Tough at the top for Tiger

Those who thought Tiger Woods, having grabbed the halfway lead, would turn the Open championship into a one-man show are thinking again after his rollercoaster ride at Hoylake today.

Trying to become the first man to make a successful defence of the title since Tom Watson in 1983, Woods is still out in front with 18 holes to play.

And having won all his 10 majors from the top of the leaderboard on the final day, he remains the favourite.

But four bogeys, including three three-putts on the back nine, in a one-under-par 73 have kept the battle for the claret jug very much alive.

Woods, who had opened so impressively with rounds of 67 and 65, is 13 under par and keeps the one-stroke advantage he took into the day.

Now it is not only Ernie Els right on his heels. Sergio Garcia and Chris DiMarco are on the same mark, though, after shooting contrasting rounds of 65 and 69.

South African Els, winner at Muirfield in 2002, was a mixture of the good, the bad and the ugly as well and shot 71 to stand 12 under.

DiMarco, the man who lost a play-off to Woods for the Masters last year, appeared to be slipping out of it when he covered the first 10 holes in one over. But he played the last eight in four under.

Garcia’s challenge for a first major was ignited by him holing his nine-iron approach to the 436-yard second for an eagle two and he was only one outside the major record with his outward 29.

“I had 167 yards to the hole with the wind just on the left and I just cut a nice solid nine iron,” said Garcia.

“It looked really good and I was hoping for a kick-in birdie, but it’s always nice to see it go in like that.

Garcia’s round-of-the-day means he is the one who partners Woods on the final day. That happened in the 2002 US Open in New York, but the gap between them that time was four.

Ireland’s Graeme McDowell carded a respectable 72 today. He now lies tied for 25th on five under par.