Relive Zach Johnson winning The Open

1. America's Zach Johnson wins The Open after four-hole play-off
2. -1 Z Johnson
3. Level: L Oosthuizen
4. +2: M Leishman

After heavy rain and high winds disrupted the early part of an Open Championship missing the world's best player in Rory McIlroy, some feared they heard a nail being hammered into the sport's coffin. They were wrong.

Once the business end of the action finally got going, we had thrills, spills, birdies galore and a grandstand finish. About 20 men could have won the famous Claret Jug. This man, with scintillating golf and nerves of steel, did win the famous Claret Jug...

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See you in Troon next year....

Ken Brown

BBC Sport commentator

"You couldn't get a more exciting event. It is the ultimate challenge. And it's nice we still keep coming back here. It's still got it, it's still special, it's still magic and the best place to win an Open."

Praise for Zach

Praise for Zach

Ben Dirs

BBC Sport at St Andrews

"As Zach Johnson was handed the Claret Jug, the sun broke through and it started raining simultaneously. Lovely stuff."

The moment Zach Johnson won The Open

Missed the big moment? Or just enjoyed Zach Johnson's triumph so much that you want to see it again? Hopefully it is the latter.

Watch the moment when the American won The Open after Louis Oosthuizen misses a putt on the final play-off hole. He's happy - honestly.

BBC Sport

Champagne moment

End of the speech but not the end of the celebrations. Zach Johnson wanders off down the side of the 18th hole, high-fiving grinning fans as he clutches the Claret Jug. He's off down to the Swilcan Bridge for that iconic photo which you're going to see pretty regularly over the coming weeks.

Ken Brown

BBC Sport commentator

"He keeps the ball low, has a beautiful putter and a good game. You can have all that but you need the nerve as well and he has that."

Champagne moment

Zach Johnson: "The R&A host and showcase one of the best events in sport, let alone golf. I am always honoured to be invited - now as champion of The Open it is a little more surreal."

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Luke Roe: Has to be said. Zach Johnson seems like just a lovely chap. Well deserved win.

Mark Yates: Watson, Faldo, Ivor all gone, but many future heroes to fill the void. An amazing Open and well done Zach on second major.

Daniel John: Zach Johnson The Open champion. So gracious in victory.

Zach Johnson wins The Open

Hazel Irvine

BBC Sport Presenter

BBC

"A marathon speech at the end of a marathon week.

"Zach Johnson becomes the ninth American to win at St Andrews."

Champagne moment

More eloquent words from an emotional Johnson: "I would like to congratulate Jordan, Louis and Marc - they could be standing here now. This has been a trying week. For us players it is never easy but, with the elements, the golf course played fantastic. The green staff, and such like have been tremendous. They are the champions.

"It was a beautiful Scottish sunny day and you guys came out. The fans have been fantastic. It has been a pleasure to play in front of you."

Champagne moment

Zach Johnson clutches the Claret Jug is his right arm, cradling the silver trophy like a baby. And he looks as proud as a man who has just become a father for the first time. "Dreams have been realised, I am humbled and honoured. I am speechless," says the 39-year-old American, who raises his voice so he can be heard over the St Andrews seagulls squawking overhead.

Iain Carter

BBC golf correspondent on Radio 5 live

"It's a triumphant walk for Zach Johnson. He politely raises his right hand to acknowledge the crowd and looks up at the golfing Gods. He is now a two time major Champion."

Champagne moment

BBC

And looking far more fresh than he did on the course in a pair of cream trousers and white jumper, Zach Johnson makes the walk to the presentation party. He will have lived this out in his dreams. The Claret Jug is in his grip, he nestles it into his chest. We await a kiss and a lift. It's time for a speech first.

Champagne moment

Louis Oosthuizen is followed out of the wings by Marc Leishman, each waving to the crowd as they wander back onto the putting surface. A huge cheer for both men as they collect big leather boxes containing their silver salvers. Both fellas also cast an envious look at the table where the gleaming Claret Jug stands...

Champagne moment

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Here is a name we will undoubtedly hear lots more about - Jordan Niebrugge. Up he strides in a dashing pair of red trousers to collect the silver medal - the award given to the best-performing amateur.

Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy are just two of the names to have won the prize in the past. Niebrugge, who could be lining up for the US Ryder Cup team in the coming years, shot 11 under and tied for sixth overall.

Champagne moment

Anyone who has ever watched a golf presentation doesn't need us to tell you that these things aren't particular lively. Plenty of gratitude to everyone and anyone who has been within a putt of St Andrews this week, plenty of polite applause following each sentence. Right enough of that...here's R&A chief executive Peter Dawson to announce the prize winners...

Champagne moment

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Zach Johnson strips off his waterproof bottoms on the side of the 18th green. I mean, you don't want to look like a scruff when the winning images are being flashed across the world do you? The American waits patiently for the presentation party to set up, several navy R&A suits and ties shuffling into place on the green carpet.

Mrs Johnson thinking of home

Kim Johnson, wife of The Open champion, on BBC Two: "It hasn't sunk in. I think he knew he needed the putt on 18 for a chance of a play-off. I think he knew it would come down to a play-off. I knew he always had it in him. I kind of felt this was going to be his week, I can't believe it.

"We are going home with the Claret Jug to see our kids. Our middle son is turning five this week so we will have that party."

Champagne moment

No time for Zach Johnson and his wife Kim to celebrate in the historic town of St Andrews tonight. They are heading straight back home to see the kids, Kim tells us. Sure they will be cracking open a bottle of bubbly on the flight home. Johnson can even upgrade to first class now he has a winning cheque of £1.15m in his back pocket...

Johnson feels for Oosthuizen

Our champion added: "I don't like seeing it end on a miss. Louis is a friend, buddy and a tremendous competitor."

Champion golfer of 2015

When asked what the words 2015 Open Champion sounds like, Zach Johnson said on BBC Two: "It sounds beautiful. It still sounds extremely sureal. The tone to it is very humbling. I feel blessed to be the champion and honoured to be part of the history of this game.

"To don my name on that trophy is humbling and surreal.

"It has been a week of patience, courage and trust. I can't play any better than I did. I just stayed in it, waited for the opportunities and made a few putts.

"My wife and I are the team. She's the CEO as she claims. She's my rock. It doesn't matter what I shoot she's there. She is the head of it and it trickles down to my family and friends."

Champagne moment

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When Zach Johnson returns to his Iowa home, he will have to make room for the Claret Jug and a Gold Medal in his trophy cabinet. It already has a Green Jacket in there remember after his 2007 Masters success. "I couldn't have played any better today," he tells BBC Sport.

Spieth on the final three

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Masters and US Open champion Jordan Spieth has been collared by BBC Radio 5 live: "For those three to get to 15 under today was just incredible. All three of these guys played fantastic golf. For a guy who has taken me under his wing the last few years, it's fantastic."

Champagne moment

BBC

Zach Johnson removes his cap, sweaty brow revealed, waving to all sides of the famous 18th hole. His good lady Kim soon joins him on the green, Johnson struggling to hold back the tears as they share a loving embrace.

Gracious Louis

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Louis Oosthuizen on BBC Two: "I love it around here. I love this golf course. I played well, did well to get into the play-off. It was a really tough back nine. I made good putts, I'm not going to look back at the misses on 17 and 18. Well done to Zach.

"The final putt was a tough little shot and I just miss-read it."

Iain Carter

BBC golf correspondent on Radio 5 live

"Zach Johnson is able to hug his caddie on the 18th and celebrate as he is Open champion. He cannot quite believe it. He is now a two time Major champion. And guess whose marching out to congratulate him. Jordan Spieth. That young man really has class."

Zach Johnson wins The Open

Ken Brown

BBC Sport commentator

"He has the Green Jacket to go with the Claret Jug. It doesn't get much better than that."

Champagne moment

All over! Louis Oosthuizen races his crucial putt past the left side of the final hole - and that means Zach Johnson is the 2015 Open champion.

The 39-year-old American momentarily refuses to remove his yellow-tinted sunglasses. Probably because he is weeping tears of joy. Eventually they come off as he embraces his caddie on the 18th green.

Fourth play-off hole

This one to take the 144th Open to a sudden-death play-off. Or not. If Louis Oosthuizen misses it then Zach Johnson lifts the Claret Jug...

Fourth play-off hole

Marc Leishman will putt first, in truth there is nothing on it, his race, though fantastic, is run. He makes par.

The drama awaits. If Zach Johnson downs this 12 footer he will lift the Claret Jug. My word, another twist -, on comes a rules official to decide if Johnson can repair a blemish on the green between his ball and the cup. A walky-talky needed before the potentially winning putt.

No action taken, if nothing else the delay gave Johnson thinking time. He sends it on it's way, left-to-right break...pushed. It will be par only and Louis Oosthuizen, it's over to you.

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Paolo Brand: Surely there's one last twist in an Open FULL of crazy twists.

Fourth play-off hole

Louis Oosthuizen needs to dump this one in the can to pile the pressure back on Zach Johnson. In the Valley of Sin, the South African takes plenty of practice swings, running the shot through his mind. He hits the front slope, a couple of rolls, before coming to a halt about six foot past.

