Tiger Woods rolls back the years at Carnoustie but cool Jordan Spieth is one of three tied for Open lead

If Carnoustie made Saturdays… 

This was as good as it gets, as captivating as any 11-hour golfing day could ever wish to be. Jordan Spieth was at the helm of the rollercoaster, gripping on in total comfort and enjoyment through the twists and turns to record a 65 which left him on nine-under – alongside compatriots Kevin Kisner and Xander Shauffele - and the clear favourite to retain the Claret Jug.

Yet in behind the brilliant young American is a certain Tiger Woods, the last man to win back-to-back Opens, and Rory McIlroy. With a former champion of the calibre of Zach Johnson in the mix, as well as other wide-eyed US wannabes like Kevin Chappell - two behind on seven-under after a 67 - this was  the scenario that had everything. But most of all it had Tiger.

For a while he was actually at the top of a major leaderboard again. And this was not any old leaderboard; it was a Saturday of the Open at Carnoustie leaderboard, with the crowds hanging over the ropes greeting his 66 with the passion the Scottish have been known to celebrate footballing triumphs with.

For those blessed moments Woods was one of theirs again; indeed, he was the game’s main man again. Since his comeback from a make-or-break spinal fusion operation last year – and indeed, that infamous police mugshot last May after he had been arrested for  "driving under the influence" – this must be classed as the highlight.

Fair enough, as the third round reached its denouement he was four behind  Spieth and the giddiness of when he hit the top (at exactly 4.21pm BST) had been replaced by the realisation that this could turn into a dogfight in a congested cage. But there could be no arguing about the perception of the significance of those digital screens dotted around the course showing “T Woods” at their summits.

That had not happened since the 2012 USPGA at Kiawah Island where he eventually finished sixth behind Rory McIlroy. To show how long ago that was, the London Olympics were just finishing.

Woods was back being an all-eventer as he compiled his lowest score in an Open since his second-round 65 at Hoylake 12 years ago on his way to his third Claret Jug. The 42-year-old was only up on the highest perch for 20 minutes and a late bogey took a little off the gloss of his afternoon endeavours. Yet there was no telling the galleries to keep a lid on their hype.

The support for Woods here this week has been extraordinary, almost Ryder Cup-like in his welcomes on to the first tee and the 18^th green.  In truth, the Tiger cheers rang all day.

There were six birdies in a thrillingly controlled display until the four on the par-three 16^th. However,  it was his par on the 18^th that gripped the locals. His tee-shot, with an iron, somehow stayed out of the Barry Burn – one more hop and it was “plop” – and he could only advance it up the fairway. He then enacted the most magnificent approach which allowed him to make his four. The packed grandstands were in rapture, so much so that anybody out there who does not understand the iconhood of this 14-time major-winner should watch the scene repeatedly on YouTube.

For the man who believed he was finished this should be more than he could dare dream. But this is Tiger Woods we are talking about. "I played well today, I really, really did," Woods said. "I hit a lot of good shots, and I didn't feel like I really made a bad swing until 18. I really felt like I had control of the golf ball. I had to stay within reach. And five-under is definitely within reach."

Perhaps, but he has to leapfrog Spieth, regardless of anyone else, and even in his pomp that would have represented a huge task. Spieth’s six-under heroics were blemish-free and began with an eagle when he drove the ball pin high and holed from off the green. The Texan was clearly born for seaside golf. His last victory was a year ago, at this very tournament - but it might well be his next. He would do so at just 24, the youngest back-to-back champion since Young Tom Morris in 1869. History beckons Spieth and everything about him says he is not overawed one iota.

Could McIlroy be the one to stop him?  He is on five-under, three behind, following a  70. It was far from convincing from McIlroy as he seeks his first major in four years, but he is in there battling.

It was obvious at daylight that Carnoustie had turned from "Car-nasty" to "Car-eversonicey". The Friday rains took the fire out of the fairways and any venom out of the greens and with the generous pin positions it was there to shot at. And shoot they did, with Justin Rose and Chris Wood giving the thousands who flocked in early a pair of notable warm-up acts.

This is the 20^th anniversary of Rose’s fourth-place finish as a 17-year-old and the 10^th anniversary of Wood’s fifth place, also as amateur, at the positively ancient age of 20. Links magic is on their CV as well as their DNA and so they reeled off a 64 and 66. Wood’s par save on the 18^th was an act of golfing larceny, but still it was Rose’s low round of the week that most caught the eye.

