steven Alker (NZ)         -3
T12      Rod Pampling              E
T14      Steve Allan                   +1
T14      Scott Hend                   +1
T23      Greg Chalmers             +3
T23      Cameron Percy             +3
T29      Stuart Appleby             +4
T38      Richard Green              +5
MC       Michael Campbell (NZ) +7
MC       Mathew Goggin           +11
MC       Brendan Jones             +13
MC       Richard Lee (NZ)           +15

Round 4 tee times AEST
11pm               Stuart Appleby
11:11pm*         Richard Green
11:22pm          Cameron Percy
11:33pm          Greg Chalmers
11:55pm          Scott Hend
12:06am          Steve Allan
12:17am          Rod Pampling
12:39am          Steven Alker (NZ)
12:50am          Mark Hensby