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Over to you Mr Johnson...

Fourth play-off hole

Ken Brown

BBC Sport commentator

"An Oosthuizen chip in would put the cat among the pigeons."

Fourth play-off hole

Marc Leishman is not in this any more. He chips through the Valley of Sin - his ball sticking the brakes on as it hits the front fringe, trundling back down the slope. "That's cruel," says a sympathetic Peter Allis. Quite.

Final play-off hole

It's a flat track into this green for Zach Johnson. He'll just want a single putt for the win but can he secure it? A good chip... grip... lot's of grip and his ball spins back closer to the pin. There you go Zach, 12 feet or so for your second major. Unless Louis Oosthuizen holes his chip of course. Stranger things have happened.

BBC

Philip Parkin

BBC TV on-the-course commentator

"Chances are if he hits one great shot now from 75 yards, Zach Johnson will win The Open."

Fourth play-off hole

It is the second time Louis Oosthuizen has played this playoff route: 1-2-17-18. He did so with Watson, Ian Baker Finch and Todd Hamilton in the Champion's Challenge on Wednesday.

Fourth play-off hole

Marc Leishman is a man with nothing to lose. Steady stuff - the pressure is off really. Nice drive down the middle, over the road, not close to Oosthuizen's monster though, veering off left.

Fourth play-off hole

Oosthuizen crushes his tee shot. What would he give for a repeat of his last hole in regulation now? He will be central in the fairway with a short wedge into the pin. There will be no playing safe on this stretch. Pin-seek and live with the glory or failure.

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Fourth play-off hole

Still Zach Johnson's honour on the last tee. Thwack! A little left from the American but it is safe. What has Louis Oosthuizen got in response....

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Third play-off hole

Andrew Cotter

BBC Sport commentator

"Leishman is now beginning to look like he is just accompanying these two. It's a shame because he played so well earlier. He needs something miraculous at the last."

BBC

Third play-off hole

Zach Johnson summons his inner Harry Potter from the rough, can he flick this in... he can't. No Magic there and he faces five feet for bogey.

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Marc Leishman is nearing the end game, this must drop for par but doesn't. It is sad in many ways after such wonderful rounds on Sunday and Monday. Oosthuizen, this could really swing the scoring if he makes par...NO.

What fine margins they live or die by. Half an inch at most, absolutely agonising. It's bogey and Johnson makes the same. Three bogeys.

We go to the last.

Third play-off hole

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Zach Johnson marches around. This is a dilemma. Do you go over the bunker? Do you putt around it? Do you chip around it?

He mentions "the other option" to his caddie which underlines the risk-reward scenarios racing through his mind. He goes for height, will it drop like a stone... no. Through the green and nestled in rough but short of the road.

To Mark Leishman, his putt is 50 feet or more and uphill. A big swing, a nice contact but 12 feet short. And Louis Oosthuizen, still wearing a cap Jay-Z would be proud of, is also short by six feet.

All men have taken two blows and have work to do.

Peter Alliss

BBC Sport commentator

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"Zach Johnson said the one place he did not want to go was short and left, well he has gone level and left. It will be interesting to see what he does from here. It does not look very inviting."

Third play-off hole

Ken Brown

BBC Sport commentator

"The plot thickens with that second shot from Zach Johnson. He might have snookered himself. He is going to have to go over the Road Hole bunker. It opens up the door for the lads."

Third play-off hole

The leader looks most concerned with his arrow towards the 17th green. Zach Johnson - with orange-tinted sunglasses on - looks like a scientist hard at work in the lab. He won't like his third shot though as the Road Hole bunker sits between his ball and a flag cut tight to the edge of the green.

Louis Ooshuizen and Marc Leishman are safe at the front of the green but their long putting will be severely tested.

Third play-off hole

Zach Johnson goes for a right to left arc...

BBC

Louis Oosthuizen boldly chases the 'Tiger line'...

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While Marc Leishman smashes a brave fade over the Old Course Hotel...

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Third play-off hole

Par here is the aim. Don't try and dance with the devil. There have been 53 bogeys or worse on the 17th today and only one birdie - Billy Horschel.

Third play-off hole

And so to the 17th. This golf hole can probably tempt some to give up the game. It is a menace but a stage where on occasions like this, drama is inevitable.

They all take their line over the sign on The Old Course Hotel. Keep it straight, keep it true, this is no fun under this pressure. That's why they are here, tee shots like that. Perfect.

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Tom Dodd: Louis and Zach could take us into darkness at this rate. High quality playoff to cap a high quality championship.

John Patrick: One of the greatest majors ever!

James Pearce: All this drama, remember, without McIlroy.

Second play-off hole

Marc Leishman was red hot, he fired closing rounds of 64 and 66 to get here. Has he lost his touch with the putter... no. A great putt goes close and will secure par but he needs more. Louis Oosthuizen with the short stick... great weight... tap-in par.

Zach Johnson, a chance for a big blow to be landed. Three practice swings, YES! It broke right to left and buried. A fist pump follows which is packed with fight.

BBC

Ken Brown

BBC Sport commentator

"Over a period of time Zach Johnson is probably the best putter of the three of them."

'I'll be expecting present if Johnson wins'

Ged Scott

BBC Sport at St Andrews

Reuters

Zach Johnson's playing partner today was Yorkshireman Danny Willett, who ended up on 11 under, four shots adrift.

"I've played with him a few times and he's a great guy," Willett told BBC Sport. "We kept each other relatively calm on a very tricky day.

"If he does win today, it will be down to his pitching. Anything inside 100 yards and he was lethal.

"And, as for that last putt of his on 18, I gave him a bit of a read on that, so I'll be expecting a bit of a present in the post."

Second play-off hole

Zach Johnson, the floor is yours... here he comes and it's rock solid. Johnson is known on Tour for being heroic with his wedges and you get the feeling he will not implode and will need to be beaten into submission.

Onto the green he goes, around 15 feet left. Oosthuizen and Leishman follow him up there and all three have outside chances for a three.

This is a play-off and chess match rolled into one. You can feel how tense things are as the galleries are awash with silence.

BBC

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Ian Emery: Peter Alliss is a commentating god. They broke the mould with him.

Scotty Wheeler: He drowned in a bath of muesli. A strong current pulled him in. Classic Peter Alliss

Tim Colemere: I'll miss BBC golf's banter, nothing quite like it.

Bronze medal for amateurs

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A bronze medal is being readied for one of the amateurs. Don't forget each of the five who played all 72 holes receives a bronze medal, apart from America's Jordan Niebrugge who collects the silver medal for being top amateur on 11 under par.

Second play-off hole

Zach Johnson throws the oven gloves on to keep his hands toasty. I may buy my nan a set of them for Christmas in the hope I can use them on the local course if she decides her baking career is over.

Up the fairway go the tee shots of all three men. This is another par four which averaged 3.95 strokes today. It's not one to be overly aggressive on.

Only Johnson made birdie here in his earlier round.

Peter Alliss

BBC Sport commentator

"The four-hole play-off has a lot of merit. But there is also merit in having an 18-hole play-off. My father tied with Walter Hagen at the Canadian Open in 1931 and they had a 36-hole play-off - and they were still tied! Hagen beat the old man at the 37th hole."

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No wonder Marc Leishman is grimacing. He already has to claw two shots back with three holes left to play...

Louis Oosthuizen's putter is red hot. He has four single putts in a row now.

Andrew Cotter

BBC Sport commentator

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"His putt on 16 was brilliant, 17 was even better and then the 18th. Oosthuizen is on a roll with his putter. What a way to start."

First play-off hole

Marc Leishman - I love his optimism. He has sunglasses hooked onto the back of his cap. Did he not see the weather forecast or look out the window earlier.

He needs to be optimistic with a putt like this, it's 20 feet or more and stops four feet short. Not bad but can Louis Oosthuizen rubbish it from closer in... good strike... it's underground. The cup has been woken. Courageous birdie and keeps his momentum going.

What have you got Zach Johnson? Abundance that's what. Perfectly judged putt and Leishman's par misses. The groans from the galleries buckled my knees, never mind his.

Ken Brown

BBC Sport commentator

"Oooh, excellent. Zach Johnson was watching very carefully there. It must have only been about four foot over Swilcan Burn when it landed."

First play-off hole

A reminder we play holes ones, two, 17 and 18. It will be Louis Oosthuizen to fire into the green first before his rivals. Big divot, lots of grip, 12 feet left. Solid.

Marc Leishman, a bigger divot, onto the dance floor at the same angle as Oosthuizen but with twice as far for birdie. Oosthuizen will get a read on the line of the putt from the Australian. Now to Zach Johnson, lots of spin, the ball grips and he has the shortest putt left - 10 feet.

On the first

Veteran Open announcer Ivor Robson trots back out onto the first tee, welcoming Louis Oosthuizen, Marc Leishman and Zach Johnson back out. Whoosh! Oosthuizen finds the middle. Crash! Leishman follows suit. Wallop! Johnson makes it a perfect three.

Andrew Cotter

BBC Sport commentator

"Oosthuizen would be my pick, if I had to pick. He has looked so calm all day."

The last three men in The Open ring are ready to rumble. Ding, ding, let's go....