The world No 3 seemed on his way to Dundee Airport’s check-in desk when he arrived at the 18^th on Friday. But he had birdied that brute on Thursday and did so again to duck inside the cut. This time, Rose sauntered on to that last tee in better spirits and proceeded to make a three again. Nobody, but nobody birdies the 499-yarder three times in succession and it has given Rose the faintest of sniffs. Wood is one behind and on the very fringes of contention. Yet after the thrills of this moving of all moving days, they will both be charged with the belief that anything and everything is possible where Carnoustie is concerned.

7:49PM

Kevin Kisner finishes 

He is on nine under for the tournament, one of three men on that mark, everyone is done for the day. So is our blog. Thank you for reading. James Corrigan's report of the day's play will be up here very shortly. Goodnight.

7:37PM

Rory 

I felt like I was hanging in there and battling well. Especially the birdie on 15. Disappointing to give two back on the last three. I still have a chance, especially with the forecast being for a bit more wind.

I need to regroup. I am a bit angry now.

I had a hard time with the longer putts today, I just could not get myself to hit it hard enough.

Looking at the last few Opens guys have come from the pack.

7:34PM

Aw, hard lines Tommy

Fleetwood, who has shown a lot of heart and determination to hang in there after double-bogey and bogey on 12 and 13, is within a fag-paper of a birdie on 18th. It's not to be, but he will card a 71, even on the round. Not his day but he's not out of it either.

Schauffele birdied the last and, with a 67 to his name, he is going to be the co-leader with Jordan Spieth overnight.

Americans ruling the roost: Molinari is the top European at six under. The Swede Alex Noren, with a 67 today, is in the hunt for minor honours on five under.

7:29PM

Kevin Chappell

yet another American, has finished his round of 67 and he will be seven-under overnight. He tied for three here back in 2011. his best result in a Major, and he's every chance of finishing in the places this weekend.

7:23PM

Tommy Fleetwood looked dead and buried

and hour ago but has battled back gamely. Three birdies in the last four holes, he has finished his round with a real battling show.

7:19PM

Rory on the 18th... this feels huge

The Norther Irishman gets a bad beat off his drive. Nothing wrong with the drive, but he gets an unlucky bounce and he is into the bunker. He plays a very bold, aggressive escape...

but this has gone into the crowd/the long grass. It's not that easy to tell. 

 leaving him this

7:10PM

Birdies on 14

for Kisner and Schauffele, but it's the last three here that are the playing the more testing. And sure enough, Schauffele has given back a shot at 17.

7:07PM

Rory sadly cannot build on 

those two birdies and has dropped a shot on 16. Arrgh, Rory.

7:00PM

Jordan does his post match interiew

"I was watching Rosey, his game has been on point. You cannot force Carnoustie but this is about as benign conditions as we could expect."

"Tomorrow I am going to have to pick a gameplan that may have to change depending on the wind."

The wind is forecast to be a lot stronger tomorrow: we could see a very different sort of a day.

6:50PM

Jordan Spieth

duly makes that par on 18. This has been a round of the highest class, the round of a champion. I think he is going to take all the beating. He is back in the clubhouse with a 65. Only Justin Rose has done better today.

6:46PM

Xander Schauffele

has joined Spieth at the top of the leaderboard. Birdying 15.

6:45PM

Rory McIlroy

has crackled into life, going birdie-birdie on 14 and 15. Go'orn Rory.

6:44PM

Here's a little puzzle for Jordan Spieth

to solve on the last, though...

finds the green. 

6:41PM

Xander Schauffele is in the hunt

Here he is birdying the 14th. 

He's 24, he is from La Jolla in California. La Jolla is  a luxury, Republican enclave. Used to have the most expensive houses in the USA. Xander's dad is his coach. 

Two of Schauffele's great-grandfathers were footballers: an Austrian international and one who played for  VfB Stuttgart.

6:31PM

Tommy Fleetwood

follows up his double bogey with another bogey, and that is a real shame because the putt was a sitter. I think we can eliminate Fleetwood from our inquiries. Justin Rose is going to be the top Englishman tonight.

6:27PM

Johnson gets it on the green from here

Impressive. But the putter cannot join in the fun and he's going to fall back here.

6:25PM

Jordan Spieth is not giving that jug back

He's sunk that putt on the 16th, he moves into sole lead on -9.

6:22PM

Zach Johnson

Wayward off the tee on 12, that's gone in the crowd. He'll be doing well to get out of there.

