1935 The Dubliner holds his nerve and finds the centre of the cup. Padraig Harrington is the new Open champion!

1932 Garcia is a fraction firm and once again his putt just grazes the lip. He holes out meaning Harrington has to hole his three footer or so for victory.

1930 Harrington sends his putt a couple of feet past on the low side. Realistically Garcia has to hole his to extend the play-off.

1928 Harrington's pitch is good for distance, but its some 25-30 feet wide of the flag and he'll give Garcia the line for his putt when he goes first.

1925 The Spaniard produces a cracking second in the circumstances. Pin-high, he's left himself 12 feet across the green for birdie.

1924 Harrington opts to lay up. He advances it down the fairway to leave 100 yards to the flag with his third. Sergio has no option but go for the green, he needs a three.

1920 Unsurprisngly, Sergio is out with the driver and although he finds the rough down the left, he's not lying too badly.

1919 Having put it in the drink last time with his driver, the Irishman opts for a rescue club this time and finds the centre of the fairway but some way back.

1917 Harrington's putt lacks a little pace and just breaks past the hole. It stays at a two-shot lead. To the 18th.

1915 Garcia's putt looks good but just creeps past on the low side. It's a par-four and Harrington now has the chance to move three ahead.

1912 The Spaniard responds well and his long-iron chases on to finish around 15 feet from the hole. Good effort, but Harrington is right in control now.

1911 It's a five-iron for Harrington and he produces another cracker as it pitches and comes to rest six feet from the flag. The pressure is right on Garcia now.

1906 Harrington finds the right edge of the fairway off the 17th tee. Garcia's tee-shot flirts with the rough, but skips back on to the fairway some 10 or 15 yards ahead of his rival.

1904 Harrington taps in for his par. Garcia does likewise and the Irishman will be two clear with two to play. Off to the 17th.

1903 Garcia had the line, but is timid with his birdie putt and leaves it 18 inches short.

1901 Harrington judges his putt up the bank expertly and leaves himself no more than three feet for par.

1857 It's role-reversal and Garcia unleashes a magnificent shot that bounces twice before kissing the flag. Majestic effort and he's unlucky to see it roll 15-18 feet past.

1856 The par-three 16th is next. Harrington put it to within six feet last time he was here about an hour ago. This time he squirts it left and is down in Dingly Dell where Garcia found himself.

1854 Padraig judges his putt to perfection and a birdie three gives him a decent early advantage.

1852 His putt just stays on the high side and it's a five for Garcia. Harrington has a chance to take an early two-shot lead.

1850 Sergio splashes out, but it does not release down to the hole and he'll have 12 feet for par.

1847 Garcia catches his second a little heavy and ends in the bunker at the front of the green. Harrington fires his approach to eight feet. Advantage Padraig.

1844 Harrington finds the centre of the fairway. Garcia gets off a good one as well and finishes just in the first cut down the right.

1842 They will play one, 16, 17, 18. Harrington is up first on the first extra hole.

1840 They've located it and we're now ready to get underway.

1838 Apparently there's a slight delay in getting going because the flag for the first hole has gone missing!

1830 We're going to have our first European major winner since Paul Lawrie on this very course back in 1999. But who is going to hold their nerve, Garcia or Harrington?

1826 Garcia's putt looks good but doesn't quite break from the left as expected and lips out. Harrington is still alive, it's going to be a four-hole play-off.

1824 Sergio splashes out well and leaves himself ten feet for victory. It will all come down to that 'Belly Putter'. Will it stand up to the ultimate test?

1823 Garcia is faced with a shot of about 25 yards from the sand. He needs to get up and down to be crowned champion. Can the Spaniard produce some short game magic when he needs it most?

1820 Sergio composes himself and steps up for his second. It carries the burn but finds its way into the bunker at the front of the green. There's still some distance left in this yet! Stricker puts his second to 15 feet, what Sergio would have done for that.