For continued coverage of the golf, switch to BBC Two now. You can continue to watch online on this page.

Ben Dirs

BBC Sport at St Andrews

"Leishman and Johnson went from doing their best of ignoring each other on the putting green, to watching Oosthuizen's birdie putt on 18, to doing their best to not look bothered that he'd just joined them in the play-off.

"Dear old Ivor Robson just had the shortest retirement in history...

John Inverdale

BBC Radio 5 live presenter

"Lots of people have their waterproofs and back-packs on. It's like a multi-coloured convention for ramblers."

The play-off

Getty Images

Louis Oosthuizen lost a play-off to Bubba Watson at the 2012 Masters. From what we can see, Marc Leishman has never played in one in a PGA Tour event.

Player reaction

Jason Day after missing out on a play-off by one shot on BBC One: "It is so hard to explain. I worked so hard for this and to have it in my hands so close. I hit a good putt on the last hole, I just didn't expect it to be so slow. It is disappointing but I played good golf. I gave it 100 percent but it just wasn't good enough.

"I know I am doing the right things, I just have to keep going."

Play-off time

Ken Brown

BBC Sport commentator

A four hole play-off is fairer than a sudden-death play-off when you can go down the first and make one silly mistake and lose The Open. There is a lot at stake."

Play-off format

What happens if two or more players are tied after 72 holes? That is a question that I'm sure the new golf fans among you may be asking. So here's the drill at The Open...

• A four-hole play-off immediately follows the conclusion of the final round
• The competing players will play the first, second, 17th and 18th holes
• The winner is determined by the lowest aggregate score
• Any players still tied continue in a sudden-death format on the 18th until we find a winner

Ken Brown

BBC Sport commentator

Beautifully holed from Louis Oosthuizen. He took the break out of it, bulleted it right into the back of the cup.

Birdie

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Oosthuizen. Rarely are putts bigger and more pressured. Just six feet... BANG. He put every ounce of his being into it. We have a three-way play-off.

Louis Oosthuizen, Marc Leishman and Zach Johnson. Only Leishman is without a major title.

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Harry: Gutted Spieth won't be doing the Grand Slam this year, no doubt he'll have other opportunities. Double bogey on the 8th cost him.

Kyle Whitehead: Can't remember ever watching the golf with so much interest.

Jonathan Hinton: ‏Didn't think Jack Whitehall was a golf fan?!

BBC Sport

Paul Dunne looks windswept both physically and mentally. The 22-year-old is five over today and will drop more shots here. His putt for par is all of 20 feet and goes close, in goes the tap-in for bogey and six over, six under for the tournament.

Applause aplenty. A superb tournament. A harsh final day.

Peter Alliss

BBC Sport commentator

Louis Oosthuizen struck that so beautifully. That would have been a travesty if it hadn't gone close.

Louis Oosthuizen then - but not before Paul Dunne hits a horrible shot through the final green - can keep his hopes of a second career major alive here. He is two under today, rock solid. Here comes his chip... it will be lofted rather than a low skidder... wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.

Just five feet left for birdie and a play-off. A superb strike of the golf ball.

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Nineteen appearances at the Majors. Nine finishes inside the top 10. No victories. This is how Jason Day feels after another near miss...

BBC

But it is the Aussie's best finish at an Open by a long way. Small consolations and all that...

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Louis Oosthuizen holed one of the most resilient putts you ever will see on 17 for par and is on the 18th fairway knowing - like Jordan Spieth and Jason Day - a birdie takes him into a play-off.

Day is next up, the man with eight top-10 major finishes but no wins. Make that nine top-10 finishes without a win. His long putt on 18 won't get there. Nearly. A word he is all too familiar with.

Out comes the yardage book. All Jordan Spieth needs to read are these words... "hole it."

This is his third shot on this par four and only birdie will make the play-off. Only a birdie can keep the Grand Slam hopes alive. Here it comes, it's a long putt from off the green... it's close... it's close. And that's it, the end of his dream. The finest of margins between failure and glory.

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Still they wait...

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Zach Johnson and Marc Leishman are looking nailed on to get in a play-off. Louis Oosthuizen could spoil that of course by chipping in for an eagle two at the last...

Peter Alliss

BBC Sport commentator

"Everything Jordan Spieth didn't want. He was unable to control the spin."

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Spieth has 102 yards to the green from the left of the 18th fairway. He takes around six-to-eight practice swings and talks to his caddie. Any words of wisdom?

Oh no... a camera goes off in his back swing and he stops with a sigh. "Come on, reset," says the caddie to his employer. The ball is in flight, it's at the flag, looks good... pitch and back spin. Back spin galore - the ball rolls off the green. It will take a chip of wizardry to join the play-off. It has to be holed.

What for Jason Day? Ball in the air... "sit, sit," he says. Over the flag and around 15 feet for the birdie he needs.

Ken Brown

BBC Sport commentator

"If Jordan Spieth wins here, he will go to world number one and become the youngest Open champion since 1893."

Zach Johnson and Marc Leishman wait. Will they face just one another? Will they be joined by Jason Day, Jordan Spieth, Louis Oosthuizen or all three?

Oosthuizen has work to do on 17 to make par - a chip from the fringes of the green and a putt will send him up 18 knowing a birdie will earn a play-off.

The 18th hole is the only one of the last six on The Old Course playing under par today so both Jason Day and Jordan Spieth still have hope. Day finds the nice grass, Spieth too is on the fairway but it's not hard on this hole - the fairway is 140 yards wide.

In truth, Spieth produced an erratic strike. Both will have a wedge into the dance floor. My word, what pressure.

Spieth's monster putt

Jordan Spieth ties for the lead on -15 with a monster putt at the 16th.

Watch video of the putt that kept Jordan Spieth in the hunt to win a remarkable third major of 2015.

BBC Sport

Nervous times...

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"What's going on then Dan Walker?"

"You are probably about to play a play-off Zach Johnson"

Bogey

Jordan Spieth, it's 10 feet or more and needs to drop if he is to save par and play the 18th knowing a birdie will win him a third major in a row. It's not a nice putt and he gets little change from it. Bogey. He now needs a three on the final drag to join the play-off.

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The glare of Jason Day. What a glare at the hole. Full throttle focus.

He needs to get up and down and my word, he is going to putt from off the green and skirt the edge of the Road Hole bunker. Don't close your eyes, pray a little and just swing it... great putt. Around three feet for par left.

Bogey

Not quite the finish that Padraig Harrington envisaged. The Irishman has slipped off the radar in recent times, but put himself in the frame for a third Open triumph with three birdies in his opening four holes. Unfortunately it all went south from there. He misses a par putt from about five foot on the last - and that sums up his final 13 holes...

BBC

Ken Brown

BBC Sport commentator

"The hand of history is tapping him on the shoulder."

Jordan Spieth pitches into 17, his third shot on the horrible par four. It looks good on pitch but runs a little and boy oh boy, what a nerve jangler Spieth has to come. All of 10 feet.

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Play-off time?

Eilidh Barbour

BBC Radio 5 live commentator

"Unless Jordan Spieth can pull something out the bag we are heading for a play-off."

"Beauty. Beauty." The words of Louis Oosthuizen's caddie on the 17th tee.

A word on Irish amateur Paul Dunne as he tees off with the South African - a good tee shot by the way. Dunne is four over today and eight under for the tournament which currently sees him tied for 18th. After leading tonight he won't even get the amateur's silver medal. Jordan Niebrugge will get it at -11.

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Leishman at the 18th... Fifteen feet... is it? No. He rolls the ball past and pars. The Australian joins Zach Johnson as the clubhouse leader. Jordan Spieth is with them on -15 and has two holes to play.

Planning for a play-off? Zach Johnson is. The clubhouse leader is back of the driving range, keeping his muscles warm and his head focused for what might lie ahead...

BBC

Jordan Spieth is breaking my nerves into bits. He pulls away from his approach into 17 mid-swing to wipe the club. Meanwhile Louis Oosthuizen puts a brave one for par on 16 - that had to drop and he is still in it.

Spieth is back at address. The wild weather is just that - wild. A vicious swing and his ball is safe but a testing up and down to come.

Ken Brown

BBC Sport commentator

"A little easier angle than Zach Johnson's. Not quite so much across the slope."

So, Marc Leishman, the biggest shot of your life? Perhaps.

The joint leader will know the valley of sin awaits any error... no error as he lands the ball 25 feet away from the pin on the green, before some wicked back spin takes the ball to 15 feet. A putt to win The Open?

All depends on Mr Spieth of course.

Feeling it folks? I know we are here. What is coming next?

Louis Oosthuizen, who of course started today as co-leader has a long putt for birdie on 16 and needs something to drop. He is currently not part of what would be a three-way play-off.

Here it comes, races it, gave it guts and went for glory but there's nothing doing and now, his par putt is laced with evil.

Marc Leishman looks like a man on a mission. He strides purposefully from the 18th tee, knowing one perfect iron and a putt could land him The Open title.

Huge applause as he waves to the galleries, before settling down to business.

It's good-bye from him

Peter Alliss

BBC Sport commentator

"I first came here in 1948 and this is the last time I'll report on any golf from St Andrews. It's been a wonderful journey and it ain't finished yet."