Tommy Fleetwood's challenge is evaporating fast. Double bogey on 12, back to -4 for the tournament.

6:19PM

That might be the shot of the day

Jordan Spieth on the 16th. He's gone bogey, bogey so far on this one. But not again, surely? He's planted this majestically just a few feet from the hole and a par will be the least of his hopes.

6:16PM

Butch Harmon on Rory on the 13th green

"Wow. That was NOT a good putt by Rory."

It was a horrible effort. Barely got it halfway to the hole. But he steels himself to recover and make par.

6:10PM

Jordan Spieth

is on the move, he has birdied the 14th, he joins the leaders on eight under.

Lovely tee shot now on 15, his iron play is rock solid, and he's got a gettable putt here to move into the sole lead.

Zack Johnson, meanwhile, has missed a gettable putt of his own to drop back to seven under.

Just Spieth and Kisner now on eight under.

6:06PM

Rory has had an irritating three putt

And dropped a shot.

And Fleetwood has also been in the ditch, had to take a drop, and is going to lose a shot at least on 12. 

6:03PM

Rosey

6:02PM

Roy McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood

have both got birdies on the 11th. And they are both six under par. Aw, golf fwends.

5:52PM

Medal news

5:50PM

Rickie Fowler has rattled in an eagle

But is still a long way back, given how heavily people are scoring.

5:50PM

Francesco Molinari's work is done

He is back home and hosed with a superb 65.

5:41PM

Patrick Reed really brings it out in people, doesn't he?

Here's Sam Dean:

Until his Masters victory earlier this year, Patrick Reed was best known for his infamous shushing of the crowd at the 2014 Ryder Cup. It was not without irony, then, that ‘Captain America’ was forced to button it during his third round alongside Welsh player Rhys Enoch.

Reed has a having a jolly good time as he chatted away with Enoch, who he knew from college golf, until an official appeared from nowhere and told them to hurry up.

“We were just out having a good time,” Reed said. “All of a sudden, a rules official comes out and says we are a minute behind. And we are sitting there like, huh? A minute behind, how? It felt like we were flying. From that point, it seemed like there was a little less talking.”

5:36PM

Spieth has a birdie on 11

That makes him -4 today. Here's Sam Dean on Jordan:

5:36PM

Zach Johnson

might not be on eight under for long. He's not had much luck on 8 so far this week, a par and a bogey, and he's clumped his tee shot into the sand here now.

Wonderful  escape shot though. And he makes his par.

5:28PM

Kevin Kisner is at it again

He's birdied another and moves to eight under. That's the same mark on which Zach Johnson currently sits. They're our co-leaders at eight under.

5:24PM

Golf is coming home

The Telegraph's Sam Dean writes:

Bernhard Langer claims to be 60 years old, but he increasingly resembles an ageless German golf-machine.

An eagle on the 14th helped him to a three-under round of 68 yesterday, and he will be hoping that more success might provide some sporting relief for his country after their abysmal showing at the World Cup.

“I don’t think they care as much about golf as they do about soccer,” he said. “Maybe they should. I’ve been saying that for 30 years, but they are not listening.”

5:23PM

Tiger Woods

I looked at how many guys made birdies this morning, it was shocking to see how many were five under by 12.

Pins were gettable, they put a few friendly ones out for us. And it was soft.

The 16th, I didn't hit it hard enough up the hill and I didn't the put as well as could have.

I figured if I could get in five back I would be in it. I didn't want to drop that last shot.

This is one of my better rounds this year. I had control of the ball and that is not easy to do. 

5:15PM

What a putt this is from Johnson

Wow. Not bad.

He gets, and fully deserves, an eagle.

5:14PM

Xander

Xander Schauffele and his hard-to-type name are joint top. They've score three birdies in a row on 5, 6 and 7.

5:09PM

Tiger Woods finishes with 66: he is the clubhouse leader

Walks over to some young fans, signs some autographs, ruffles a child's hair, gives a little lad a piggyback. Of course he doesn't. He strides off to the recorder's office.

5:07PM

Rory back to back birdies

Nice! 

5:06PM

Francesco Molinari has been having a good day

He's just nailed a really long putt, with the flag still in, on the 16th and that moves him to six under.

5:05PM

Tiger manages to get out

And that gives him this as a third shot

he's planted that nicely

5:01PM

Here is our leader Kevin Kisner

Attempting this birdie putt

But coming up empty.  He's still one under for the day.

4:58PM

Better news for Rory

He's got his first birdie of the day, getting up and down on the par five sixth.

