THE OPEN: Day leads final Aussie assault

BY BRENDAN JAMES AT ST ANDREWS

Of the 15 Australians who started the chase for the coveted Claret Jug on Thursday, six remain genuine chances to claim this Open Championship heading into the final round.

Strong winds and rain are predicted for the afternoon, which leaves the way open for any player within six shots of the lead to post a number and play the waiting game.

Jason Day is tied for the lead after 54 holes in search of his first major victory. Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

If any of the Australian contingent prevails here, they will be the first since Greg Norman in 1993 to get their name on the trophy. They will also become the third Australian to win at the Home of Golf, with Kel Nagle winning the Centenary Open at St. Andrews in 1960 and Peter Thomson victorious in 1955.

Leading the way is Jason Day, whose third round 67 sees him tied at the top of the leaderboard at 12 under with Irish amateur Paul Dunne and 2010 Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen, from South Africa.

As he did in the opening round, Day refused to surrender any shots to the Old Course on day three. His ball-striking has been of the highest order, but it is his short game and ability to save par when he has found himself out of position that continues to impress.

In the strong wind tomorrow, it will be around the greens where this Open will be won and lost, a factor not lost on Day, who will draw on the experience of finishing in the top-10 eight times in his past 17 major appearances.

“There's going to be a lot of wind, there's going to be a lot of rain, there's going to be a lot of guys that are going to shoot low scores,” he said. “There's a lot of good players that are behind us trying to chase that lead.

“(Tomorrow) I’ll be trying not to get so absorbed and attached to the leaderboard, and pretty much what I did today, just to really stay patient and let the birdies come, really focus on what I need to do to try and get the ball as close to the pin as I can and give myself opportunities.

Co-leader Louis Oosthuizen can make it back-to-back St Andrews victories in the Open. Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images.

“It's going to be fun. It's going to be a good challenge.

“There's so many people that can win this event. I think the only way that you're going to come out (a winner) is you've got to keep fighting until it's over.

“Anyone can win this event. You just don't know how the weather is going to be, how the leaders are going to fare. Sometimes playing with a person that's not playing that great can affect you, as well. There's a number of factors that can affect a player playing tomorrow.

“I can't afford to think about other people. I can't afford to look at their scores or see how they're playing, if they're charging up the leaderboard on the front nine. I've got to just be patient and just let it happen. That's kind of what I've learnt over the last few years.”

Inspiring Day on is the thought of getting his name on the Claret Jug and the immortality that goes with that.

“I always wanted to be the first Aussie to win the Masters, but you know, Scottie beat me to it,” he laughed.

Irish amateur Paul Dunne says there is no reason why he can't win the Open. Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images.

“Since we haven't had an Aussie win the Claret Jug since Mr. Norman, it would be nice to put my name on the Jug. We're just trying to chase that bit of immortality. That's probably the best way to put it is just that you're stuck in history at that moment, and you know that that year, that person's name on that Jug is immortal in some way.

“It's just great to be able to have that piece of history and that glory that goes along with it.”

Day played with Tiger Woods in the opening two rounds and as they played the 18^th hole together yesterday, the former World No.1 told the Queenslander it was the best walk in golf, which is something the 27-year-old is keen to experience himself.

“If I have the opportunity of doing that, no one can take that away from me,” Day said. “That's part and parcel of why we work so hard, and what I was just saying about that little piece of immortality and glory that comes along with winning the Claret Jug at the Home of Golf … at St. Andrews.

“It would be an unbelievable experience that no one could ever take away from you. You just can't buy that. The only way you can buy that is just through the blood, sweat and tears you put into your golf game and the dedication you put into your game.”

Day will head out in the penultimate group alongside Jordan Spieth, who had a third round 66 and is aiming to win the third leg of the Grand Slam having won already won the Masters and US Open.

The two closest Australian chasers are Marc Leishman and Adam Scott, who both sit three strokes back at nine under.

Leishman catapulted his way up the leaderboard on the back of a pure ball-striking display that yielded eight birdies in a flawless 64. He lies three shots from the lead at nine under in a tie for sixth and will play in the third last group alongside two-time Open winner Padraig Harrington.

* Leishman: “I was ready to quit golf.” Full story here.

Queensland’s Adam Scott had another day where the putter was the coldest weapon in his arsenal. He carded a two under 70 that could have been two or even three shots better with several birdie putts dancing around the cup. From tee to green he has been the superior player at St. Andrews this week, missing just a handful of greens and fairways over the last 54 holes. A bogey on the tough par-4 17^th hole was his first in 37 holes. Only two players – Dunne and Day – have had less bogies thus far in this championship.

“The game is in good shape,” Scott said. “It's just one of those days, I was just ever so slightly off. Ten feet further away from the pin every time than I would have liked to be, and that makes your chance of holing it a little less.

Adam Scott's game from tee to green has been superb and will need to get warm with the putter in the final round to be a chance. Photo: Adrian Dennis /AFP/Getty Images)

“I'd like to just wake up tomorrow on the right side of the bed and go out and swing really freely like I did the first two days. I think I can get it going.

“If I were to come out on top tomorrow, it would be a special round of golf because one of the lot in front is going to get it going. There's no doubt. I can see a lot of guys who would be very hungry to win, and I'm just going to have to play a great round.”

Fellow Queenslander Steven Bowditch had a share of the lead briefly when he reached 10 under through 12 holes of the third round, but bogies at the 13^th and 14^th saw him drop to eight under and is tied 15^th heading into the final round.

“It's nice to have a shot at it. It's a great spot to be able to maybe go out and shoot a real low one,” Bowditch said. “Obviously I'm going to need a real low one. I haven't seen the weather, but yeah, I’m excited.”

As are Greg Chalmers and Matt Jones, who both fired three-under-par 69s to move up to six under and are currently tied 26^th.

Both men will hit off nearly two and a half hours before the final two groups and are in a position to be able to post a score before the weather, as forecast, turns a little nasty.

For an Australian to make history in St. Andrews, they will have to overcome hot favourite Spieth and Oosthuizen, who blew the field away here five years ago.

And then there is the plucky amateur Dunne, who to this point has looked rock solid and nerveless. If he happens to win he’ll be the first amateur to win the Open since Bobby Jones won at Hoylake in 1930, en route to winning the then Grand Slam.

Jordan Spieth's pursuit of the Grand Slam remains alive with a round to play. Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images.

He says he’s not going to think about winning but will try and control what he can do rather than worry about what others are doing.

“I think it'll be the same as the last three days, just look at the weather, see what the weather is going to throw at us and then put a number in my head that I think I need to shoot,” he said. “I'm not really going to think about winning or where I'm going to finish until the last few holes … if my strategy needs to change a little bit.

“I can't control what other people do. Everyone could go out and shoot 63 or everyone could shoot 75. All I can do is control committing to my shots and hopefully leaves me in good stead at the end of the day.”

Reaching the end of day promises to be an exciting trip, especially if you’re an Australian golf fan.

* For the full leaderboard, click here