1816 McGinley closes with a bogey and that drops the Irishman back to -1. Now it's all down to Garcia.

1815 DiMarco finishes with a double-bogey. He's has a disastrous back-nine and ends the tournament +1.

1813 Garcia is out with an iron on the 18th tee. It's a great result as he splits the fairway, he's nearly there.

1809 Harrington sinks his putt for a six and posts a new target of -7. That means Sergio needs a par-four down the last to win.

1807 Brave pitch from Padraig and he leaves himself five feet for a double-bogey six.

1805 It's two putts and a par for Garcia at 17 and he heads for the 18th tee on -8. He'll definitely be leading, but by how many depends on what Harrington does up ahead.

1802 Oh dear, oh dear! It's shades of Van de Velde as Harrington, playing three, mishits and watches in anguish as his ball disappears into the Barry Burn at the front of the green. This is disastrous for the Irishman who now needs a chip and putt for a six to beat Van de Velde's seven back in 1999.

1800 Garcia's second carries on to the green and scampers round the back of the putting surface to leave him 20-25 feet for birdie.

1759 Stricker finds the greenside bunker with his approach to 17.

1757 This is sporting theatre at its finest as Garcia, heading down the 17th, passes Harrington who is contemplating his next move on 18. Outwardly the pair hardly appear to notice each other, but you can be sure inside the emotions will be running wild.

1754 Garcia holes out on 16 for his par and suddenly it's advantage to the Spaniard. Stricker can only make a bogey-four and he's dropped back to -4.

1753 There's still another twist as Harrington pushes his drive on 18 way right. With the Irishman looking on anxiously the ball bounces on the footbridge over the burn before sliding off and into the water. Would you believe it?!

1751 Els' birdie putt on 18 refuses to drop and he finishes on -5 in a tie for fourth. The South African looked right in the fight as he headed for home, but just couldn't make putts when he most needed them.

1750 Not a bad effort from Garcia, he nudges it up the bank and leaves about four feet for his par.

1748 Two solid putts from Harrington and he remains -9. He's yet to drop a shot today and looks supremely focused.

1746 Garcia needs a big shot at the par-three 16th and looks hopeful as his ball is in the air. But it just leaks left and falls off the green and into Dingly Dell. Tricky two-putt now.

1744 Harrington seems unfazed by that miss at 16 and another crisp iron leaves him 25 feet for what could be a decisive birdie at 17.

1743 His par-putt is always breaking past on the low side and it's a bogey that means Harrington moves one clear again.

1742 Garcia's chip at 15 does its best to run up to the cup, but comes up some eight feet short.

1740 Harrington finds the centre of the 17th fairway with a solid drive.

1738 Garcia's second to 15 comes up short and, fortunately for the Spaniard, just short of the deep bunker that protects the front of the green. Some work to do for par.

1734 The tension is getting almost unbearable and it seems to affect Harrington whose timid birdie putt fails to drop. The Irishman can't believe it and shakes his in disbelief. Cink makes no mistake, he's into a tie for fourth.

1731 Harrington comes up with one of the shots of the tournament, especially given the circumstances. His tee-shot at the long par-three 16th pitches on the front of the green and rolls on, finishing pin-high. He'll have five feet to move clear again. A word for playing partner Cink who manages to get his tee-shot even closer, he'll have that to move -5.

1728 Romero cannot get up and down as his par-putt at 18 lips out. It's a bogey to finish and the young Argentine ends on -6. His 67 still means he claims the clubhouse lead, but how he'll rue those final two holes.

1724 It's all square once again. Sergio's first putt at 14 trickled some six or seven feet past, but he holes another important one to secure a birdie that moves him level with Harrington at -9.

1723 Harrington narrowly misses out on birdie at 15 as his putt just stays on the high side.

1721 Romero pulls his second to the 18th and is fortunate it doesn't kick on and out of bounds to the left. A chip and putt will post a clubhouse target of -7.

1719 Garcia crashes a monstrous iron 250 yards on to the green at the par-five 14, but strikes it too well as it rushes through the back towards the fourth green. He'll have a huge putt back for eagle, but will delighted if he can head to the 15th tee with a birdie under his belt.

1718 McGinley sinks a monster putt on 14 to make it a pair of Irish eagles. He's not had the best of days, but that gets him back in the red at -2.