4:55PM

Woods has a par on the 17th

had chances with the putter, not a simple putt by an stretch of the imagination but perhaps the sort he was holing an hour or two ago... He goes onto the final hole -5.

Oh no! He's stuck it in that ditchy thing. Not in the actual drink as such but it's not going to be much fun getting out of there.

4:46PM

Rory on the sixth tee, huge drive

Butch Harmon on Rory: "That doesn't need to pay the toll, it keeps on running. Attaboy Rory, stay aggressive."

4:41PM

What now of Tiger?

He is onto the 16th... But he is no longer atop the leaderboard, because Kevin Kisner has birdied the third to move clear on -7

 had an iffy putt from the edge of the green up a horrid slope, and could not get out of jail with this par putt.

4:35PM

Telegraph Sport's Sam Dean writes from Carnoustie

A memorable day for Carnoustie’s club professional, Keir McNicoll, who joined the best golfers in the world on the course in the third round.

McNicoll had worked in the club shop on the opening two days of the tournament but was called into action to partner Malaysia’s Gavin Green in the day’s opening pairing because an odd number of players had survived the cut.

“I got emotional on the first tee,” McNicoll said. “It was obviously too much. Had I qualified here, I don’t know what that would have been like. I am not playing that well and so just to get contact and get it airborne off the first was impressive.”

4:35PM

Ah, Rory

Shame. Not quite happening for the popular Northern Irishman just yet. A bogey on the fourth. A weak effort with the putter from the fringes leaves him ten feet, but it is not to be. He is back to four-under.

4:23PM

Six under is the fashionable place to be

Here's Tommy Fleetwood taking himself to that mark with a birdie on the second hole.

4:19PM

The top man

4:16PM

Golf is indeed happening

4:02PM

All of the seven Open winners here

Trailed at the halfway stage, I've just learned from Sky.

Can Kevin Kisner or Zach Johnson upset that form?

Here is Zach, he will be the last man to play.

Zach drills it, but the ball runs into a bunker. Not a terrible lie, but not exactly the dream start.

Everyone is now out. 

3:56PM

Jordan Spieth

has birdied the fourth and he joins the leaders on -6. Also on that mark is Kevin Chappell, he's had a hot start as well.

And young Master Fleetwood is up and running for the day.

3:50PM

Tiger goes close

with a very long putt from the fringe, not to be on this occasion but he's looking ominous.

Rory, meanwhile, has left a birdie putt an inch away on the first.

3:44PM

Justin Rose's 64

is the best score of the day still.  Only two pairs are yet to play.

1550 Pat Perez (USA), Tommy Fleetwood

1600 Kevin Kisner (USA), Zach Johnson (USA)

3:41PM

Here is Rory

Good solid whack, doesn't look like he's had the best of luck with the roll of the ball. But no disaster.

3:36PM

Tiger has birdied that 11th

after a beefy drive. He's gone birdie, birdie, birdie at 9, 10 and 11: are we seeing a Tiger Charge of old?

3:28PM

Jordan Spieth

a bit wayward on the second, but recovers with a superb shot from a horrible uphill lie. That leaves him the following for birdie...

.... gets the line dead on but leaves it a tad short. 

3:27PM

Tiger has got his driver out on 11

He's given that some pongo!  

3:21PM

Jordan Spieth is off and running!

He's only been and eagled the first!

3:07PM

Here are the last half dozen pairs then

1510 Jordan Spieth (USA), Kevin Chappell (USA)

1520 Zander Lombard (Rsa), Tony Finau (USA)

1530 Matt Kuchar (USA), Erik Van Rooyen (Rsa)

1540 Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele (USA)

1550 Pat Perez (USA), Tommy Fleetwood

1600 Kevin Kisner (USA), Zach Johnson (USA)

2:56PM

Definitely a different sort of a day!

2:55PM

Ross Fisher

"The wind is slightly different. It is a tough finish here, you have to hit quality shots on the last three. There are 63s and 64s out there though."

2:53PM

And here he is on the 8th

Just needed a smidge more on that one, it lands on the front lip of the green and rolls back.

2:39PM

Tiger at it

Another birdie for the #ledge; he's taken a shot off the par five sixth. Two under for the day now.

2:33PM

Chris Wood

"I am just not where I want to be with my game at the moment. Probably tried to do too much with that bunker shot. But overall it was a lot better today. I just wanted to get par today, I had no expectations."

