Young leads chasing pack

Cameron Young knows his Open destiny may be out his hands on Sunday but that won’t stop him straining every sinew to reel in Brian Harman.

The 26-year-old will join the leader in the final group with a five-shot deficit to make up as he looks to go one better than last year, when he finished runner-up by a shot behind Cameron Smith at St Andrews.

He shot a final day 65 on that occasion and something similar or better may be required if he is to turn the tables on his compatriot.

“With the lead he has right now, it's not necessarily going to be up to me,” he said.

“It's just really time for me to focus on myself and see where that gets me.

“I've been near the lead plenty. It's just a general kind of building of evidence and experience that I can lean on.

“It's not so much leaning on that [last year] as much as just I was excited to get over here and play. Links golf I think is different, and I think it's fun.

“I really enjoy this kind of golf, and I've had a good time playing this week.

“We're going to plan on the same plan of attack as the last few days and kind of see where we are after a few holes.”

A birdie at the 1st set the tone for Young’s third round and he moved into outright second when he picked up a shot at the last, momentum he will hope continues into Sunday.

“My iron play has been great,” he said.

“I’ve just hit a lot of greens and given myself plenty of chances.

“Honestly, I've putted really nicely, too. There was a couple short misses in there that are really annoying, but I think the greens are just a little tricky in places.

“I feel like I've really had pretty good control of my game on the whole.”

Young leads a talented chasing pack also including Viktor Hovland, who joined the American in shooting a 66 to move to -5 for the week.

The Norwegian was part of the final group 12 months ago and has continued his impressively consistent form in this year’s majors so far, with finishes of T7, T2 and 19th.

“I feel like I've had a lot of good weeks the last year where I really haven't felt like I've played amazing golf,” said Hovland, who will be part of the penultimate group alongside Jon Rahm.

“To be able to put myself in position to win tournaments with not my "A" game, I think that's been really cool.

“I think my short game has gotten a lot better, which has really allowed me to be able to do that.

“When my putter gets hot, that can really make up for some bad shots off the tee or some bad iron shots.”

Tommy Fleetwood will also begin on -5 having not found the birdies he was seeking in front of his passionate home crowd, with just one in his level-par round of 71.

“It was just one of those frustrating days, especially when there wasn't much wind blowing and it was pretty soft was when you felt like you could get a score,” he said.

“Level par is not a disastrous score. It just feels worse because I felt like I did have chances and could have built on that.

“It wasn't that bad. It's not like I've sat here and shot 5-, 6-over and I was really terrible, so there was a lot of good stuff, and there's still another day to go.

“It would be great to get off to a hot start. Just something to get the round going and build on that.”