1716 Miguel Angel Jimenez finishes in style with only the fifth birdie of the day on 18. The Spaniard ends on -2 along with the likes of Pelle Edberg, Justin Rose and Tiger Woods.

1714 A poor drive costs Els dear at 15 and he makes a bogey-five. The South African now stands -5 and that could be his race run.

1711 Brave effort from Romero but it's a double-bogey six and you have the feeling he'll remember that second shot for some time to come. He's back to -7, a shot adrift of Garcia and two back of Harrington.

1709 Harrington judges his eagle putt to perfection and we have a new leader. The Irishman moves clear on -9, what drama!

1708 Romero shows great courage to find the green with his fourth at 17 and will have 20 feet to escape with a bogey.

1706 At last one drops for Garcia and he moves back to -8. That was vital.

1704 Brilliant second from Harrington at 14 just creeps up on to the green and he'll fancy his chances of eagle.

1702 Romero finds thick rough from the tee on 17. He gets greedy with his second and the club turns over in his hand resulting in a low hook that runs out of bounds. The impetuousness of youth. He'll be playing four from the same spot.

1701 Garcia implores his tee-shot at the par-three 13th to 'Get On', and get on it does. In fact, it settles pin-high and leaves him seven feet for birdie.

1659 It's 'just' a birdie for Els on 14, he's back to -6 but is running out of holes now.

1658 Romero's unbelieveable form continues as another putt disappearson 16. That's four consecutive birdies and he's two clear on -9.

1656 Once again Garcia is forced to make do with a par as another unconvincing putt settles a foot from the hole on 12.

1654 Romero seems utterly unfazed by his situation. The fearless Argentine flights a delightful tee-shot into the par-three 16th and has a very real opportunity to make his tenth birdie of the day.

1653 Els booms his second on to the green at 14 and has a chance to reignite his charge with an eagle.

1652 Harrington watches on as another putt misses by the narrowest of margins. He stays -7 with Garcia.

1651 Garcia fires in another top-notch iron at twelve and will have 10-12 feet for a birdie. Can he finally sink one? It's getting crucial now.

1649 Romero is first up and the Argentine rolls in to move clear of the field on -8. That's his ninth birdie of the day, magnificent effort from the South American. Are we set to see back-to-back Argentine major winners?

1647 Romero shows tremendous strength to bully his second on to the green at 15 and leaves 15-20 feet for birdie. Harrington's tee-shot at the par-three 13th is as impressive and he'll have a similar length putt to edge to -8.

1645 Els cannot extricate himself from trouble for a second hole running and drops back to -5.

1643 Tiger's birdie putt also lips out on 18 and he taps home for a par and closing round of 70. The defending champion finishes on -2, his challenge never quite got going.

1641 Harrington's birdie putt at 12 looks in every inch of the way but lips out at the last to anguished cries from the large Irish contigent following their hero. He remains tied for the lead on -7.

1640 Garcia sees another putt slide past and he'll have to content himself with another par. Stricker also makes par to remain -5.

1638 Els finds the greenside bunker with his tee-shot at the par-three 13th.

1637 Another cracking long iron from Harrington on 12 and he's engineered an opportunity to take the lead. Meanwhile, Romero joins the Irishman and Garcia on -7 as he gets up and down for birdie at 14.

1635 Important clutch putt from Els saves par on 12, he stays -6.

1634 After a very sticky patch garcia is begiining to rediscover some form and another decent iron will give him a shot at birdie on 11. He needs something to drop on the greens.

1632 Not the best chip and run from Els on 12 and he'll have 10-12 feet left to salvage par.

1631 Despite finding sand with his drive at 14, Romero powers his second up to and just short of the green, great strike. An awkward pitch left, but if he can get up and down he'll have a share of the lead again.

1630 Els gets a touch of the Romeros on 12 as he too leaks his approach way right and short of the green. The Big Easy has plenty to do to save par from there.

1628 Sergio cannot follow suit as his troubles with the blade continue. He's not holed a thing so far today and a par keeps him at -7.

