Tom Watson leads British Open after day 3

Golf legend Tom Watson continues to follow in the footsteps of Greg Norman last year in leading the British Open into the final day on his own.

Watson shot a one over par 71 to lead Australian Matthew Goggin and England’s Ross Fisher by one shot at four under.

Watson’s third day partner Steve Marino, a relatively unheralded American who started the day as sole leader, shot five bogeys to start his round and despite some valiant attempts to recover, dropped six strokes on the day to be one over for the championship.

The 59-year-old Watson is now in the same position that Norman was this time last year, leading the British Open and seeking to become the oldest major winner. Norman eventually succumbed to Padraig Harrington, but Watson doesn’t have the history of falling apart that Norman accumulated over his career.

Two shots behind Watson, however, lurk Lee Westwood of England and Retief Goosen of South Africa, both former major winners and looming as experienced spoilers in the manner that Harrington upset Norman’s fairytale in 2008.

Jim Furyk and Stewart Cink are a further shot back at one under, three behind Watson.