Waving his broomstick putter like a magic wand, Australian golf ace Adam Scott has jumped out to a four-shot third-round lead at the British Open.
In a nerveless and at times breathtaking display, Scott seemed oblivious to the immense pressure of leading the Open to casually compile a two-under-par 68 to surge to 11 under for the championship.
Hoping to join Peter Thomson (1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1965), Kel Nagle (1960), Greg Norman (1986, 1993) and Ian Baker-Finch (1991) as the only Australians to raise the Claret Jug, Scott will play the final round on Sunday with Graeme McDowell.
Northern Ireland’s 2010 US Open champion notched a three-under 67 to climb to seven under to be equal second alongside halfway leader Brandt Snedeker.
The American had an unhappy round of 72, but was relieved to birdie the closing two holes to stay in touch.
Tiger Woods is still lurking five strokes back after an even-par 70, while former champion Ernie Els (68) and 2007 Masters winner Zach Johnson – after his day’s best 66 – are six shots adrift at five under.
But the man everyone must catch is Scott, who is poised to land his long overdue maiden major after notching his third successive round in the 60s.
Carrying the lead into the final round of a major for the first time in his career holds no fears for the 32-year-old.
“If you’re playing good on Thursday and Friday and Saturday and you’re leading, you’re playing better than anybody else that week,” he said before teeing off for his third round.
“It’s not often that I’ve led a tournament not playing very well. I like that and usually when I’m in that position, I’m feeling comfortable because I’m hitting the ball well and things are under control.”
He was so in control on Saturday.
Starting the day one stroke behind Snedeker, Scott made a great up-and-down from the bunker at the first to save par with a confidence-building six-foot putt that set the tone.
He made further clutch putts for par at the fourth and fifth holes before bagging his first birdie at the par-5 seventh after narrowly missing his eagle attempt.
Scott dropped a 30-footer for another birdie at the eighth and took par at the ninth to turn in two-under 34 and four ahead of the faltering Snedeker and charging Woods, who birdied the sixth, seventh and ninth holes after leaking shots at one and three.
After remarkably avoiding a single bogey and all 206 bunkers around the links layout over the opening two rounds, Snedeker dropped his first shot of the tournament with a three-putt on the fifth.
He gave further shots away on the sixth, eighth and ninth holes – the same three Woods birdied – before Scott delivered the statement of a champion on the 10th.
After finding a fairway bunker off the tee and chipping out, Scott drained a 35-footer for a miraculous par four.
Scott careered to a five-stroke lead when he birdied the par-5 11th, after his eagle putt pulled up millimetres short.
Scott’s only blip came on the par-4 13th when he missed a short putt after chipping to four foot.
But he atoned with a brilliant sand save at the 17th when he looked certain to fall back to 10 under.
Greg Chalmers is the next best Australian at even par after carding a one-over 71.
Geoff Ogilvy (73) is at three over, Brendan Jones (72) at five over, and Aaron Baddeley (74) and John Senden (75) both at six over heading into the final round.