1627 Following a fine iron, Stricker makes a clutch putt for par to stay in touch.

1625 Garcia hits back with a super wedge into the tenth and he will have five or six feet to re-establish a one-shot lead.

1624 Romero shows tremendous character at the short 13th as he bounces back from his double at 12 with a splendid birdie two. He is back at -6 along with Els.

1623 Stricker's drive on ten finds an awkward spot in the rough down the left and all he can do is hack out back on the fairway.

1621 Harrington makes no mistake with his birdie putt and we now have joint leaders on-7. Els is just one back, it's all set up for a fantastic finish.

1620 Cink makes birdie on 11 to climb to -4, he's only three off the pace.

1618 Superlative approach from Harrington on 11 and he will have four feet for a birdie to tie the lead. There's a real look of determination in the Irishman's eyes, he's up for this.

1616 Amazingly Stricker misses yet another tiddler and makes a costly bogey, he's back to -5.

1615 Solid par for Sergio at nine and that regains him the lead as Romero can manage only a double-bogey six at 12 to slip back to -5.

1613 Romero eventually plays from some way behind the bush he found and, despite a decent recovery, will have 25 feet for a bogey. How costly could that second prove?

1611 Els watches as his putt for birdie at ten stays above ground. He's still only one shot back but could do with seeing something drop.

1610 Harrington makes another crucial putt, this time for par at ten and he remains right in the hunt on -6.

1607 Decent break for Garcia as his drive at nine bounds out of the thick rough and into a decent lie in the first cut.

1605 There's all sorts of consultation as to where Romero should take his drop from, but wherever it is he'll be in trouble.

1604 Tiger has eeked out another birdie at 14 and is now -3.

1603 However, while it might only be temporary, the Argentine has a share of the lead as another lacklustre chip costs Garcia another shot at eight. He left himself ten feet for par and his putt did not threaten the hole. He's back to -7. Stricker makes par and stays at -6.

1600 Romero's challenge might be about to evaporate as quickly as it materialised as his second to 12 squirts way right and into a bush. That's an awful spot he's found and he seems certain to drop at least one.

1558 Harrington is the latest man to put himself in contention as he holes from ten feet on nine to move to -6. The Irishman has plenty of support out on the course and could be timing his run to perfection.

1555 Stricker's tee-shot at the short eighth doesn't stop in time and rolls off the back of the green. Sergio leaks his a little right, but it's only just off the putting surface and he's not in bad shape.

1553 The lead is down to just one shot as Garcia cannot hole his 20-footer for par and makes his second bogey in the space of three holes. Stricker sinks a tester for par and is now just two back.

1550 Romero's charge gathers more pace as he holes from the sand at 11 for a miraculous birdie three. That's the Argentine up to -7 and if Garcia does not get up and down he's just one shot off the lead.

1549 DiMarco's challenge looks to have hit the buffers as he misses a short putt for bogey on eight. It's a double-bogey five and he drops to -3.

1548 Having made his way to the turn with nine straight pars, Markus Brier who picked up shots at 10, 11 and 14 to move to -3. Fine championship for the Austrian.

1547 After finding rough from the tee on seven, Garcia gets a flyer and his second charges through the green. Some work to do to save par, Stricker finds the heart of the green with his approach.

1543 Romero responds to his setback at nine by making birdie at ten and is back in the mix on -6. He's been highly impresive this week.

1542 Another good putt from Els at nine, but again it just misses and he'll have to take a par. That's 33 to the turn and he's still three back.

1540 McGinley is heading in the wrong direction as a double-bogey at seven drops him back to level-par.

1538 Stricker let's Garcia off thehook as he again misses from a matter of inches. That's two putts for birdie of no more than two feet that the American has missed and he remains three back. He's handing it to Sergio at the moment.

1537 Garcia shows his first sign of weakness with the putter for a long while as he snatches at his birdie attempt and pulls it left of the hole. His putt for par wipes it feet, but drops and the Spaniard stays -9.

1536 Tiger makes birdie at 13 to claw himself back to -2.

1534 However, Garcia is showing no sign of cracking and again displays his wonderful touch around the greens with a delicate chip that feeds down towards the hole to leave a putt not much longer than Stricker's for birdie.