Engraving pen at the ready

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Mike Fowle: Jordan Speith take a bow!

Louis Dasilva: Not too bad is young Mr Spieth

Mike Thomas: Jordan Spieth is unreal, pulls it out of the bag at the most vital moment.

Jordan Niebrugge takes his time over his final putt of a dream week at St Andrews - then takes the acclaim of the crowd after sinking it. The 21-year-old American - barring a flurry of birdies from Paul Dunne - will take the Silver Medal for finishing as the leading amateur. Rounds of 67, 73, 67 and 70 should see to that.

Marc Leishman is in for par and he goes down the 18th tied with clubhouse leader Zach Johnson and Jordan Spieth, who has two holes left. A safe drive down the fairway.

And this is what it means. What a putt. The Grand Slam is still on.

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Jason Day could only make par on 16 but as he has done many time today, rolled home a tester. He needs a makeable birdie putt.

"If I have a chance coming down the stretch, if it creeps in, I'll embrace it. I'll embrace the opportunity that presents itself."

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Those were the words of Jordan Spieth. Is the weight of history weighing his young, 21-year-old shoulders down. He has a birdie putt from all of 30 feet on 16. Is this the moment? Is this the moment. YES. Bingo. What a putt from Spieth. It had the magic those famous putts have. It clung to the lip and then decided to bow to gravity.

He ties the lead. Incredible.

Ben Dirs

BBC Sport at St Andrews

"A lot of love out there for Sergio Garcia, he would have been a spectacularly popular winner this evening. Golf is a game that starts slow, comes to a simmer before boiling over down the final stretch. Still impossible to pick a winner from here, Spieth, Day and Oosthuizen more likely to drop shots on their final three holes as they are to nick one..."

Peter Alliss

BBC Sport commentator

"It's been said many times that someday you'll win one. Sometimes it doesn't happen."

Sergio Garcia's long toil for a Major title continues. For a while it looked like the popular Spaniard was going to challenge - at the 67th attempt - but the 35-year-old's challenge faded on the back nine with a trio of bogeys.

Marc Leishman, tied for the lead, with a huge putt from just off the green on 17...a solid putt up the hill... superb. He leaves himself a tap in for par.

We can have a tied leader... Louis Oosthuizen for birdie and 15 under...

BBC

A stroke... is it good... looks it... shy. Shy of pace and it just drips left of the hole. Three holes to find one stroke. One stroke. That's all it needs. What is that one blow worth?

Marc Leishman's second on the 17th and he will take that. The ball just about creeps to the edge of the green but he leaves himself a mammoth up and down for par. He is currently joint leader with Zach Johnson, who is in the clubhouse...

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That's right Zach, keep practicing your putting. You could be back out in a while for a play-off...

Back to back Open wins at St Andrews?

The winning putt?

Watch video of the putt that could have won Zach Johnson The Open.

BBC Sport

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Marc Leishman and Zach Johnson are out in front, but there are three others just one shot back. Tight, tight, tight. Five players can still win this.

Jordan Spieth. The words every man and his dog have said in recent minutes "he's hanging in there."

The 15th green could improve his chances somewhat. Birdie putt makes it's way to the hole but no, not on line. Could this be the end of Jason Day?

BBC

Not the par putt you want at this stage... four feet... wonderful bottle. Wonderful bottle. Drains it.

Birdie

Huge ovation for Justin Rose as he sinks another birdie at the last. The Englishman confidently rolls in from a distance roughly equivalent of an average-sized British man, lifting his putter towards the sky in celebration. That puts him level with Danny Willett as the leading home player.

Has Marc Leishman ever had a more important drive? A few swashbuckling swings of the driver and he lands on the second fairway. Decent enough but he has a horrible approach right over the bunker left. Talk about tense.

An instant recovery on the next hole would suit Marc Leishman to a tee. The problem? The next is the much-feared Road Hole.

Widely regarded as the toughest par four in world golf, the 17th on the Old Course has been the hardest hole this week. The 495-yard par four has been played at an average of 4.653, with only nine birdies being made here over the last five days.

The Aussie looks petrified on the tee box. And no wonder...

"Be right. Be right ball." Jordan Spieth has talked his ball to death today. Maybe he's bonded with this one. Remember he threw one ball in anger earlier.

Here comes his iron into 15, it's a par four so needs to be good. It is. A 12-15 footer for his birdie and what could be a crucial shot. This man is well in this. What a finish we have.

Over to Louis Oosthuizen on 14 for birdie... a slider. No good.

Bogey

So Marc Leishman, how's your bottle? One ahead and a putt for par from six feet on 16.. ooh, he's pushed it. Get warm Zach Johnson you are back level and could be set for a play-off. Agony for the Australian and he still has the treacherous 17 to play.

Double bogey

Most people would be storming off back to the clubhouse if they had capitulated on the back nine of the final round of a Major. Again. Not Adam Scott however. The affable Aussie signs a few autographs, and manages a weary smile, as he trudges off the 18th - which he has just double bogeyed.

"Very sad. Very sad indeed," says sympathetic BBC commentator Peter Alliss. Scott carded 31 out, but a whopping 40 home after dropping five shots in the final five holes.

No comment

John Inverdale

BBC Radio 5 live presenter

"Zach Johnson has decided not to do any media. He's headed off to the practice ground to keep loose in case he is in a play-off."

What a shot!

The leader Marc Leishman arrows his second on 16 into the bunker... what a recovery though as he lands the ball from the sand to within six feet. He looks very, very solid.

Ben Dirs

BBC Sport at St Andrews

"The look that followed that long putt by Zach Johnson was followed by a look that said: 'You know what? I think I might have done enough to win this.'

"The atmosphere at St Andrews is becoming more fevered, the consensus seems to be that we're nailed on for a play-off..."

Wall crumbles

Englishman Antony Wall finished back on nine under after briefly threatening.

After beginning the day on seven under par, Surrey-based Londoner Wall fired four birdies on the front nine and another on the 11th to go to 12 under.

"I felt like I was birdieing everything," he told BBC Sport.

But successive bogeys at 13 and 14 ended his hopes.

"You know what the back nine is like at any tournament," he added. "You've got to hole your putts.

"I finished up as the top British player at Hoylake in 2006 and that was fantastic. I loved every minute of it. But this means so much to me as had my beautiful wife and kids with me. It doesn't get it better - and on the best course to play too, at the home of golf."

AP

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Marc Leishman is walking up the 16th with a one-shot lead...

So where can the claw back come from?

Jordan Spieth has four holes to complete but needs two shots. Louis Oosthuizen? Can he win at St Andrew's again? A birdie on this par five will be timely and he will have an iron into the green - he sets a chance up.

This is tense and still this Old Course could play a part as conditions tighten their grip on the ball. Remember what we told you earlier.

Holes 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 are playing over par.

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Gareth Griffiths: Zach Johnson owes Danny Willet a pint for giving him that read on 18.

Tony Munky: This would be amazing if Leishman holds on to this - he was 80/1 yesterday AFTER his 64 when he was clubhouse leader!

Tim Bennett: I'd love to see Jason Day win after all he went through at the US Open and he has come close so many times.

Onto the 16th tee. Marc Leishman has played flawless golf so far and he continues that trend. The leader, who has hit seven birdies and no bogeys, is nicely on the fairway. Two and a half holes left to play for him. He has little berathing space with Zach Johnson in the clubhouse one behind.

Wonder what it means?

This is what it means...

BBC

That incredible, snaking, downhill putt on 18 for birdie has given Zach Johnson a chance and he is composing himself on the way to the clubhouse. Will he get a win? Will he take a play-off?

So close yet so far. Danny Willett can be proud of his week's work and always remember that he led the Open at St Andrews. Presuming his doesn't go on to better that feat by lifting the Claret Jug in the future. The Yorkshireman taps in a closing par for a final round 70, and doffs his cap to the appreciative galleries.

'A solid round and a solid week'

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England's former world number one Luke Donald book-ended his Open by firing a final day four-under-par 68, to match the one he shot on the first day.

Having seen his hopes slip away on Sunday with a 73, his earlier start allowed him to take advantage of the more benign conditions, getting to within two shots of the lead at one stage on 10 under par before bogeying 17.

"That's exactly why I shot 73 yesterday as I knew conditions would be worse later on today," he joked. "I knew if I could go really low and post a number then I'd have a chance, but I didn't hole enough putts.

"It was a solid round and a solid week."

Birdie

Nerves of steel from Marc Leishman on 15. He retains the one-shot lead with a very, very solid putt from 10 feet into the middle of the hole. Brilliant stuff.

That's incredible!

Zach Johnson with a birdie putt on the last.... two shots behind the leader... he needs it. He gives it a rattle and... straight in. Birdie to move to 15 under.

BBC

He is the clubhouse leader and leader Marc Leishman is struggling for par...

Bogey

Adam Scott's challenge is over. It's official. The Australian cannot exorcise the ghosts of the 2012, when he lost a four-stroke lead with four holes left at Royal Lytham. Another bogey on the penultimate hole - that's three dropped shots in the last four - and he can barely believe it.

BBC

This could be a very emotional Open finale.

