THE OPEN RELATED STORIES The Open Home Page The Open Scores Round 4: Harrington defends Open title Round 4: Ian Poulter impresses with second place Round 4: Greg Norman proud of achievement Round 4: Henrik Stenson happy with best finish Round 3: Norman takes a two shot lead Round 2: KJ Choi edges a shot clear at halfway Round 1: Late starters share first round lead Course Guide: Royal Birkdale 2008 European Tour Schedule Open Champions 1860-2007 Tee Times and Pairings Prize Fund/Purse Open Championship scoring and other records Open Championship quotes - Wise and witty words about golf's oldest Championship Wind the biggest threat at Royal Birkdale Injuries aboud around the 137th Open Without Tiger many look to score Major success Unhappy John Daly back at The Open Kenny Perry defends absence Justin Rose returns to scene of 1998 drama Padraig Harrington still a doubt Sergio Garcia favourite for The Open Tiger Woods the hot topic of conversation Lee Westwood praises Royal Birkdale Graeme McDowell looking to continue good form Players puzzled by Kenny Perry's absence Wrist worry for Padraig Harrington Phil Mickelson dodges the Tiger factor Green Royal Birkdale greets players Open not devalued by Tiger absence says O'Meara Furyk confident of better Royal Birkdale fortunes Phil Mickelson confident of adding to Major tally Luke Donald out of Open with wrist injury Justin Rose looking forward not back 137th Open Championship Summary COMPETITIONS, GIFTS AND OFFERS WIN 2 nights/3 rds at The Vale Resort £10,000 of Teeofftimes prizes in April! WIN Healthspan Supplements WIN tickets to the National Golf Show! Open Champion Tom Watson's DVD Get the Open Fairways card for just £59!

Jim Furyk struggles on the back nine

Jim Furyk was bitterly disappointed a back-nine collapse left him with a mountain to climb heading into Sunday’s final round of the British Open.

Furyk sat 2-over-par 142 at the start of the third round and was even at the turn. However, disaster struck as Furyk dropped seven shots on the back side to sit at 9-over.

With weather conditions expected to be much better Sunday, Furyk knows being seven shots behind leader Greg Norman might be too much.

“I’d like to be four or five shots back right now but I think it’ll be more like six-plus,” he said. “I’m obviously disappointed with my back nine. I shot seven over on the back nine and made a lot of poor decisions and a lot of bad play.”

I knew the whole way that it’d be tough for everyone else so I just tried to stop the bleeding and make some pars coming in, maybe birdie one of the par fives and I’d be right there tomorrow, but I wasn’t able to do it.”

Although he admitted the gale-force winds affected everybody, he bemoaned the testing conditions and challenging links course.

“(The conditions) were a lot more difficult today,” he said. “The scores are extremely high. It’s just tough to stay out of trouble. It catches up with everyone once in a while and two or three over par today is a really good round.

“On this course you can hit it just five or 10 yards off line and suddenly you’re in rough up to your knees. It was very difficult to hit the fairways, especially on the back nine as there were so many cross winds.”