The 138th Open, Turnberry
Date: 16-19 July
Coverage: Live TV coverage on BBC Two, Online and the Red Button, live on Radio 5 Live and text commentary online on all four days

By Ged Scott BBC Sport at Turnberry

Dougherty has slipped out of contention after a third round 73

Lancashire's Nick Dougherty remains upbeat and positive about his chances despite slipping down the Open leaderboard on day three at Turnberry.

Starting the day on level par following his opening two rounds, Dougherty recovered from an awful start to card a three-over 73.

But he told BBC Sport: "Hopefully I'll get better rewarded tomorrow.

"I had some bad breaks out there and that's happens. Tomorrow I need them to go my way."

Dougherty still has a good chance of improving on his best finish at an Open - tied for 42nd at Carnoustie two years ago.

But any hopes of a serious third day move up the leaderboard were wrecked by a run of three early bogeys at 2, 3 and 4.

He held it together to go out in 38 but, despite birdies at 12 and 17, two more dropped shots at 10 and 15 saw him come home in 35.

"It was a tough day," admitted the Bootle-born 27-year-old from Chorley's Shaw Hill.

"I didn't feel like I played that badly and didn't get what I deserved. But that's links golf. Good shots sometimes get punished."

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