• Open Championship: What They Said

Westwood feels ready to finally end major wait

Lee Westwood will have to watch out for Tiger Woods on Sunday © Getty Images

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Lee Westwood does not have a pleasant record at the business end of major championships, but is confident that can all change on Sunday. The Englishman takes a two-shot advantage into the final round.

"I know what it takes," Westwood said. "It's about believing you're good enough to win. Tomorrow is just another 18 holes. I've just got to go out with composure and try to believe I can win a major tournament."

On his third round, which contained an eagle at the fifth and long-range putt for a bogey at the 16th, he added: "Everybody makes bogeys - it's about who makes the fewest. The fact I was calm pleased me. My short game was sharp and I made the putts when I needed to. The bunker shot [to save par on the sixth] was the best shot I played all day. The approach to the 14th was also one of my best shots."

Westwood was playing alongside Tiger Woods, who had a bogey at the 17th to fall two shots in arrears. The world No. 1 was a bit bemused by some of the conditions at Muirfield. He said: "It was a grind. It was totally different from the last two days, it seemed like they didn't cut some of the greens or didn't roll them, they were much slower. We've had to adjust to different conditions all week and it's hard to get a feel for things.

On his chances of lifting that elusive 15th major title, Woods added: "I'm a couple back and there's one guy ahead of me and I'll have to play a solid round of golf. But I don't know about a number because it depends on the conditions, we'll see what they do tomorrow."

Phil Mickelson, two-over, reckons level-par might yet prove good enough to lift the Claret Jug.

"It was a good round," Mickelson said of his 72. "Anything around par today was a good round. "I think that I'll have to play a good round tomorrow, but I think it's right there."

Close friend Hunter Mahan, might have a better chance of winning - the American is in the final group after his 68. Mahan has a reputation on these shores, inspired mainly by the Ryder Cup in 2010, for being a choker - but insists tomorrow will not be about setting a record straight.

"I don't need any redemption or anything like that, just playing golf," the 31-year-old said. "I don't play golf for revenge or to make up for anything. I'm playing because I really like to play and it's the ultimate challenge playing major golf. So that's the only thing I'm worried about."

Elsewhere, the big drama involved youngster Hideki Matsuyama, who was penalised a shot for slow play after taking over two minutes on one particular shot. Matsuyama's playing partner, Johnson Wagner, thought the decision was a disgrace.

"Given his position in the tournament, and given the shot he faced on 17 laying it up out of the fescue over the gorse and pot bunkers I don't think he took too long," said Wagner, who had a 73. "I think he executed a really good shot and under the situation, I think it's tragic. And I think the R&A should use better judgment."

He added: "They said they gave him extra time. But his caddie had to pace all the way to the fairway, 100 yards to get his carry number. I'm as against slow play as anybody, and I respect everything everybody is doing. But man, the kid was playing great today ... and I think it's terrible that he got penalised."

David Rickman, rules officials for the R&A, stuck by the call.

"The timing official allowed all of that [Matsuyama's caddie's preparation] to happen before the watch was started," Rickman said. "So we feel that we were appropriately liberal with the starting of the timing procedure. ... So in the circumstances I confirmed to both players that I could see no reason to waive that bad time."

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