2:27PM

Couple of much-loved veterans

Bernhard Langer and Lee Westwood are enjoying themselves out there. Langer's -3 today and Lee -2.

2:24PM

Sky's Hologram thing is a crime against nature

2:23PM

Austin Cook of America

is one to keep an eye on today perhaps: he's three under through the first six.

2:21PM

Ken Brown of the BBC on Justin Rose

"He finished 3-3-3 and that won’t be bettered all week. His best ever round at a major means as things stands he is two off the lead. I’m sure there will be some low scores this afternoon, but if the wind picks up he might not be far off."

2:19PM

Chris Wood is slipping backwards

Another bogey, that's a shame. 17 is not his friend.

But a really nice putt from Chris on the last, must be a 40 footer. "He got away with one there at the last!" says Darren Clarke.

Chris finishes with a 66, and that leaves his three under for the tournament.

2:16PM

Absolute knife edge stuff here

at Telegraph Towers. We have a ludicrously complicated system for watching sport on TV: if we want to change channel a man from TECHNICAL SUPPORT has to GO INTO ANOTHER BUILDING and fiddle with the Sky box. When we are blogging three things at once, as we are now with the German Grand Prix, the Tour de France and this golf, it all gets a bit much for the poor old system. So please bear with me.

2:09PM

Birdie for Tiger!

Nicely played on the fourth, 

2:01PM

Here are the next few men up

1405 Matthew Southgate, Brooks Koepka (USA)

1415 Kyle Stanley (USA), Adam Scott (Aus)

1430 Charley Hoffman (USA), Alex Noren (Swe)

1440 Ryan Moore (USA), Brandon Stone (Rsa)

1450 Luke List (USA), Danny Willett

1:54PM

American update

Two of our friends from across the pond are back in the hutch with 68s under their belts: Jason Dufner and Patrick Reed. In fact, the two of them have identical scores across the tournament so far: 75, 70, 68.

1:40PM

Inspirational stuff from Woods

1:39PM

Justin Rose

"If you play good golf, there is definitely a score out there today."

1:34PM

Lovely second

from Woods on the second, pin high, nice bit of backspin. Birdie chance for Tiger.

1:30PM

Not so good for Chris Wood

He's in a bunker on the par five 14th, he's got a bit ambitious with his escape shot and he's managed to just whack it into the lip of the bunker. Has to take another shot to get out!

 Does his best to rescue the situation with a game go at a very long putt, it's not to be though, and he's dropped a shot.

1:25PM

Talking of the 18th

here is Justin Rose finishing off his round. He's birdied 17 and 18 to card a 64, a super round. You would imagine 72 and 73 on the first two days have left him a little bit too much to do but we'll see.

1:22PM

Yusaku Miyazato

from Japan, he's had a stormer today. Six under on the day and he's onto the 18th.

1:17PM

Here comes Tiger then

1:15PM

Chris Wood

Another birdie from Chris at 13 but worried faces on 14 when a tee shot goes a bit astray.

12:59PM

Tommy Fleetwood

Telegraph golf correspondent James Corrigan was, as you might expect, at Carnoustie yesterday to watch the superb progress of Tommy Fleetwood. Here's Jamie's report of that.

12:47PM

Day three from Carnoustie

Good afternoon! Hope you are having a lovely sunny Saturday, and here's hoping that Tommy Fleetwood or Rory McIlory can have a good Saturday of their own on day three at Carnoustie. It's a bit cloudy there but pleasant enough, and there are any number of men in contention. Our co-leaders Zach Johnson and Kevin Kisner are six-under and they are scheduled to go off at 16.00. See the Day three tee-off times and full schedule and make a note of when your favourites tee off.

There are, of course, a lot of guys already out there. The man catching the eye the most is beyond a doubt Chris Wood: the man from Bristol has had six birdies today already and he's only just played the tenth. That has sent him rocketing up the leaderboard, at time of writing he is -4.

From Wood to Woods: Tiger Woods is on the practice range at the moment hitting a few. Needless to say, there is a big crowd to watch him do that. The main man will be doing it for real at 13.15.

Shortly before him at 13.05 is one of my all-time favourites, the wonderful Phil Mickleson. Phil tees off at 13.05.

Another man enjoying a very satisfactory day is good old Justin Rose. The 2013 US Open winner is on the 16th, and he is five under for today. Patrick Reed, the popular 2018 Masters Champion and all-round Jerry Springer contestant, is four under par for today and that would have been a bit better yet, had he not got a bogey on 14.  This is so sad, Alexa play Despacito.