1533 Stricker ramps up the pressure on Garcia once again as he puts his third at six to within three feet again to set up birdie.

1532 Mahan finishes with a par down the last for a cracking round of 65. He ends up on -4.

1531 Els sees his birdie putt at eight shave the hole, but he'll stay at -6.

1529 Romero drops one at nine to hit the turn in 33 shots, he's back to -5.

1528 Mahan moves to six-under for his round with birdie at 17. The American has yet to drop a shot today and a three down the last would see him tie Green for the clubhouse lead on -5.

1527 DiMarco holes out yet again from six feet to make it back-to-back birdies on five and six. Last year's runner-up is now up to -5.

1525 Harrington sinks a birdie putt on the par-five sixth and moves up to -5.

1522 Garcia can't make his par at five and it's his first bogey since the 11th hole of his second round. The blow is softened as Stricker too takes a five and the Spaniard's advantage remains at three.

1520 Green's sublime round ends on a sour note as his par-putt on 18 just creeps past on the low side. It's a joint-best-of-the-week 64 to equal the course record and he takes the clubhouse lead on -5.

1518 Stricker can't take advantage of Garcia's troubles and manages to find a greenside bunker on five from the middle of the fairway. A missed chance.

1516 Green's drive at 18 finds trouble down the left, but, having laid up, an excellent pitch leaves him 10-12 feet for a superlative 63.

1514 A wayward drive from Garcia on five ends on the lip of a fairway bunker. No heroics from the Spaniard and he opts to dink it back on to the fairway and try to make par with an iron and a putt.

1512 Els taps home on six to move to -6 and Romero does likewise on eight to join him.

1510 Tiger finds a very awkward spot in a waterlogged bunker on 11. He'll get relief and moves it from the watery lie it had settled in, but the world number one produces a very uncharacteristic fluff and watches as his attempted escape rolls back into the sand. His fourth is much better, but that'll be a bogey and the end of his challenge.

1508 Garcia's birdie putt is on line but just lacks legs. It's a par for the Spaniard but his lead is back to three as Stricker taps home for his three.

1507 Green sinks yet another putt on 17 to move to an incredible eight-under for his round. He's now -6 overall and needs a four down the last for a course record 63.

1505 Wonderful touch from Els at the sixth. A superbly-judged chip from just off the front off the green runs down the bank and stops five feet from the hole.

1503 Stricker produces another glorious iron at four and once again leaves himself a matter of inches for birdie. Surely he won't miss that one. Garcia's approach pulls up 15-20 feet from the flag, a fine shot but made to look average by Stricker's effort.1501 Ian Poulter has hit some late form and birdies at 15 and 16 means he is one-under for the day.

1459 McGinley bogeys four and is back to -2, a scruffy start from the Irishman. Stewart Cink birdies four and joins playing partner Harrington on -4.

1457 Garcia sinks his birdie putt to move to -10. He is then given an added bonus as Stricker contrives to keep his tiddler out and has to settle for par. That moves the Spaniard four clear and could be a defining moment.

1456 Romero comes up with the third birdie of his round at six to join the group on -5.

1453 Fantastic approach from Stricker comes to rest no more than three feet from the hole at the third. That moves some pressure on to Garcia, but the Spaniard provides the perfect riposte as he puts his to within five feet to set up an equally good birdie opportunity.

1452 Broadhurst birdies the fifth and joins Green and partner Els on -5.

1451 Curtis very nearly rolls home a birdie putt on 18, but he'll have to settle for a par and 65. Great effort from the American who sets the clubhouse target at -3.

1449 Tiger reaches the turn in 35 with a par at the ninth but let's out an exasperated cry as he leaves his birdie attempt short. He knows he can't win if he doesn't give his putts a chance.

1448 Garcia and Stricker both find the third fairway with irons from the tee.

1447 Mahan picks up another shot at 14. He's five-under for the day and up to -3 on teh leaderboard.

1444 Good judgement from Garcia who rolls his putt from 20 yards to within about four feet at the second. He then confidently despatches for par, a solid start for the Spaniard. Stricker also makes his par and remains three back.

