Adam Scott will seek the calming influence and vast experience of trusted caddie Steve Williams as he chases a watershed British Open win on Sunday night (AEST).

Williams carried Tiger Woods’ bag for 13 of the American’s 14 career majors and Scott is certain he can help secure his first when he tees off with a four-stroke lead at Royal Lytham and St Annes.

Scott snapped up Williams’s services after Woods sacked the New Zealander last July and the duo enjoyed immediate success at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational at Akron a month later.

A year on and Scott is playing the best golf of his career and credits Williams for his role in his transformation into a major player.

Rather than stress out about playing in the final group on moving day at the Open, Scott relaxed and watched the Super Rugby finals with his rugby-mad Kiwi ally before proceeding to skip clear of the field.

“We’re getting on really well out there and he believes in the way I’m going about my business,” Scott said.

“And at some point tomorrow, I’m sure there’s going to be a time when I’m going to lean on his experience and he’s going to have some great advice for me on how to tackle a certain situation.

“That’s an advantage to have an experienced caddie like Steve.”

Woods, five shots adrift of Australia’s front-runner, will be in the group behind Scott, trying to win his first major without Williams on his bag since 1997.

For much of the third round, it seemed like Scott and Woods would be paired together on Sunday in what would have been a sideshow given Williams’s self-confessed “over-the-top” celebrations at Akron 11 months ago.

“I’ve caddied for 33 years – 145 wins now – and that’s the best win I’ve ever had,” Williams said after Scott’s triumph.

The following day he expressed regret for the cutting remark, saying: “I had a lot of anger in me about what happened (with Woods) and it all came out.”

Williams only personally apologised to his former boss when they met at the Australian Open in Sydney last November when the pair agreed to shake hands and move on.

Woods declined to say if a potential final-round pairing with Scott and Williams was on his mind as he stood in second place on the back nine at Lytham – before a late bogey and birdies from Brandt Snedeker and Graeme McDowell doomed a reunion.

“Final pairing, whatever it may be, I was just trying to cut into the lead,” said Woods before adding: “Well, I’m not, so it is what it is” when asked if he’d have wanted to be in the last group.

Scott will play alongside McDowell instead but said he “would have been happy” playing with Woods.

“I’ve played with him a lot. I don’t think it would have bothered me at all,” he said.

“And there was a circus out there today anyway. Steve actually warned me about how many people are inside the ropes late at an Open and about just having to wait a little longer for the people to walk across the green in front following (Woods’) group in front today.”

Woods says Scott is overdue for a major.

“He has been out here a long time,” he said. “I don’t think he has really done probably as well as he would like to in major championships.

“But he’s maturing in his game and over the last year or so he has really improved.

“Adam is in a great spot right now. He has got a four-shot lead and he’s playing really well.”