Owen upbeat despite final hole 3 putt

Former pro shop assistant Greg Owen felt that nerve-tingling moment that happens to all surprise Open leaders when the 29-year-old Briton briefly held top place on his own on Friday.

A three-putt bogey on the last for a three-under-par 68 dropped Owen back into only a share of the clubhouse lead with Swede Jesper Parnevik and American Joe Ogilvie on five-under-par 137, but that could not wipe the ear-to-ear grin off his face.

"You'll never see me happy after three-putting the last but I am today," said Owen after mixing five birdies with two bogeys.

"As I walked down the last I said to my caddie 'we're leading the British Open'. He laughed and it sent a shiver up and down my spine.

"I had two horrible putts at the last but it can't spoil my day."

Owen's is a real rags-to-riches story. He is playing only his third British Open after qualifying in the top eight exemptions from last week's Scottish Open and three years ago came fresh from tour school qualifying after working sometimes 12 hours a day for 80 dollars a week as an assistant pro.

The Englishman's promise encouraged sports entrepreneur Barry Hearn to take him on, and it was Hearn's former world snooker champion Steve Davis who provided the advice and inspiration for Owen, he said:

"I share a manager with Steve Davis and he sent me a text message telling me to take things one shot at a time. I took his advice because that's basically all you can do here at Lytham in an Open.

"His mental side in sport is fantastic and you can see why he was world champion so many times."

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