It's not quite Open and shut at Carnoustie, but the Spaniard is three shots clear going intro the final day and it's up to American Steve Stricker and South Africa's Ernie Els to make a move. It’s going to take an exceptional player, and an even more exceptional round of golf, to prevent Sergio Garcia becoming the first European to win a major golf tournament for eight years. Spain’s one-man armada has been in control since the first day, when he slept on a two-shot lead. After two more days of intense pressure, unkind weather, distractions and a host of rivals aiming to knock him off his perch, Garcia goes into the final round at Carnoustie today with a three-shot lead at nine under par. Carnoustie was no place for the faint-hearted yesterday. The course played easier than the first two days and there were nearly 30 under-par rounds. And while American Steve Stricker put the course record in danger, a couple of wayward shots proved to be a knock-out for two spectators. Tiger Woods managed to knock a woman unconscious when his wild second shot at the sixth hit her on the head. And Garcia had to put out of his mind another wayward shot that flattened a scoreboard operator at the 17th. Who said golf was a game for softies? Not since Paul Lawrie came from 10 shots off the pace to win the 1999 Open on this same Carnoustie course, has a European won a Major, and not since Tom Weiskopf’s victory in 1973 has a player led from start to finish, although Gary Player did it the following year but tied for the lead in one round. Woods put together a round of 69 but it left him nine shots behind Garcia in joint 15th place. Now there are those who might think nine shots is within his comeback range, but it’s worth remembering that The Tiger has never even had to come from one shot adrift in any of his 12 major victories. However, there’s plenty of quality between Garcia and Woods, including Ryder Cup partners Paul McGinley and Padraig Harrington from Ireland, and England’s Paul Broadhurst. In joint third place, with six shots to make up, are Korean K J Choi, Americans Chris DiMarco and Stewart Cink - and the man who’s been there before, done it and got the T-shirt, South Africa’s Ernie Els. Ernie managed to sew a few seeds of doubt in Garcia’s mind when he rather mischievously stated: “Obviously Sergio is going for his first Major and he is going to have a lot to think about. I’ve been in that position.” Naughty, Ernie! It is only four years ago that Thomas Bjorn was three shots clear with four holes to play and couldn’t lift the famous Claret Jug. But the confident, almost cocky Garcia is a different animal. He’s aware of the fact that his mentor, Seve Ballesteros, announced his retirement from the game last Monday, and the following day Jose Maria Olazabal pulled out of The Open with a knee injury. Perhaps destiny will take a hand and guide him through his final-round minefield, displaying the kind of talent that has been evident in all four Ryder Cup competitions in which he has played. A sub-par round should see Garcia safely home and dry (despite the weather) but the one thing about Carnoustie is that it is never over until it’s over.