Three months ago Marc Leishman's wife nearly died as she fell seriously ill with toxic shock syndrome, a rare but life-threatening bacterial infection during which she was put into an induced coma.

She is now recovering.

The leader's third on 15 from off the green and he leaves himself a good 10 feet for par. How's your nerves Marc?

Bogey

Louis Oosthuizen is destined to drop a stroke on the 13th as this pitch will have to drop for him to make par. It doesn't but it's a delightful lob and a tap in bogey. Back to 14 under with a par five to come.

BBC

After his heroic Sunday, Irish amateur Paul Dunne has slowly ran out of steam today. He is back to eight under after a double bogey, four over today.

Leader Marc Leishman looks on anxiously as he pushes his approach on 15 right. He misses the green but it's no drama as he comes to rest in the light stuff. Still one ahead.

Bogey

Jordan Niebrugge bends his knees and looks up to the St Andrews sky. He is disgusted with himself. The American amateur slides a par putt past the 15th hole, wiping out that precious birdie he sunk at the last. Two shots clear of Irish amateur Paul Dunne in the race for the Sliver Medal...

From a pitch rattling out of the cup on the last, suddenly some good fortune for Jordan Spieth as his tee shot on the 14th lands right between two bunkers. Lucky boy. It's a par five remember.

BBC

Zach Johnson waits for the breeze to die down as he stands over his final tee shot. He knows he probably needs a birdie to challenge the leaders and he gives himself a chance as he drives over over the road and into prime position. A birdie here and he will be clubhouse leader on 15 under. Could it be enough with the leaders still having to deal with some tough, tough holes? Maybe.

Like playing partner Zach Johnson, England's Danny Willett also has to write down a bogey in the scoring column next to the 17th. The Englishman is still the leading home player at the Championship, however, clinging on one shot ahead of Justin Rose.

That's ugly!

More drama. This time Louis Oosthuizen finds trouble on 13 and will need to chip put sideways from the rough. That will leave a big up and down needed. Don't forget he has a par five to come next though.

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Bogey

Zach Johnson slips back to 14 under with a dropped shot on 17. Two behind the leaders as he is unable to sink his putt from about eight feet. His chance look to be diminishing.

What a shot!

Jordan Spieth is taking an eternity over this chip from the side of the 13th green. Every break, every nuance of the green is checked thoroughly. Here he comes, a dinked wedge... IT'S IN... no. The ball rattles the cup and pin and hops out. My word, 60% of that ball was in the cup I'm sure.

BBC

Has his tilt at a Grand Slam come down to such a fine margin? In for par, as is Jason Day in far less eventful fashion.

Birdie

American amateur Jordan Niebrugge is the favourite to win the Silver Medal. The 21-year-old drops in another birdie on the par-five 14th - his fourth of the afternoon - to put himself three shots clear of Ireland's Paul Dunne.

Leader Marc Leishman with a nervy birdie putt on 14 and he still has work to do for par... Is he feeling the heat?

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Ken Brown

BBC Sport commentator

"What did Zach Johnson do there?! Looked like his right foot slipped from underneath him. Three inches behind it, lucky it didn't go into a worse spot."

BBC

So can Zach Johnson recover? A lovely low shot into the 17th green and he gives himself a chance of par. It is a tough putt though.

Birdie

Louis Oosthuizen takes an age over this one on 12. He studies it. finds his posture, a soft swing and yes... gorgeous wedge to leave four feet for birdie and potentially 15 under.

BBC

Now this is big. A chance to get within one, others would see his name on the leaderboard... in she pops.

That's ugly!

An absolute duffer from Zach Johnson. The American's right foot slips as he strikes the ball with his second on 17 and it shoots right and bounces weakly. He is struggling for par and is already one shot behind leader Marc Leishman, who has another birdie chance on 14...

Anyone else feeling nervy?

Comeback kid

John Inverdale

BBC Radio 5 live presenter

"If Marc Leishmann won, it would be the second biggest 36 hole comeback, having been tied joint 50th at the half way stage."

Ken Brown

BBC Sport commentator

"By Adam Scott's reaction I think he just pushed that short putt. Sometimes you can get grit on the ball or the putter face and it just jumps off line. Missed from 18 inches? I think that is being kind."

BBC

This is a big shot. Zach Johnson on the 17th tee - a hole that has caused so many problems. He connects sweetly and is looking good.

Jordan Spieth tanks a wedge into the 12th green and this has more spin on it than a Steve Davis trick shot.

BBC

The ball stops, then spins back a little, then takes off with back spin. What reaction. Up the fairway Spieth runs to mark his ball before it can roll any further. The putt for birdie is lacking zing and par will have to do.

Bogey

A few nervy moments but Marc Leishman's tee shot on 14 just about the skirts the waiting bunkers and he is safe. The leader is looking strong.

One person not looking strong is Adam Scott who drops his second shot in as many holes. It looks a tap in for the the Australian on the 15th green but, from about a foot, he somehow touches it past. That could be his challenge gone.

Ozzie, ozzie, ozzie

Greg Norman / Instagram

The Great White Shark has three hopes of that happening with Leishman, Day and Scott all in the mixer...

Louis Oosthuizen is two under for his round and ticking along. Can he get that springboard forward? Will he even need to? A 14 under finish could well win this as conditions worsen. Into the heart of the green this time on the par-three 11th.

Putt one is short, a menace from three feet left...in it goes.

His playing partner Paul Dunne is still battling away and deserves so much credit for steadying the ship after a frenetic and wayward opening two holes where he dropped two shots. His putt is well short here though and work to do to stay at 11 under. Job done.

Andrew Cotter

BBC Sport commentator

"Good par for Leishman. One of the more difficult holes has passed."

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BBC

Realistically Danny Willett needs a few more birdies on his card to lift that Claret Jug. And he needs a miracle to nick one on the 16th. The Englishman is expecting a left-to-right wind to blow his ball in towards the flag...it doesn't. He's on the green but has a putt longer than the world's biggest python ahead of him.

Zach Johnson is safe enough with his approach on 16. He is on the green, just, but a long way from the hole. He will be more than happy to get up and down in two.

Leader Marc Leishman is inches away from extending his advantage, but his par putt is just short on 13. A sigh of relief for the others as he settles for par.

'I've hardly done a thing wrong'

BBC

English amateur Ashley Chesters finished his Open Championship with a three-under 69 for a nine-under total. He said on BBC One: "I've played pretty good. I had one bad hole today and a run of three poor ones in the first round but other than that I've hardly done a thing wrong.

On Paul Dunne and the contest to be leading amateur: "He was all over the internet yesterday. I'm not sure how he started out there but we will just have to see."

Bogey

Any chance of Sergio Garcia clawing back that dropped shot on 12 at the first attempt? No. The Spanish senor leaves himself with a monster birdie putt on the par-four 13th after tugging his approach a touch left. That putt fall short, then he misses the next one. And there, in a microcosm, is why he hasn't won a Major yet...

Drama to come...

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Andy in London: If only all this had happened yesterday, I'd have been able to watch it.

Andy in Armagh: Zach Johnson has probably been the most consistent golfer over the past 8 years. Not long off the tee, but an incredible iron player and putter. Not surprised to see him shoot a low round on this Old Course. He'll be very dangerous now as he is one of the best at grinding out pars over the closing holes.

Jenni in Newtownards: Anyone for a 12-man playoff?

Where will Zach Johnson go from the tee on 16? Straight down the middle. After a slip as he attempts to pick up his tee, he walks jauntily on as he prepares for a long iron to the green. He remains one behind outright leader Marc Leishman.

Bogey

Groans of frustration from Adam Scott fans as he drops a shot on the par-five 14th. The Australian was in the greenside bunker for three and he could only dig it out to within eight feet. A missed putt and joins the group on 14 under.

Another Open over for Anthony Wall. And the 40-year-old Englishman looks unlikely to top his best finish of tied 11th at Hoylake in 2006. For a while it looked like he would do, but three bogeys on the run home means he is surely going to finish slightly lower on the leaderboard this year.

A wonderful iron from Jason Day into the par-three 11th sets up a birdie chance.

He just comes alive in majors. The 27-year-old has just three PGA Tour wins since turning pro in 2007 but this fella wakes up on the first day of a major and thinks 'I fancy this''.

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In 19 major appearances, he has only missed the cut twice. He has just three bogeys this week - all of which came on his second round - and looks poised for a real tilt at claiming his maiden major.

If he does, the decision to borrow a Tiger Woods book from a friend when he was in college may well prove one of the best he has ever made. The book changed the way Day practiced - prompting him to work on his game early in the morning, at lunchtime and in the evening.

New leader

Reuters

We have new outright leader. Marc Leishman pops in his birdie putt from close range on 12. The Aussie is ahead with six holes to go. His seventh birdie in a bogey-free round.

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Birdie

Padraig Harrington made a charge early doors, before having the wind taken out of his sails by a double bogey on six. The veteran Irishman - a two-time Open winner remember - sinks his first birdie since the fifth to move back into the red for today.

Maureen Madill

BBC TV on-the-course commentator

"It's getting pretty miserable out here."

