Gullane, Scotland – Englishman Lee Westwood recovered from an early bogey to surge three shots clear early in the third round of a gripping British Open on Saturday.
Westwood, bidding for a first major triumph at the 62nd time of asking, played the long par-five fifth to perfection, reaching the green with two drivers before curling in a 25-foot eagle putt to a crescendo of roars across the sun-scorched Muirfield links.
Playing partner Tiger Woods, who had briefly topped the leaderboard after a birdie at the second, then failed with a birdie attempt to leave Westwood one clear on three-under.
Westwood then stretched his lead over Woods to three shots when he birdied the seventh and the American bogeyed.
With the course proving a little less treacherous than the first two days despite a stiff easterly wind, the battle for the lead began in ferocious style as the last pairings went out.
Woods, looking to win a 15th major five years after his 14th, briefly moved ahead of overnight leader Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain before a poor bunker shot at the par-three fourth resulted in his first bogey of the day.
A misjudgement from the tee at the par-three seventh then left Woods in a tie for second on one-under with Jimenez, Angel Cabrera of Argentina and Swede Henrik Stenson.
Jimenez, unmistakeable with his frizzy hair and a pair of blue tartan trousers, squandered the lead when he missed a short par putt at the second but made amends by saving par at the fourth after a superb up and down.
Stenson, playing in the last match with Jimenez, struggled with bogeys at the first and fourth.
A burst of birdies propelled Japan's Hideki Matsuyama into the mix. The 21-year-old Open debutant began the third round at two-over and carded eight concecutive pars before birdying the ninth.
He also rattled in birdies at the 10th and 11th before clattering his ball into the flag stick at the 12th.
The Japanese then dropped a stroke at the 13th.
Only nine players began the day under par and one of those, Scotland's Martin Laird, saw his Open hopes disappear in the long grass when he took an horrendous nine at the par-four third.
Playing partner Dustin Johnson was another challenger to plummet down the leaderboard after dropping four shots in his first seven holes.
Muirfield released its grip slightly as the third round began with a sprinkling of sub-par rounds.
Most of the early starters were too far back to seriously threaten the leaders but Spain's Sergio Garcia, South Africa's Richard Sterne and former champion Paul Lawrie took advantage of slightly easier conditions after two brutal days.
Garcia's three-under 68 fired him up the leaderboard to three over and just about still in contention.
“It was a little easier today, although more windy,” he said. “It could have been a little better.”
Sterne also carded a 68 to reach five over and said overnight watering of the greens and fairways had helped.
“The first day I found the course almost unplayable if they didn't do anything about it,” said Sterne who posted a pair of 75s to survive the cut.
“I'm glad they did otherwise I think it would have turned into a real disaster.”
Lawrie also found the course more to his liking as he carded a 70 having returned late the previous evening after learning that his eight-over total had qualified him for the weekend.
“I went home, obviously I didn't think seven-over had any chance, let alone eight, so we packed up and went home, got to walk the dog and have a bite to eat,” said the 44-year-old who beat Justin Leonard and Jean Van de Velde in a playoff at Carnoustie in 1999. – Reuters