Watts holds on to lead

SOUTHPORT, July 19: American Brian Watts, almost unknown in Britain three days ago, clung to his overnight two-shot lead with nine holes ...

SOUTHPORT, July 19: American Brian Watts, almost unknown in Britain three days ago, clung to his overnight two-shot lead with nine holes to play in the final round of the British Open golf tournament today.

US Masters champion Mark O8217;Meara, playing partner and compatriot Jim Furyk and Jesper Parnevik of Sweden, second in 1994 and last year, were leading the chase.

Tiger Woods was four shots back through 12 holes playing three holes ahead of the leader and with time running out.

English amateur Justin Rose was also four under through 11.

A steady breeze was helping Royal Birkdale maintain its defences, though conditions were nothing like Saturday when scores soared, 23 of them in the 80s.

Watts, a 32-year-old professional from the Japanese Tour, who had led since the end of the second round, opened with three pars before missing from six feet for a bogey at the short fourth.

But he sank a 35-foot swinging putt for birdie at the fifth and parred the rest of the holes on the front nine.

O8217;Meara,seeking to become the first player since Nick Faldo in 1990 to win the Masters and British Open in the same year, birdied the short fourth but bogeyed six and seven before a birdie at the eighth restored him to level-par for the day.

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Furyk had a bogey at the fourth and a birdie at the next in his front nine.Parnevik lipped out two short putts but stayed in the hunt with birdies from five and 20 feet at the seventh and ninth.

Woods, five behind at the start of his round, was one-under par for the front nine after a three-putt bogey at the first from 15 feet, knocking the first putt seven feet past.

He had another dropped shot at the sixth to go with birdies at the second, fourth and eighth.

Then he lipped out a six-foot birdie attempt at the 10th and parred the next two.

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US Open champion Lee Janzen finished off with a 70 for 291, the damage to his chances having come in a third-round 80.

Titleholder Justin Leonard salvaged some pride after being mauled for an 82 on Saturday by breaking par with a69. But Englishman Lee Westwood, one of the pre-tournament favourites, ended a miserable weekend with a second successive 78 for a total of 298, 18 over par.

Yesterday, Watts stood firm against brutal winds to stretch his lead to two shots as all others collapsed to shoot a three-over-par 73 for a level par total of 210. At the end of the day he was level with compatriot Brad Faxon and John Huston. Also level was Denmark8217;s Thomas Bjorn. Former champion Nick Price had skyrocketed to 82, dropping nine shots on the back nine.