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Retief Goosen jumps into contention with 66
South African Retief Goosen vaulted into contention for the 134th British Open with a sparkling six-under-par 66 in Saturday's third round.
The world number five, who began another calm day at St Andrews eight strokes off the pace, birdied four of the last five holes to finish three behind leader Tiger Woods at nine-under 207.
"I didn't feel I was out of the tournament when I teed off, I just knew I had to shoot a low round today," the 36-year-old told a news conference.
"I hit a few good iron shots coming in and it was a nice way to finish."
Goosen, who appeared to be on course for a third U.S. Open title last month before collapsing with a final-round 81, made the most of the benign conditions on the Old Course with eight birdies and two bogeys.
The smooth-swinging South African, whose best British Open finish was a tie for seventh last year at Royal Troon, dropped his second shot of the day at the notorious Road Hole 17th but signed off in style with a birdie at the last.
"I struggled with my putting yesterday but today I read the greens a lot better and hit a few good iron shots into the greens," said the player popularly known as 'The Goose'.
"After making a six at the fifth hole I felt I was out of the tournament but I managed to regroup and birdied three of the next four holes.
"You just get into a mode where everything seems to flow and you see the shots a lot better."
Goosen added there was no lesson to be learned from his U.S. Open collapse at Pinehurst.
"It was just one of those days," he said. "Everything I did was wrong.
"If I hit a good shot, it was the wrong club. And I misread the greens a lot.
"I'm certainly not determined to make up for it. I'd just like to give myself a chance coming down the stretch on Sunday. That's all you can do in this game," added Goosen, who won the U.S. Open in 2001 and again last year.
"I'm looking forward to tomorrow but I think it's going to have to be another low round to win it."
Goosen is bidding to become the fourth South African to clinch the Open championship after four-times winner Bobby Locke, three-times champion Gary Player and Ernie Els, who won at Muirfield in 2002.
"To win the British Open at St Andrews would be very special and to win the Open like Ernie and Bobby and Gary would be great," he said.
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