By DB Peters Jul 18, 2009, 19:52 GMT
Turnberry, Scotland - American Tom Watson will take a one shot lead into Sunday's final round of the 138th British Open after a 'delightful walk' around the Ailsa Course in Turnberry on Saturday saw him finish the day on four-under for the tournament after the third round.
Australian Mathew Goggin and local hero Ross Fisher are a shot behind after carding a one-under par 69 and par 70 in Saturday's third round respectively.
Watson, 59, who is bidding to become the oldest-ever winner of a golf major and is already the oldest-man to lead a major, showed tremendous fighting spirit as he did not let four bogeys disrupt his game and finished on 71 for the day.
He admitted that he too, was surprised that he was in such a strong position.
'I have to admit that it is a surprise that I am leading,' he said. 'It's not as big a surprise because it is here at Turnberry and there are some magical things going on here for me and I hope they continue for another 18 holes.'
He added though, that he did not think he was going to feel too much pressure in Sunday's final round. 'Today was possibly the most serene I have ever been on the golf course, it was a delightful walk out there. I am going to try to keep that serenity going for the next 18 holes.'
After falling behind with bogeys on the 12th and 15th, Watson holed a monster putt of close to 20 feet on the 16th to take him back into the shared-lead with Goggin and Fisher.
He pulled his eagle putt on the 17th just wide, but had no problems getting his birdie to move one ahead.
Watson, who first won the Open in Carnoustie 34 years ago, is bidding to win his sixth Open title.
Goggin and Fisher, meanwhile, are one ahead of South African Retief Goosen and England's Lee Westwood, while Americans Jim Furyk and Stewart Cink are tied in sixth place on one-under and will also fancy their chances of moving further in front in Sunday's final round.
Fisher, who was on stand-by throughout the day to leave the tournament as his wife Jo is expecting their first baby, said that he was hoping to do well in the final round and then rush off to join his wife.
'The ideal scenario will be that I have to tell the crowd waiting for the victory speech that I have received the call and will have to rush home. But we will just have to wait and see.'
The 28-year-old birdied the 16th and 17th and missed a 10-footer on the final hole for the outright lead.
Some of the spectators were wearing caps with: 'Hang in there Mrs Fisher' written on them.
Goggin, who had two birdies on the back nine, said that he knew he was closing in on the leaders as he was playing the 16th hole.
'I was aware of the pressure. There is a lot of work to do tomorrow and some of the guys still have a few holes to play so we will have to see how it all pans out.
'But I felt very relaxed today. The big turn around was the eighth hole where I was in the bunker and I had to hack it out side-ways and then I had a 15-footer for a bogey and I managed to keep the double off the cards. That gave me the momentum into the back nine.'
He said that he would not feel under pressure in Sunday's final round. 'It is a bigger stage but the process stays the same, so you just try and stay within yourself and you try to be as calm as possible and hit quality shots.
'I have been hitting the ball well and putting well and as long as I dont get nervous I should have a pretty good day,' the 35-year-old said.
Goosen, meanwhile, had an up-and-down round during which he twice needed help from the spectators to find his ball on the seventh before declaring it unplayable and finishing with a double-bogey seven to move to two under.
He then had two bogeys on the back nine before playing an eagle on the par-five 17th to go back to two under and stay well in contention.
Steve Marino, who went into the third round with a share of the lead with Watson, faltered badly as he finished on a six-over 76, which included two double-bogeys and a triple bogey.
The best round of the day shortly before the end of play on Saturday belonged to American Bryce Molder, who had two bogeys on the first five holes, but then finished strongly with five birdies on the remaining holes for a 67, which took him to par for the tournament.
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