England’s Lee Westwood is poised to win the first major title of his career. This sentence has appeared in print many times during the past 15 years, and is yet to be realised.

And, even though he is two shots clear of the field with a round to play, there is no guarantee the 40-year-old will follow through and get the major monkey off his back.

But to do so tomorrow, at an increasingly tougher Muirfield, will take some cool nerves and an ounce of luck.

Armed with a putting tip from Ian Baker-Finch, Westwood showed more promise with the putter during the third round as he and playing partner Tiger Woods exchanged the lead several times during afternoon. The highlight of Westwood's round came at the par-five 5th when the former World No.1 drained an improbable eagle putt from well off the front edge of the green. Three bogeys were offset by three birdies to help him remain level for the rest of the round.

Lee Westwood salutes the crowd after saving par early in his third round.

Westwood says he knows what he needs to do to win The Open and his first major championship, after all he has played alongside several players en route to winning major championships.

“Even though I haven't won a major I know what it takes to win one," said Westwood. “It's just a case of going out there tomorrow and having the confidence in my game, which I've got.

"I've had lots of chances, sometimes I've played well, other times I've played not too well. Obviously I had a chance at Turnberry in 2009 and I messed up a bit. But, you know, I have had lots of chances. So I know what it takes.

When queried as to whether he would be feeling the pressure in the final round, “Westy” joked about his ability to use a knife and fork.

“Actually, I'm not in a high-pressure situation because I'm going to have dinner and I'm so good with a knife and fork now that I don't feel any pressure at all,” he laughed.

“I might go the Andy Murray route and have 50 pieces of sushi or something like that. I'll think about winning the Open Championship at some stage, I'm sure. I don't see anything wrong with that, to picture yourself holding the Claret Jug at the final tee and seeing your name at the top of the leaderboard.”

He denied his inability to win a major title thus far increased the pressure to get the job done now that he has the lead.

“It's not the end of the world if it doesn't happen,” Westwood said. "I guess it's hitting 40 and being on that decline, just enjoying being in that situation.

"The pressure comes from the expectation I put on myself. I don't live my life and run it according to what other people think. I have my own ideas and my own dreams and my own plans. You stand on the range and work hard to try to get into position to win major championships. So when you're in there with a chance and contend, you might as well enjoy it while you're there, or the hard work is not worth it."

Tiger Woods and Lee Westwood are both desperate to win but for very different reasons.

One man who he has seen up close as they march to a major win is Woods, who sits two strokes back at one under. Woods, like Westwood, is desperate to win this Open Championship but for very different reasons.

Woods is chasing his third Open and 15th major in 69 starts, as he tries to overtake the 18 major titles accumulated by Jack Nicklaus. Westwood, on the other hand, is waiting to get off the mark after 61 attempts in the game’s biggest events.

With Tiger lurking so closely to the top of the leaderboard at one under and two shots from the lead with just 18 holes to play, most will imagine he is going to be favourite to win this championship. But the 37-year-old is no given, not these days.

Those players around on him on the leaderboard – Westwood (-3), Hunter Mahan (-1), Adam Scott (even) and the host of players at one over – can be encouraged by the fact Woods has never won a major when he hasn’t had the lead after 54 holes. Also, Woods hasn't shot below 70 on the weekend of a major since the 2011 Masters. The last time he broke 70 at the weekend in The Open was a Sunday 69 at Hoylake in 2006, which was the last time he won the championship.

One player who will have all this information at the ready is Adam Scott, whose caddie Steve Williams was on Woods’ bag for that emotional Open victory seven years ago. The Masters champion will also play alongside Woods in the penultimate group of the final round.

Adam Scott has burned the edge of the hole for three days and is due to make some putts on the final day.

After rounds of 71, 72 and 70, the recently turned 34-year-old is not talking redemption, given his finish at Royal Lytham last year. Of course, it is hard to forget the day you gave away a three stroke lead for four holes to play and lost the Open … but Scott is not dwelling on it, like some others in the US and British press.

“Honestly I haven’t flashed back since Akron last year,” Scott said, referring to the tournament he played straight after his heart-breaking Open collapse.

“I haven’t thought about the entirety of it all. I thought it was best not to. Just take the couple of bits that I wanted, and leave it as an experience. And the way I remember it is only as a great week. So I’m done with that.”

Scott is ready to add a second major to his resume, just a matter of months after claiming his first.

He arrived at Muirfield a full week before most of his fellow players and has been consumed by the course, which, he says, will leave few surprises for him on the final day.

“I think you’ve just got to have a good understanding of it [the course],” he said. “And for me that means playing it and hitting enough different kinds of shots in different winds.

“I feel like I’ve got nothing to lose tomorrow and majors to gain.

“Before, in some ways it was getting to the point where you’re hoping it was going to happen tomorrow. It is absolutely a weight off your shoulders to have the first one.”

Williams, like he did at Augusta in April, may prove invaluable as he closes in on his second major.

“His experience is in these events where par is a good score,” said Scott. “And he prides himself on keeping his man at par or better, no matter how hard the course is. At times when you want to push, he’s there to pull the reins in. He knows it’s 72 holes and it can’t be won on the 6th on Friday. He’s got the big picture in mind. And it’s proven to work. My results have been good over the last couple of years with Steve in the big events, and my scoring average has been a lot better.”

And the difference between last year and this year at The Open. “It’s a good feeling to sit here in this position … It’s completely different. I go out there tomorrow not carrying the weight of the lead, or not having won a major,” he said.

“So it’s a different feeling. Hopefully I can play enough quality shots to give myself chances to be in the hunt right at the end. But the course can turn around on you in a heartbeat out there, if you’re not careful. I’ll be treading cautiously tomorrow.”

And if he was to win The Open, 20 years after his mentor Greg Norman did at Royal St Georges, it would “be a real fairy tale,” Scott said. “They do occasionally happen.”

Australia’s other main hope now is Jason Day, who sits at three over and is six shots behind Westwood. Day would have to defy the current trend of par being a good score to catch and overtake the likes of Westwood, Woods and Scott. That said, stranger things have happened in major championships.

FINAL TEE TIMES (AUSTRALIAN EASTERN STANDARD TIME)

11.10pm            Lee Westwood (Eng); Hunter Mahan (US)

11pm                 Adam Scott (Qld); Tiger Woods (US)

10.50pm          Ryan Moore (US); Angel Cabrera (Arg)

10.40pm          Henrik Stenson (Swe); Zach Johnson (US)

ALSO:

10pm               Jason Day (Qld); Dustin Johnson (US)

6.45pm            Geoff Ogilvy (Vic); Mark Brown (NZ)

5.45pm            Peter Senior (Qld); Jonas Blixt (Swe)

5.20pm            Marcus Fraser (Vic); Gareth Wright (Wal)