Dustin and Day think 61 is possible in final round

WORLD No1 Dustin Johnson believes he will have to shoot much better than his thirdround 64 to have any chance of winning the Open.

The American, who failed to spark as he shot three over par through the first two days at Royal Birkdale, found his game as he carded six birdies to move to three under yesterday.

At one stage he might even have entertained hopes of recording the first round of 62 in a men’s major – a feat actually achieved on the same day by South Africa’s Branden Grace.

Johnson said: ‘Fortunately I hit some really good shots today, a lot better than I have the last couple of days, and shot a really good score.

‘I’m really pleased with the way I played but on 16 – well, I just left it short from eight feet or something, and then on 17 I was right in the middle of the fairway and made par. So, I definitely lost a couple of shots there on the last couple of holes.

‘You never know what’s going to happen tomorrow but I figure I’m going to need to shoot, probably, nine under.

‘To get to 12 under, I think that would be a decent number to sit in the clubhouse at.’

Australian Jason Day made the most of a late reprieve in making the cut to shoot his best score at The Open.

The 29-year-old stomped out of Birkdale on Friday evening thinking he was heading home after a dreadful 66-6 finish to his second round but a bogey-free 65 – his best in 27 rounds at the world’s oldest major – got him in the top 20 at level par.

‘I honestly thought I missed the cut that’s why I stormed off and I was like ‘This is going to be my third one in a row, and not the direction that I want to go in,’ said Day.

‘I was even par with three holes to go and I came home in a coffin. I was quiet in the car, then I watched a movie (The Expendables 2) and after I ate some ice cream I became a lot happier.

‘Right now I’m very happy with how I played. I think if I can play the way I did today going into tomorrow there’s definitely a chance of shooting 61.’