1441 McGinley looked in trouble at three having found a green-side bunker with his approach. But he promptly holes his third from the sand to move himself back to -3. The Irishman was more than a little fortunate there as his ball would have ended a long way past the pin had it not clattered into the flag and dropped.

1440 Harrington makes a birdie down three and he's now up to -4.

1439 Garcia finds rough down the left with his tee-shot at two but finds a decent lie and is able to find the green with his second.

1437 Richard Green is putting together a fantastic round. The Australian birdied 13 and then sunk a beautiful curling putt for eagle on 14 and from nowhere has charged up to -5. He's picked up seven shots so far today and could well post a decent target as the weather appears to be coming in again with rain starting to fall.

1435 Tiger loses momentum as he can only splash out to 20 feet on eight and his subsequent par-putt slides past. He's back to -2.

1433 Chris DiMarco, playing with McGinley, becomes the third man to reach -4 as he birdies the second. McGinley drops back as his lengthy par putt pulls up a whisker short and he drops back to -2.

1432 Both Stricker and Garcia head to the second tee with pars.

1431 Tiger pars the seventh, but his tee-shot at the par-three eighth leaks left and finds a greenside bunker.

1429: Confident first putt from Garcia leaves him two feet for an opening par.

1428: Rose climbs up to -2 as he reads his birdie putt on the fifth to perfection.

1426: Garcia squeaks on to the putting surface at the first, but Stricker will be the happier as he produces a fine second to leave himself an unlikely shot at birdie. That should settle the American after that rather nervy tee-shot.

1424: Els makes no mistake and a second successive birdie moves him to within four ofthe lead on -5. Can the 'Big Easy' force his way back into it? Broadhurst has to settle for par.

1423: The impressive Romero drains another birdie putt on four and is up to -4.

1422: Broadhurst and Els seem to be spurring each other on as both put their approaches to the third within ten feet.

1420: The leader is on the first tee and Sergio Garcia opens up in confident style as his iron sails down the centre of the first fairway. Closest challenger Steve Stricker hooks his opening tee-shot and finds the rough a long way left - he's lucky because a few yards further and he'd have been in the burn.

1418: Mahan's quiet progress continues and the American edges up to -2 after successive birdies at 10 and 11. Like Green he's four-under for his round.

1416: Harrington cannot convert from 15 feet on the first and he's underway with a solid par.

1415: Tiger's chip from off the green at six is not far off giving him a third consecutive birdie, but he'll have to settle for a five.

1414: Els and Broadhurst pull clear and up to -4 with matching birdies at the second. Els pumps his fist as he sinks a 30-footer, but Broadhurst is equally impressive as he rolls home from 15 feet.

1412: Argentine Andres Romero joins the log-jam on -3 as he birdies the third.

1410: Goosen makes his second birdie of the day at ten and is into the red on -1.

1408: Excellent start for Paul McGinley who spears his opening tee-shot down the centre of the first fairway. Playing partner Chris DiMarco does likewise.

1406: Rory McIlroy brings the curtain down on a fantastic week's work in fitting style with a superb birdie three down the last. It's a closing 72 and he ends up on +5. His opening 68 will be one of the memories of the championship.

1405: It's pars for both Broadhurst and Els at the first, they stay -3.

1403: As if to emphasise the point Curtis rolls home a 30-footer for eagle on 14. That takes the American to six-under for his round and into a tie for third on -3.

1402: The weather at Carnoustie really has cleared up immeasurably over the last hour and conditions are now set fair for some good scores. Garcia could yet have challenger or two now.

1400: Green made another birdie on nine to hit the turn in a startling 32 shots. He's started back with a two pars and currently sits -2, he could post a decent target at this rate.

1359: Crisp opening drive from Harrington finds the centre of the fairway on the first and gets a decent run on as well. Plenty of shouts of support for the popular Irishman, he'll need a couple of early birdies to get his challenge moving.

1357: Tiger makes no mistake with his birdie putt at five and eases himself into the group on -3. He's on the move.

1355: Furyk opened with a bogey, but he responds in good style with a birdie at the second. He'll need a few more and quickly if he's to have a say, he's -2.