Marc Leishman with a brilliant approach on the 12th. The Australian arrows a shot into the green and spins it towards the hole. Another birdie attempt - and it is more than makeable. That to take the outright lead.

Bogey

You might not be surprised to learn that Sergio Garcia has dropped a shot on the 12th. The Spaniard is scrabbling to save par after finding the sand with his drive, leaving himself with an 18-foot putt which never looks like hitting the cup. He's entering Bogeyville.

Birdie

Reuters

This time it's a fist pump. This time it's a fist pump. Jordan Spieth gets angry when he drops shots, he did this yesterday. On 10, like so many others, it is birdie and that's two in a row for the Texan. Such a crisp putt.

The character of a champion, but we knew he had that. Has he got a finish in him in these testing conditions.

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Colm: So many golfing favourites topping the board. Garcia deserves his major and Dunne would just be so special.

Robbie Mather: Don't follow golf that much, but I hope Dunne can pull something out of the bag.

Kev Meegan: The first year in five I miss The Open and this happens!!

Birdie

Dan Walker

BBC Sport presenter

EPA

"The ninth green is where Louis Oosthuizen - five years ago - drove the ninth, eagled it and took a four-stroke lead. He went on to win The Open that year by seven shots. You do wonder if that will be enough this time around."

Oosthuizen has around 20 feet for birdie this time... oh are you serious... it's in. This hole should carry his name. What a result for Oosthuizen, he hit a poor tee shot and his result is a superb birdie - his third of the day.

Birdie

Most of the commentators are saying that the front nine is the place to score well today - well, Danny Willett is making a mockery of that school of thought. The Englishman guides in another birdie on the par-five 14th, that's four on the roll...

AP

Someone fetch a bucket and spade - Sergio Garcia is back playing in the sand. The Spaniard appears to have enjoyed his sandy par on the 11th so much that he plants his tee shot on the next into the fairway bunker. No Hollywood shot out of here, however, he takes his medicine by splashing out to move his ball about 50 yards further up.

Jay Townsend

Former American professional golfer on BBC Radio 5

"The problem is who can hold it together on the back nine, playing into the wind. You have to balance what score someone has and how many holes they have left, as some players are running out of holes."

Another birdie chance for Zach Johnson on 14... An iron about 20 feet short of the pin... His putter has been magical but not this time as the ball swings off to the left and he has to settle for par. Remains in a three-way tie at the top.

Birdie

EPA

HIT IT. HIT IT. Louis Oosthuizen is short of pace to save his par on the eighth. Back to 13 under as these leaderboard gentlemen cling on in the mist.

Suddenly we have a see-saw effect. Can someone put their weight down heavy on one side to toss a rival clear? Jordan Spieth is on nine and has a long putt for birdie... it holds its line... good pace... jackpot. A fist clench - which I don't think is as emphatic as a fist pump - from Spieth. Perhaps he is saving the latter.

Par

Groans from the back of the 11th green as Sergio Garcia dunks his opening gambit into the sand on the short par three.

Open-faced club, full backswing, furious downswing takes him from here...

BBC

...to here...

BBC

Those groans from the gallery turns to cheers as Sergio scampers up the bank to see what they are going mad about.

Birdie

Marc Leishman drives the green on 10... He swings a brilliant chance wide for eagle but no mistake for birdie and he is joint leader with Zach Johnson and Adam Scott. Play-off anyone?

Ben Dirs

BBC Sport at St Andrews

"Huge cheers for Sergio and a roar of 'that's for the Ryder Cup!' Yards away, Spieth trudged from the eighth green after his shocking double-bogey, looking like a man who knows his race might be run. The vicissitudes of the maddening game of golf."

PA

Joint leader Zach Johnson going up the fifth fairway on the 14th, in a bid to avoid hell bunker. He doesn't look in great shape - a long way short of the green.

Jordan Spieth struggling, Sergio Garcia in the bunker, who can go about their business trouble free?

Jason Day perhaps? It's a solid line into the ninth green but what's left looks an outside birdie chance. Louis Oosthuizen has just raced one on the eighth green just like Spieth did moments ago. A masterful putt needed to save par for the little fella but he has been steady all day so far.

This feels significant. This feels very significant. Jordan Spieth double bogeys the par-three eighth.

BBC

He lashes his ball in a rare show of anger. Has the dead-eyed, stealthy character blown it here. Has his mind disintegrated in the Fife mist?

Spieth took four putts on that green. A very long one flew off the putting surface and his return left a nasty four footer which didn't drop. The Grand Slam over? My word. What a waste.

Birdie

"He can't putt can't Sergio," reckon some observers. Well he can today. Garcia, seeking that elusive first Major remember, knocks one in from short range on the 10th to move within one shot of the lead.

Lawrie thanks fans

Birdie

Danny Willett is finding his groove again. The Yorkshireman is playing with a bit more freedom now, perhaps he thinks he is out of the reckoning? He rattles in a third straight birdie on the 13th, which means he is four behind the frontrunners.

Bogey

Zach Johnson shows a touch of class to get to within five feet from the bunker on 12... His putter has been superb so far today... but, no, he misses and drops back into a tie at the top with Adam Scott.

The cream has risen to the top

John Inverdale

BBC Radio 5 live presenter

"The five players at the top are in the top 25 in the world and four are major winners. The cream has certainly rose to the top."

That's ugly!

"COME ON MAN," yells Jordan Spieth as his tee shot on eight ends up a mile from the flag. This par three is out there to be shot at today with the flag in the heart of the green.

Coming up behind him on the seventh Louis Oosthuizen and Paul Dunne go mighty close with putts but par will need to do. Here comes Spieth and oh my word...

Jordan Spieth has putted off the green. A bogey surely to come.

Birdie

Marc Leishman is up to 14 under with a birdie on nine. This is getting very, very busy at the top.

While Leishman sits in first class on the birdie train, playing partner Padraig Harrington has been kicked off for not having the right ticket. The Irishman has a sniff on the ninth, but races his ball past the right edge. He is level for the day after that double bogey on six and another dropped shot two holes later.

Ken Brown

BBC Sport commentator

"That's probably one of the deepest bunkers on the course. Wet sand, pin tight to the bunker. He's in a spot of bother."

Outright leader Zach Johnson needs to play the final six holes in three under for the first 62 in major history... Not a good start as he finds the sand with his second shot on 13.

Dustin Johnson's nightmare is over. The overnight leader after the opening two rounds totally capitulated when it mattered, carding a 75 yesterday and finishing with the same score today to end four under.

Leaderboard

Only par for Jordan Spieth and Jason Day on seven as their birdie putts proved that little too long. It's a par three next for them and work to do...

BBC

Good hold for Sergio Garcia on the par-three eighth. "You can't afford to drop shots now," the Spaniard is warned by BBC commentator Ken Brown. He's right you know....

New leader

Zach Johnson is relentless. The American shows nice touch from about five feet to birdie 12 and to return on his own to the top.

Playing partner Danny Willett looks a long shot now to become the first Englishman since Nick Faldo in 1990 to lift the Claret Jug. But he nails a birdie putt to move himself to 10 under.

Ben Dirs

BBC Sport at St Andrews

"Someone gets the father, son and holy spirit of all tongue lashings from a marshall at the seventh, for using a flash on their camera.

"To be fair, it's pretty murky out there and anything flashing could be a distraction to a player mid-swing."

Scott's man on the bag

Williams is on the bag of Adam Scott who he has guided to a major but the brunt of his honours arrived during a 12 year spell as caddie for Tiger Woods.

It's like a murder mystery

John Inverdale

BBC Radio 5 live presenter

"It's like a murder mystery. Slowly you start discounting suspects, but in this case, players. I think any players -10 are probably too far back now."

Big grin from English amateur Ashley Chesters as he concludes a rather successful week in St Andrews. Nine under for the tournament - he would have thought ahead of the Championship that would have been enough to nab the Silver Medal. Unfortunately not.... (probably)

Adam Scott just past with a birdie attempt on 11 from a long way back. Safe and sound as he makes par. He keeps the joint lead.

Birdie

Louis Oosthuizen found some trouble off the sixth tee but has a putt for birdie from off the putting surface. Surely not from this range... what did you expect? This is what this round is all about, birdie after birdie. A great putt.

Can Paul Dunne follow his playing partner into the cup for three? Looks good... no. Slips away at the death.

BBC

Vamos Sergio!

With compatriot Jamie Donaldson well out of the picture, Real Madrid's Welsh forward Gareth Bale is backing a man from his adopted country...

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What was it the galleries shouted at Paul Dunne on the first... "ONLY THE BRAVE PAUL, ONLY THE BRAVE."

BBC

The amateur is showing plenty of bravery, yelling "sit, sit, sit," at his ball on the sixth as he's left a 10 foot birdie putt.

New co-leader

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Adam Scott gives it a Churchillian 'V for victory' signal as he cowers under his brolly when leaving the 10th green. Steady on, you've not won it yet. The Australian sinks his sixth birdie of this soggy afternoon to move up alongside Zach Johnson at the summit.

Pulsating golf, chilling weather...

Things look pretty bleak in Fife. Brolly time.

BBC

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Andrew Craig: Why call them "back to back" birdies? For that, you'd have to play the second one backwards. And what if you get three in a row?

