Big names line up for Troon Sunday finale

Unheralded Todd Hamilton faces the biggest challenge of his golfing life when he goes head-to-head against the four of the best golfers in the world today in the final round of the Open championship on Sunday.

The 38-year-old, who plied his trade on the Asian Tour and considered quitting the sport until he won his card for the PGA Tour after eight attempts, holds a slender one-shot lead over Ernie Els, and two shots over Phil Mickelson and Retief Goosen.

And world No. 1 Tiger Woods is only four shots adrift and eager to end his 'slump' of eight majors without a win.

Woods, smarting from suggestions that he was not the player he used to be, went on a birdie blitz as he shot himself into contention for Sunday.

It was vintage Woods as the 28-year-old reeled off three birdies in his opening four holes to race onto the leaderboard.

And he vowed there was more to come.

"I'll try and do the same thing tomorrow," said Woods after his 3-under 68. "You have to go out there and win the championship and hopefully I'll go out there and play well enough to win."

U.S. Open champion Goosen also shot a 3-under 68 but, unhappy with his game, rushed off to the practice range after his round.

"I have to work on my game a little bit tonight to see if I can sort out a few things," he explained.

Goosen said he was not surprised to see the cream of the golf world all on the leaderboard.

"On a course like this the big names are going to come to the top and that's what is happening," he said.

And none is bigger this year than Mickelson who after rethinking his game over the winter is the player to beat in majors.

The 34-year-old left hander won a titanic duel with Els at Augusta, winning the coveted green jacket with a birdie on the final hole.

At Shinnecock Hills he was locked in a furious battle with Goosen and only a double bogey on the 71st hole stopped him from winning his second straight major.

Mickelson has never finished better than 11th in the Open and is determined to put things right on Sunday.

If he wins the Claret Jug on Sunday evening he will have the spectators lining the 15th fairway in Saturday's third round to thank.

His drive was heading for out of bounds when it plowed into them and bounced back into play.

Mickelson made the most of his lucky break and parred the hole. He is also playing the most steady golf of the championship -- not having dropped a shot since the 17th hole in Thursday's opening round.

"It should have gone out," he admitted. "It clearly was a tremendous break. Every now and then you need something like that to give you a little kickstart to keep you in there and that certainly kept my round going."

Mickelson is revelling in being one of the last groups out on Sunday.

"Normally I'm watching it on television. I've already played and I watch the leaders on television. So it's nice to be one of the later groups and have a great chance," he said.

"It's going to make for some very interesting and fun television," he added.

Els, winner of the Open two years ago, is brimming with confidence.

"I feel really good about the way I came in today. I got myself back in contention," said the 34-year-old.

"It's a hell of a leaderboard. These are quality players, players that have proved themselves through the years and you've got some new guys that really want to break though. It's set for quite a finish," said Els.

Hamilton refused to be fazed by the superstars chasing him.

"Names you would expect at a major championship," he remarked.

"I'm sure there is no one that would expect me, at least before the tournament started, for me to win and probably not too many that expects it to happen tomorrow. It may not happen. But I will definitely be trying 110 percent," he added.

There is also a galaxy of co-stars who threaten to steal the limelight on Sunday.

Former Masters champion Mike Weir and local hero Colin Montgomerie are both on 3-under and in touch.

Montgomerie says he can grab the headlines.

"You will all remember in 1997 a young Justin Leonard was five behind and he won, but he didn't have the support I am going to have," he said.

He knows what he is going to have to do.

"I need to get off to a flying start and I need to be under par after four and we will see what happens from then on," he explained.

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