BBC SPORT | Special Events | 2001 | The Open

Sunday's final round at Lytham looks set to be one of the most exciting in Open history.

After the third round, the lead is shared by a group of four players on six under, including David Duval and Ian Woosnam, who shot a marvellous round of 67.

German duo Bernhard Langer and Alex Cejka are also six under, but there are still 23 players within three shots of the lead after a fluctuating day.

England's Greg Owen - helped by a remarkable albatross on 11 - led on seven under with Cejka and Sweden's Jesper Parnevik going into the closing holes.

But all three struggled towards the end, producing some costly bogeys.

Overnight leader Colin Montgomerie faltered when he found trouble in a bunker at the 13th and went on to record a double bogey.

But he held his nerve on the run-in and goes into the final round just one shot off the pace

Bernhard Langer
Langer is in contention going into the last day

Duval leads the American challenge after a disappointing day for Tiger Woods.

Woods, the defending champion, could only shoot a 73 and finished well off the pace on one under.

In contrast, Duval shot a 65 to give himself a great chance of his first Open title.

Montgomerie's playing partner Pierre Fulke began well before falling back but remains in touch with the leaders.

Darren Clarke moved to seven under after seven and was unlucky not to be in a clear lead, with two eagle putts missing by a fraction - but then two bogeys hampered his progress and he finished on five under.

Paul Lawrie, the 1999 champion, picked up birdies on the sixth, seventh and ninth before a bogey on the eighth left him at two under.

He picked up two shots on the back nine to keep his hopes of another title alive but then slipped back to end the day two under.

Ernie Els carded a 67 to move to four under par for the championship, leaving the double US Open champion well-placed moving towards the final day alongside Retief Goosen and Sergio Garcia.


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