Oosthuizen Fights Off Casey To Keep British Open Lead

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (AFP) – South African Louis Oosthuizen fought off a plea from England's Paul Casey and seized a four-stroke lead after Saturday's third turn of the British Open at the wind-swept Old Course.

Oosthuizen, who longed for the cut in 7 of his 8 before to majors, birdied two of the final 3 holes to glow a three-under par 69 and mount on 15-under 206 by 54 holes at the mythological links course.

Casey, anticipating to be England's initial vital hold up given Nick Faldo at the 1996 Masters, dismissed a five-under 67 to mount second by 4 strokes with Germany's Martin Kaymer an additional 3 strokes adrift in third after a 68.

With Oosthuizen stretching his domain with a 40-foot birdie putt over a shallow at the 16th and a tap-in birdie at 18, Kaymer done it transparent he saw small goal for those at the behind of him.

"Too far divided would be substantially seven, 8 shots," Kaymer said. "I don't unequivocally see myself sharpened a 63 underneath those conditions and I'm not awaiting them to fire 73 or 74."

Not given American Tony Lema in 1964 has a first-time vital hold up been crowned at the hearth of golf, but such a predestine seemed positive Sunday.

Two-time US Open leader Retief Goosen of South Africa was the usually before to vital leader in the top 17.

England's third-ranked Lee Westwood, this year's Masters runner-up and third in the two majors before to that, common fourth on 209 with Swede Henrik Stenson and Spain's Alejandro Canizares.

American Dustin Johnson was seventh on 210, one cadence forward of countrymen Nick Watney, Ricky Barnes and Sean O'Hair as great as Goosen.

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, Spain's Sergio Garcia and South Korea's Jin Jeong, who won final month's British Amateur to validate for the Open, were between six players on 212.

World series one Tiger Woods, a 14-time vital hold up looking his initial pretension given a sex liaison final Nov broken his iconic image, struggled to a one-over par 73 to share 18th on three-under 213 with 18 holes remaining.

Woods, chasing the jot down 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus, won British Open titles in 2000 and 2005 at the Old March but appeared to have no possibility this year at apropos the initial three-time Open leader at St. Andrews.

Brisk winds which ripped detached rounds Friday returned to the mythological links to mutilate some-more dreams.

"It wasn't as bad, but it unequivocally picked up. The gusts are intensely strong," Stenson said. "It's feels similar to the breeze is perplexing to rip your pants off and that's not a great thing."

But kind pin placements by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club burst the doorway for a run at the lead which usually Casey nudged clean open.

"The usually disproportion was substantially the pin positions," Kaymer said. "They were a small bit some-more generous, so interjection to the R and A there."

Casey had 5 birdies on the front nine, twice relocating inside of a cadence of the lead usually to have Oosthuizen answer any time with a birdie.

Oosthuizen, a 27-year-old former farmboy mentored as a teenager by three-time vital leader Ernie Els, began with a spook but birdied 7 and 9 to repudiate Casey's challenge.

Casey, who pennyless a US collegiate scoring symbol set by Woods in 2000, has never managed a top-5 finish in 29 before to majors.

Stenson was carefree of apropos the initial Swedish man to win a vital after a story of women's golf success led by late star Annika Sorenstam.

"It's starting to be a lot of guys fighting it out for this one, but we have been yearning a prolonged time," Stenson said. "To have a Swedish masculine player win a major, if it could occur tomorrow, which would be great."

Woods battled at turn par for the day until anticipating the namesake cement of the Road Hole at 17 and receiving a bogey. Woods gave himself his fourth eagle putt of the turn at 18 but three-putted for par.

Woods, who ditched a dabble he had used given 1999 for a new code this week, struggled on the greens but pronounced it had zero to do with the putter.

"I only need to have improved speed," Woods said. "I hit it good. I only didn't get anything out of the round. I couldn't set up any momentum, wasn't creation any putts."

McIlroy, who suited the low turn in vital story with an opening 63 but soared to an 80 in gusting winds Friday, came behind with a three-under par 69 to mount at four-under 212 for 54 holes.

"It was great to come out and fool around nicely," McIlroy said. "I felt as if I responded utterly great to the way all happened. I'm not starting to let one turn of golf unequivocally get me down."

McIlroy done 5 birdies in the final 11 holes but took a stand in spook at the Road Hole.

"I hit a great shot on 17, only got a breeze of breeze which utterly switched it," McIlroy said. "It was flattering unfortunate, but that's links golf and you've only got to understanding with it."

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Pictures and video of Paul Casey at the Target World Challenge Dec 13th 2006

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