Oosthuizen maintains Open lead

South African Louis Oosthuizen will lead the field going into the final round of the Open at St Andrews.

The 29-year-old takes a four-shot lead over Paul Casey after carding a 69 at the Old Course.

It takes him to -15, with the Englishman hot on his heels after carding a superb 67.

Oosthuizen – nicknamed Shrek by his fellow competitors given the gap in his teeth – dropped a shot at the first hole but held his nerve to picked up four birdies and maintain his position at the top of the leaderboard.

"I was nervous at the start but made a few putts to calm my nerves," he said. "I'm playing nicely and I feel very confident out there. I can't wait for tomorrow. I think it's going to be something special."

Casey, meanwhile, is in with a fighting chance of becoming the first Brit to pick up the Claret Jug since 1999.

“I’m not sure I am able to explain what it would mean,” he said. “It's the ultimate for me, more so because links golf is something I've struggled with. I've always felt my best opportunity to win a major is somewhere like the Masters at Augusta with my ball flight.”

Should Casey win tomorrow he will also become the first Brit to win the Open at St Andrews since Nick Faldo’s success in 1990, and the 33-year-old recalls watching that victory as a teenager.

“I remember watching it then probably running out to the practise ground to work on everything I saw,” he recalls. “Nick's a hero of mine and if I could emulate just a fraction of his achievements, it would be extraordinary.”

 Tiger Woods, meanwhile, carded a one-over 73 and is now 12 shots adrift of the pack.