THE OPEN IT’S FULL SPIETH AHEAD

Jordan in pole position to win Claret Jug FRUSTRATED RORY

SOMEWHERE over the rainbow that appeared above the links of Royal Birkdale last night lies a prize pot worth more than £1.4million and the revered Claret Jug.

And after a sensational third day on which a Major record fell, American Jordan Spieth was the man beating the path towards them.

The 23-year-old will start today’s final round three shots clear of compatriot Matt Kuchar after he came out on top in a slugfest between the two.

And unless something dramatic happens to Spieth today, it is difficult to imagine him failing to get his hands on the famous old pot.

He might not have tamed this course in quite the same way as the amazing Branden Grace had done earlier in the day for a record 62.

And he might have previous for blowing up when sitting pretty in a final round, as he did during his 2016 defence of his Masters crown.

But Spieth has played the most consistent, good golf of this 146th Open and such has been his form all week that it will take a Herculean effort from one of the chasing pack to close the gap on him.

In the nine previous Open Championships here in Southport Southport, the halfway leader has gone on to lift the Claret Jug just once.

That was Lee Trevino, way back in 1971. But who would bet against his fellow Texan emulating old Supermex.

Kuchar would have been even closer to Spieth had he not doublebogeyed the 16th to drop three shots back.

And even though he recovered with a birdie at 17, Spieth held his nerve for birdie on 18 to put himself in a solid lead. He said: “Being a very favourable day for scoring and recognising that ahead of time made it pretty tough mentally.

Started

“It was a day where you had to play aggressive. The shot on three was big for me to get started. And the par saves around eight or nine wereere the most stress I had all day.y.

“I’m extremely pleased d and I couldn’t ask for much ch more. It was importantt to stay ahead of Kuch h but I didn’t think it was extremely important.

“Our gameplan when we stood on the t ee was t o push ourselves and get this pairing for tomorrow. RORY McILROY arrived in Birkdale threatening to bash the bookies.

The only person he was beating up after a third round that oscillated wildly from the inspired to the insipid was himself.

McIlroy (left) was a steaming study in frustration as a day that began in sunshine – and four birdies in the first five holes – ended in depression as a “I wanted to get to 10 under and nothing changed. I stayed out of trouble off the tee and after the first two holes it was the best performance I’ve had in my last few events.” Young Canadian Austin Connelly, playing in his first Open, is tied on third with Brooks Koepka, six shots behind Spieth. Grace and Hideki Matsuyama are a further shot back. But they will have to go on some charge to catch two-time Major winner Spieth. The forecast today is not good, although Spieth proved on Friday that he is adept to poor conditions. Birdies at two and three showed Kuchar’s intent but Spieth matched him a at three then birdied seven and eight. Kuchar also birdied eig eight as the pair traded blows and the huge, n noisy crowds la lapped it up. A Another birdie from K Kuchar, on the par-thr par-three 14th, closed the gap to one shot. But that double bogey from Kuchar handed Spieth the advant advantage and it is very mu much his to lose. downpour descended. McIlroy’s oneunder 69 left him two-under for the championship – and his hopes of regaining the Claret Jug he lifted for the first time just around the coast at Hoylake three years ago are long gone.

Skint bookmakers are but as rare as the round carded by Branden Grace earlier in the day, when the South African became the first man to post a 62 in a major.

And this was proof positive that the