Oosthuizen to take four-shot lead into final round

By Ben James Jul 17, 2010, 21:30 GMT

St Andrews, Edinburgh - South African Louis Oosthuizen kept his nerve superbly on Saturday to stay ahead of the field and will take a four-shot lead into the final round of the British Open at St Andrews.

The 27-year-old began with a bogey five but played beautifully afterwards to finish with a 3-under-par 69 for a total of 15-under- par, four shots clear of his nearest challenger, Paul Casey of England.

Germany's Martin Kaymer is next on 8-under-par, with another Englishman Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson of Sweden and Alejandro Canizares of Spain all 7-under-par.

World No 1 Tiger Woods is on 3-under-par after a 1-over-par 73, needing something special and a collapse by Ooosthuizen, and probably Casey too, if he is to stand a chance of a third win at St Andrews.

On the evidence of his play on Saturday, especially with the way he coped with gusting winds early on, that is unlikely to happen, though the pressure of the final day could change matters.

Oosthuizen was the picture of calm after his first-hole bogey, birdieing the 7th and 9th holes on the way out before picking up two more at the 16th and 18th to add a 69 to rounds of 65 and 67.

Casey produced one of his best-ever rounds in a Major championship to finish with a 5-under-par 67 with five birdies and not a single bogey on the card.

It could easily have been two or three shots better as a series of putts narrowly missed the hole, but the Englishman will be harbouring serious thoughts of a first Major triumph.

Behind them, rising German star Kaymer played nicely to produce a 68 and end the day 8-under-par, within touching distance should Oosthuizen struggle on the final day.

'I really enjoy those conditions,' Kaymer said. 'They were similar to yesterday, very windy and every single shot was difficult today.

'I had a couple more opportunities but I made a three-putt on nine from seven or eight feet, but it happens here. I think 68 is a good score at St Andrews.

'I'll sleep as much as I can tonight and eat a lot so I can have energy for tomorrow.'

Westwood battled back well from the loss of two early shots to end the day one further back on 7-under-par, while Woods was left to rue his putting after another relatively fruitless day on the greens.

'I played really well today,' Woods said. 'But I holed nothing. I just couldn't get anything started.'