Howard Horner: I know it shouldn't be surprising, but its amazing how many top players are at the top of the scoreboard. Any of 20 could win this!

Colin McCaw: Hope Paul Dunne isn't doing what Brazil did against Germany at the World Cup!

He is a putting machine today... Zach Johnson walks off the 11th with an umbrella in his hand and a smile on his face as he saves par and remains one ahead. No sign of nerves there.

Leading amateur Jordan Niebrugge almost reels in an absolute monster on the seventh! Perfect line from the American from over 60 feet as he rattles one towards the can. Alas, he puts little too much into his effort which hits the hole and skips into the air before dropping on the other side.

BBC

Outright leader Zac Johnson, all in white, with a huge birdie putt from off the front of the 11th green. It lacks legs and he leaves himself a nervy one for par. The pack are waiting to pounce behind...

Birdie

Maureen Madill

BBC TV on-the-course commentator

"He is arguably the greatest middle-distance putter in the world and this is his distance."

Yes it is Maureen, Jordan Spieth finds the left of the hole on six to move to 14 under with a wonderful stroke.

"This at the moment is liking pulling punch and counter-punch".

Maureen could see what Jason Day was going to do... nail his birdie putt from just inside the distance from which Spieth was successful.

EPA

BBC

I wonder what it takes to stop Louis Oosthuizen from smiling. This will... par on five. That's the easiest hole on this course by several miles. The South African had an eagle putt but left it shy and dribbled his birdie attempt across the hole.

The wind is whipping Paul Dunne's shirt violently... he steps away from his birdie putt to gather himself... bang. Back to -12 where he started the day.

If you have just joined us, some erratic driving saw Dunne start bogey, bogey.

Ben Dirs

BBC Sport at St Andrews

"The 10 quid tickets have done the trick, the galleries are teeming at St Andrews and there are lots of youngsters following Spieth and Day, the average age appreciably lower than the first four days."

Birdie

That familiar fist-pump reappears as Sergio Garcia sinks his fourth birdie of a productive afternoon. The Spaniard moves into a five-way tie in third place, two adrift of Zach Johnson with Adam Scott sandwiched inbetween.

A new leader

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Zach Johnson is a long, long, long way from the pin on 10 as he gets over his eagle putt. He gives it a right old rattle and, leaves it six foot short. Good effort and a chance for the outright lead.... he makes it. Back on his own out front.

Leaderboard

Quick, let's make a leaderboard before it changes again!

BBC

A new joint leader

AFP

Adam Scott nails a putt from 25 feet and joins Zach Johnson in a share of the lead. Talking about Johnson, he has a putt for eagle from miles back on 10....

Double bogey

Padraig Harrington falls off the wagon heading towards Claret Jug town. He goes for his bogey putt, sliding it just right though, and has to settle for dropping two shots.

The man chasing history on six, Jordan Spieth. Padraig Harrington's flirt with the trees has become the textbook on what not to do here and Spieth must be an avid reader. He goes down the opposite side of the fairway to a safe area. As he has on other holes, Jason Day follows suit. He's a right old copy cat that Day.

Ben Dirs

BBC Sport at St Andrews

"Appreciably colder now out on course as Day and Spieth spank drives down the sixth. Long wait on tee, though, owing to Harrington's bit of bother up ahead..."

Uh oh. Padraig Harrington cannot find his original ball on the sixth, after dumping his drive into the bushes on the right of the par four. The Irishman is forced to play his provisional ball - can he salvage something here? Hmmm - he finds the green but may need a sat nav to find his target from 20 feet...

Brilliant from Sergio Garcia as his trusty wedge leaves him a very makeable birdie chance on seven. He has rattled home three birdies already and is two behind leader Zach Johnson.

Here comes the man in black! Nope, not Will Smith or Tommy Lee Jones, but Jordan Niebrugge. The American amateur is no secret agent, however, making himself very visible as he zaps birdie after birdie after birdie. He's two off the lead and leading the race to win the Silver Medal.

BBC

Niebrugge leads the amateur field after England's Ashley Chesters double bogeys the 15th to fall back to nine under.

Spieth number one?

Iain Carter

BBC golf correspondent on Radio 5 live

"On Spieth's ball is the number one. If he wins today, he will replace Rory McIlroy as the world number one."

Birdie

It is this close...

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The eagle putts of Jason Day and Jordan Spieth are good solid ones and allow for easy par conversions on the fifth. That hole is like grandparents - endlessly welcoming. Both men move within one of Zach Johnson.

Bogey

Anthony Wall's first bogey of the day on 13 as he drops back to eleven under. Meanwhile Padraig Harrington is still searching for his tee shot on the sixth... It's in the bushes somewhere.

New leader

PA

No such problem for Zach Johnson though as he lands an approach on the ninth green, get some back spin and finishes up within about five feet of the pin. Chance to take the outright lead... and he makes it. We have a leader on his own.

That's ugly!

PA

Padraig Harrington with a boomer on six off the tee... not good. The Irishman might need to do a spot of gardening as he goes way right and into the gorse. He plays a provisional.

"HANG ON, HANG ON, BITE!"

Jordan Spieth dictates where his ball is to go. He really emphasised the "bite" part of that sentence too. This is a par five and so he wants to set up eagle... he does. It will be a long way to the hole but he may have the right words for his ball and make it, who knows.

Jason Day follows him into position. No inch given wherever you look.

Birdie

Playing partners Padraig Harrington and Marc Leishman both go close with their eagle putts on the fifth. Close, but no cigar. Their birdie efforts are straight forward enough though - and three becomes five at the top of the leaderboard.

This is incredible stuff. As soon as we get someone threatening to break away they get swallowed up. Relentless scoring, relentless pursuit, brilliant golf.

Louis Oosthuizen plays his second into the fourth and goes right at it. Both he and Paul Dunne will have 12-foot birdie putts there. Try not to blink. You may miss something.

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After looking like he was going to crumble on the 12th, unheralded Englishman Anthony Wall cements his place at one shot off the lead with a gutsy par.

A new joint leader

A three-way tie at the top now.

EPA

Adam Scott from about 15 feet on seven and he makes his third birdie in succession and his fourth in a row. Redemption for his 2010 nightmare at Lytham when he threw away a four-shot lead? Perhaps.

A long way to go mind.

Padraig Harrington eased off the gas a little on three and four, ticking along with a pair of pars. Now the Irishman sticks foot down on the pedal again on the par-five fifth, blasting a sensational second shot into the heart of the huge green like Sergio Garcia in the group ahead of him. About 15 foot away from the outright lead....

We have a lip out and it is the ball of Jordan Spieth.

BBC

Maybe half an inch and he'd have tied the lead. A beautifully weighted putt from 15 feet or more maybe deserved more. The 'Spieth Slam' is on but boy does he have challengers. The list is never ending.

Robson's "great honour"

BBC

After 18,995 players announced to the first tee over 41 Open Championships, Ivor Robson is hanging up his microphone. Our man Dan Walker spoke to him after he announced Paul Dunne to the tee in what could be his final announcement. Of course, it might not be his last if we get a play-off, and who would rule that out right now?

Latest scores

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Birdie

Birdie, par, birdie, par, birdie. That's a pattern that Sergio Garcia would love to stretch all the way to the 18th. The Spanish senor lags up his eagle attempt - sensible - because it leaves the simplest of birdie putts. He moves into a seven-way tie for second place...

A roar as loud as the shirt.

BBC

Tremendous courage shown by Paul Dunne. Just as his round looked like it would unravel after just two holes he nails birdie on three to get to 11 under. Still in it. Gutsy.

Anthony Wall has built up a decent position. But he looks set to drop a shot on the 12th after pushing a mid-iron right of the green and not producing some magic with the wedge. That's unless he digs himself out of a hole with a 15-foot putt for the save...

Get involved - text 81111 (UK users only)

Mike: Due in on a night shift at 10 tonight and desperately need some sleep but I got Zach Johnson at 80/1 before the tournament started and now can't stop refreshing the phone!

Amanda: Stuck in the office until 7pm, gutted. Wish I'd thrown a sickie. Instead following the BBC stream online.

Al: When I am playing golf, Peter Allis' voice goes through my head telling me what a lovely rhythm I've got. He's helped me get down to a single figure handicap and stay there.

A new joint leader

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The 2007 Masters champions Zach Johnson is making his move. A fourth birdie of the day on seven after punching a wedge to within a few feet and he takes a share of the lead with Louis Oosthuizen.

Amidst the Paul Dunne chaos we have lost a little touch with the little smiler - Louis Oosthuizen. His dress always makes me feel he's a bit hip hop - I think it's the way he wears the cap.

Into the third green he goes but a hop and a skip leave him a colossal birdie putt.

Good irons into the fourth for Jordan Spieth and Jason Day - birdie putts and makeable.

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The fifth hole has been the easiest hole of the Championship, coughing up 10 eagles and 250 birdies over the past four days. Sorry, five days. Old habits die hard. The 570-yard par five is downwind today, leading to the pin being stuck right at the back of a green which is almost as big as the Isle of Man. Sergio Garcia slashes his second shot from the semi-rough on the left within 25 foot of the flag. That's for an eagle...