1354: Curtis dropped a shot on 12, but he's straight back in the groove with a birdie-two at 13 to get himself back to -1.

1353: Johnson caresses home his birdie putt on six and the moves into the red on -1.

1352: Choi's birdie putt creeps past the hole and he starts with a par.

1351: Tiger flies a five-iron 200 yards into the fifth green and the ball pitches before feeding back towards the hole leaving him five feet for another birdie. He looks in the mood.

1348: Leading Englishman Paul Broadhurst tees off, he's playing with Ernie Els for the second day running and both men are in good shape down the first.

1345: KJ Choi isunderway, he's playing with Vijay Singh today. He struggled a little yesterday, but the Korean sends his approach to within around ten feet and has the chance to put an opening three on his card.

1342: Picture-book approach from Tiger sets up a birdie at four and he's up to -2. Is there still time for a Tiger charge?

1339: Edberg holes another lengthy putt on two but this time it's for bogey. Rose knocks home from four feet for birdie and gets his shot back straight away.

1337: Goosen rolls home his birdie putt and he's back to level-par. He's been spraying it about a bit, but that's seven pars and a birdie over his first eight holes.

1335: Foster taps home for par to close out a splendid 69 - to break 70 today is some achievement. He's ends on +4 for the championship.

1333: Donald is in with a closing 78, his worst of the week - seven bogeys and no birdies for the Englishman. He finishes a long way down the field on +13.

1331: Two cracking irons into the eighth mean that both Goosen and Westwood have realistic chances of birdie.

1328: Green saves par in some style at eight as he chips in, he remains -1.

1325: Foster makes a rare birdie two at 16 and moves to -2 for his round.

1321: Back-to-back birdies for McIlroy and he's level-par for the day.

1319: Pelle Edberg picks up where he left off after his bogey-free 67 yesterday with a birdie at the first. The Swede moves to -2 and if it hadn't been for a disastrous finish on Friday when he frittered away six shots over his final four holes, he'd now be just one adrift of our leader Garcia. Rose drops a shot after his trip to the sand.

1317: Curtis' charge continues as he rolls home a 20-footer on ten to move four-under for his round and into the red at -1 for the championship. Some effort from the 2003 champion.

1316: Tiger shows great touch and ushers his chip and run up to the hole-side. He starts with two pars.

1315: Rose's approach to the first comes up short and he drops into the bunker protecting the front of the green.

1313: Tiger misses the second green and ends up in a grassy mound to the left, a bit of work to do for his par now.

1312: Fasth strings together birdies at 12, 13 and 14 and is back to +2. The Swede always battles away until the bitter end.

1311: American Hunter Mahan is back to level-par with his second birdie of the day at the sixth.

1308: Justin Rose tees off and finds the light rough down the left of the first fairway. That's a decent spot to get at the flag from.

1306: McIlroy makes a birdie two at 13, he's just +1 for his round today and +5 overall. He's held things together in real style.

1304: Tiger's birdie putt slides past on the low side and he'll have to content himself with a four. He may be a tad disappointed, but Beem would happily swap places, he's opened with a double-bogey six.

1301: Westwood's par-putt on five kisses the hole but refuses to drop and he's back to +1.

1259: A towering iron from Tiger at the first drops in over the flag and leaves him 15-20 feet for an opening birdie.

1258: Dougherty drops a shot at the third and is back to +2.

1256: Like Curtis, Green has moved to -3 for his round with a birdie at six. The Australian is into red numbers for the tournament at -1.

1254: Tiger tees off and his iron finds the left-centre of the fairway. Playing partner Rich Beem is on the other side, but also in excellent shape.

1253: He's joined there by Masters champion Zach Johnson who gets his round off to a jaunty start bysinking a 40-footer for birdie at the second.

1252: Curtis is playing a blinder, another short birdie putt drops in on eight and the American is back to level-par for the championship.

1250: Tiger Woods marches on to the first tee. Let's see what today brings for the world number one, it really has been a mixed bag so far this week.

