• Deutsche Bank Championship, Round Three

Oosthuizen flirts with greatness at Deutsche Bank

Louis Oosthuizen obliterated the field on day three © PA Photos

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Louis Oosthuizen had experts debating if they had witnessed some of the finest golf ever seen on the PGA Tour on Sunday, after he produced a magical front nine to lead the Deutsche Bank Championship at the close of round three.

Johnny Miller, a two-time major winner and twice ranked No. 2 in the world behind Jack Nicklaus in the 1970s, offered the high praise to Oosthuizen following a run of seven consecutive birdies at TPC Boston, which saw him complete the front nine in 29 strokes. He eventually signed for an eight-under-par 63 to establish a three-stroke lead on 19-under.

Rory McIlroy, the overnight leader, found himself trailing at one stage by seven shots - having done little wrong. He eventually closed the gap to get up to 16-under, while Tiger Woods remains in contention on 13-under.

It looked like McIlroy was in the mood to create the day's headlines when he fashioned an early eagle chance at the second, and when both he and Oosthuizen settled for birdie there was little sign of what the South African was about to produce. From hole four he embarked on a run of six back-to-back birdies prior to the turn, extending that run to seven at the 10th.

The 2010 Open Championship winner attacked every pin and barely missed a putt as he became the first man to break the 30 barrier at Boston. Thoughts turned to a possible 59 as Oosthuizen sunk four putts over 15 feet, but he inevitably slowed, bogeying 17 before birdying 18 to allow his closest challengers back into the race.

McIlroy had made the better start with birdies at one and two, but under the pressure of seeing his playing partner rattle off a succession of birdies, the Northern Irishman then bogeyed seven. Suddenly looking at a yawning gap to the leader as he approached the 11th, McIlroy did manage to cut into Oosthuizen's lead on the way back to the clubhouse, birdying 11, 12 and 16 before adding one more at 18 to complete a 67 and keep his victory hopes alive.

Woods finds himself tied for third with Dustin Johnson, having struggled for accuracy off the tee. Typically the American's iron play helped him post a 68, but he will know from Oosthuizen's example that victory is still an option on Monday.

Elsewhere, Phil Mickelson is ten strokes off the pace on nine-under, while Lee Westwood is the highest-ranking Englishman on five-under. Luke Donald is a stroke further back, while Ian Poulter clearly enjoyed Arsenal's victory over Liverpool too much after he hit a 75 to fall to level par. Poulter faces a fight to stay in the FedEx top 70 in order to advance to the BMW Championship - currently 55th in the projection.

Graeme McDowell and Padraig Harrington are now the two lowest-placed competitors in the field after falling to six-over.

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