19 Jul 2009

Watson leads British Open with one round to play

7:55 am on 19 July 2009

Golfing wrinkly Tom Watson kept alive his dream of becoming the sport's oldest major champion when another remarkable performance gave him the lead after the British Open third round.

The 59-year-old American was the star attraction at the Ailsa Course for the third day running, shooting a one-over-par 71 for a four-under total of 206 to move one stroke clear of Australian Mathew Goggin (69) and Briton Ross Fisher (70).

The five-times winner, attempting to break the record of compatriot Julius Boros who won the 1968 U.S. PGA Championship at the age of 48, was given an ovation on every hole and repaid the galleries with an awe-inspiring performance.

Fisher too kept alive his twin dream of winning a maiden major title and celebrating the birth of his first child by carding a level-par 70 in Saturday's third round at the British Open.

The 28-year-old Briton birdied two of the last three holes to finish at three-under 207, one stroke behind pacesetting Watson after a blustery day on Turnberry's Ailsa Course.

However, Fisher's wife Joanne was due to give birth to the couple's first child four days ago and he still intends to withdraw from the Open if she goes into labour.

Sharing fourth place on 208 were twice U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen (71) and former European number one Lee Westwood (70).