1248: Foster makes it back-to-back birdies with a four at 14 and was only a couple of inches away from an eagle three. He's +5.

1246: Goosen cannot sink his birdie putt and both he and Westwood head to the fourth with pars.

1244: Scott drops his first shot of teh day at five, but comes straight back with a birdie at the sixth.

1241: Curtis and Hoffman both remain -2 for the day through seven holes.

1239: Having again found trouble off the tee, Goosen produces another miraculous recovery shot from the rough on three and leaves himself with a real chance of birdie.

1237: Englishman Jon Bevan is back in the clubhouse with a 72, that's a tremendous round given the circumstances. He may be right towards the back of the field on +13, but he can be proud of his efforts today.

1234: Westwood makes a fine two-putt for par and offers a little clenched-fist salute to his caddie.

1232: Encouragingly Dougherty is off with his waterproof for his second at the second. Hopefully the rain is beginning to pass.

1230: Foster makes a fine birdie-two at the 13th and is back to level-par for his round.

1226: After finding thick rough with his drive at three, Westwood does well to bully his second on the green. But it's only just on, narrowly avoiding slipping back into the burn, and he's left with a frankly frightening 30-yard putt.

1224: Casey finds the centre of the cup on the first and he's back to level-par for the championship. Could the Englishman put together a last-round charge?

1222: Adam Scott has started with four straight pars, he remains +2.

1219: Fabulous mid-iron from Casey leaves him six or seven feet for birdie at the first.

1217: Hoffman drops one at the sixth and is back to +1.

1216: Nick Dougherty and Paul Casey are off and underway and both find the centre of teh fairway on the first.

1215: After leaving himself a very awkward stance after his drive found the edge of a fairway bunker on the second, Westwood produces a miraculous low runner that scampers up and on to the green. It comes to rest 10-12 feet from the hole and he'll have that for birdie.

1212: Green joins Hoffman at level-par with the second birdie of his round at three.

1210: Ben Curtis is another making light of the conditions at present, the 2003 champion from Royal St George's is -2 through five today after birdies at three and five.

1208: Lee Westwood is playing with Retief Goosen today, both men make their pars down the first.

1206: 1996 champion Tom Lehman is doing sterling work out there in the driving rain. He's level-par today through 14 holes.

1204: Niclas Fasth is putting together a solid round, he's level-par through eight holes. The Swede has played solidly enough this week, but has never quite got his challenge going after an opening 75.

1202: Australian Richard Green birdies the second and is back to +1.

1200: Teenage amateur Rory McIlroy has entertained us royally all week and the Silver Medal winner is +2 through seven today - quite respectable given the conditions.

1156: David Howell and Luke Donald are both +5 for their respective rounds and +11 for the tournament.

1152:Hoffman just goes from strength to strength, he must love the rain. The third birdie of his round at five has hauled him back to level-par - fantastic effort, can he keep it going?

1148: Good start also from Hoffman's playing partner, and fellow shaggy blonde mane owner, Ross Bain. The Scot has made birdie at three and is -1 for his round.

1145: Hoffman clearly had three Shredded Wheat for breakfast and he is -2 for the day.

1140: Poulter drops a shot at the second to slip to +4 for the championship.

1133: Hoffman is playing with Ross Bain and the latter also gets to red numbers for the day with a birdie on the third.

1127: The rain continues to pelt down as Poulter pars his opening hole.

1124: American Charley Hoffman starts par-birdie to go to one under for the day. Sensational stuff in the context!

1114: Foster drops a shot on the 6th so there is not one player under par for their fourth round.

1103: Conditions are clearly rotten as Foster remains the only man under par on the course. Ian Poulter could be the man to change that after his dazzling early charge on Saturday and he is off att 11.10am.

1040: Foster drops a shot at his next hole while Luke Donald has endured another disappointing Open week. He is +3 for the day and +9 for the championship.

1025: England's Mark Foster making a bit of a go of things and he is -2 for the day after three holes thanks to threes at the first and third. He is +4 for the championship now.

0950: The stragglers in the Open field are taking care of business at Carnoustie and with some of the early starters through their first half dozen holes, only Kevin Stadler is under par for the day.