Stenson finishes -5

Henrik Stenson

Henrik Stenson posts on Facebook: "The open is finished and at least striking was good today with 18 greens in regulation! A bit of time on putting green ahead though.....and no I am not driving myself...."

Birdie

The long putter is out on six and, of course, that means Adam Scott. The Australian won't be able to use his wand of choice for much longer but he is making hay while he can. Never in doubt as he rolls his third birdie of the day into the hole. Up to 12 under. This is tight.

Jay Townsend

Former American professional golfer on BBC Radio 5

"Jordan is under par in 33% of the 200 holes he has played this year at majors. He is amazing. There are not enough superlatives to describe how good this 21 year old is."

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Neil Dagley: You hear the phrase 'log-jam' more in golf commentary than you do in the logging industry!

Nathan Sowden: Cracking final day. Reading updates from the office. Wouldn't mind Spieth, Rose and Zach Johnson to be the top three.

Matt Butler: This Open Championship is bananas.

Birdie

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Marc Leishman looks good for another birdie as he chips to within five feet on the fourth. He has already sunk two birdies and... yes... he makes it three. Up to 12 under, with five others. They are grouping up here...

Birdie

You know that smirk you try to hold back when you've just nailed your tee shot on a par three and left yourself with a tap-in for a birdie? No, me neither. But I've heard it is a great feeling. English journeyman Anthony Wall is struggling to contain his excitement after landing his ball here...

BBC

The 40-year-old knocks in the putt - and climbs up to joint second on the leaderboard...

Bogey

Last night Paul Dunne went to bed surrounded by positive headlines. My how the angles have changed in 10 blows of a club.

Two consecutive fives mean two dropped shots and suddenly the 85 year wait for an amateur winner will likely go on. His par putt on two is a nice read but lacks pace and fades away shy of the hole. In truth, given he hit two provisional tee shots, a five is a bit of a result.

Time to take stock.

Birdie

There are birdies everywhere. Now it's Jordan Niebrugge's time to get in on the act. The amateur's three on the fourth takes him to 10 under.

Peter Alliss

BBC Sport commentator

"He's getting plenty of encouragement and I'm not sure it's doing him all that much good."

BBC

Paul Dunne strikes a peach from the middle of nowhere to just off the second green. A big up and down to come. This has been a shaky start to say the least. Here comes his third shot and it looks a tricky chip... nice touch and 10 feet left for par. This could be back-to-back bogeys.

Anyone fancy a play-off?

Talking of Stewart Cink - remember this smile? This was the American celebrating the last play-off win in an Open Championship back in 2009.

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The way this week has got longer and longer, could we go into overtime? Cink could very well to be part of it....

Birdie

Reuters

Australian Adam Scott from long range for eagle on the massive fifth green.... he gives it a chance but the ball comes to rest a foot or so short. Scott, who went so close to winning The Open in 2012, makes no mistake for birdie and is up to 11 under.

Charge!!!!

Birdie

AP

Twit twoo. Back-to-back birdies for Stewart Cink, that almost anonymous one-time Open champion. Can you believe there is such a thing. The bald-headed American guides one down the drain on the 10th - he's among the pack three shots off the lead.

Reuters

Jason Day has adrenaline rolling through his body. He suddenly becomes the world's strongest man and crashes one through the putting surface on the third. Some major surgery needed to get up and down from there. Jordan Spieth plays percentage into the dance floor and leaves a long one for birdie.

Philip Parkin

BBC TV on-the-course commentator

"There's so many people over there that I've given up and gone back to the middle of the second fairway. That's about 100 yards away from Paul, but he has a clear shot to the green."

That Paul Dunne tee shot went so far right it practically reached Scandinavia. What fortune. Some would argue he deserves it.

Ken Brown

BBC Sport commentator

"A massive break, my goodness."

A lucky escape

Rules official Ian Pattinson: "Dunne's first ball has landed on the 18th green of the New Course which is designated as wrong putting green which means he gets free relief and gets to drop the ball off the putting green."

So, after all that, he is hitting his second ball towards the green.

Birdie

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Birdie for Marc Leishman on three. The Australian's second of the day and he is up to eleven under, just two shots back. Sensational putting as he rams the right to left putt into the hole. Eleven players within two of the lead. Great stuff.

Par

Padraig Harrington, with that bouncy, lumbering walk of his, trudges off the third green. "Should have been three in three," the Irishman mutters to himself. A bit more beef would have seen another birdie putt drop, instead he must be content with his first par of the afternoon. Great start, still one off the lead.

That's ugly!

"It is all a bit of a mess," says a colleague. He is referencing the carnage Paul Dunne is creating on the second fairway.

BBC

Is this the dream, the fairytale, the David v Goliath story unfolding?

It looks like he has hit three balls off the tee and all have gone right. The question is can they find his first ball in which his two provisional balls would then not damage his scoring. He is in trouble, it remains to be seen how much...

Get involved via #bbcgolf

Ross Anderson: Following The Open from my office in Edinburgh. Is it too late to pull a sickie and get to St Andrews?

Dan Maunder: Watching The Open stream in the office... in Burkina Faso.

Henry Green: Very little work has been done for the last two hours in the office. Keeping an eye on The Open is far more important.

Birdie

AP

Zach Johnson is on the move... Head bowed over a 10-foot eagle putt on five... just wide but a tap in for birdie. The American's third birdie of the day and he moves to within one of the outright leader.

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Jason Day taps in for par on the testing second. He is one of the only men brave enough to wear short sleeves in this weather. Jordan Spieth with him also has par but opts for a jumper.

The end of The Voice

Birdie

It breaks right a little, left a little, and then straight into the cup. This is our outright leader. Louis Oosthuizen makes birdie on one.

BBC

Paul Dunne is off to a poor start, his par putt slides past. From the galleries comes the cry "ONLY THE BRAVE PAUL, ONLY THE BRAVE."

Let's hope it means more to him than us.

Birdie

A huge roar from the third green...that one is for Sergio Garcia. The popular Spaniard may have a rather strange putting grip but it works wonders. He knocks in a relatively-simple effort on the third. That's birdie, par, birdie....

BBC

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Luke Donald with a 15-footer for birdie on the last. He pushes it left and closes with 68 to end on nine under.

Thanks Ivor, but you could be back

BBC Sport's Dan Walker hops on to the first tee to tell Ivor Robson that over the 41 years as starter of The Open he has set 18,995 players on their way.

"I don't believe that," says the ever-modest Robson. "I've been so fortunate, so lucky to be allowed to have this role. It has been a great honour and I can't thank people enough for allowing me to do this."

Dan then reminds Ivor that with five people currently tied for the lead, he could be back a little later to make it 19,000...

That's ugly!

Getty Images

Did Paul Dunne see that Jordan Spieth putt and shudder? Perhaps.

His iron into the first green does not clear the burn and lands short. It's safe but one of the first approaches we've seen which comes up short. The glare on his 22-year-old shoulders is immense.

Jordan Spieth's amazing shot on the 1st hole

Iain Carter

BBC golf correspondent on Radio 5 live

"That was a statement of intent. The daringness of taking on the burn. This is someone who is no going to wait for something to happen, he is going to make it happen."

Get involved via #bbcgolf

Sat in the office? Or sat on the sofa after throwing a 'sickie'? Wherever you are following the final day - we want to know. Sssh, we won't tell your boss. Tweet using #bbcgolf, or text on 81111.

With the Open being concluded on a Monday for only the second time in its 155-year history, we also want to know your memories of other sporting 'Magic Moments'. Go, go, go!

Major winners are getting younger and younger

John Inverdale

BBC Radio 5 live presenter

"Since 1960, the average age of Major champions is 32 years old, but the average age of the last five Major champions is only 24."

Padraig Harrington, at the grand old age of 43, is aiming to change that....

Birdie

Reuters

Another hole, another birdie. Two-time Open champion Padraig Harrington is flying. The Irishman moves into a five-way tie of the lead with a birdie three on the 452-yard par-four second.

Birdie

Firing. A. Message.

BBC

No mistake on one from Jordan Spieth. Wonderfully judged putt and he will feel darn good after that. A look back down the fairway at Louis Oosthuizen and Paul Dunne. 'Did you see that boys?'

Bogey

Disappointment for Luke Donald as he drops a shot at 17, he's not the first. Going up the 18th on nine under, four under for the day, he is probably too far back.

Amateur hour

PA

The last amateur to win The Open was Bobby Jones in 1930, one of three amateur champions - are we about to see a fourth? A long way to go yet but Paul Dunne is leading as he walks down the first fairway.

Peter Alliss

BBC Sport commentator

PA

"Ivor you've done a brilliant job. Now you can pop back to Moffatt and we wish you well."

Robson finally Dunne

BBC

Ivor Robson is about to call the final pairing of his 41-year stint spent welcoming players onto the first tee of The Open.

"On the tee from Ireland, Paul Dunne."

The emotion on Robson's face is evident. A voice synonymous with golf, not just this major. Thanks for being a bit different and a bit quirky Ivor.

And so to the amateur, talk about the old handing over to the new, Dunne is up the fairway and a roar of support engulfs his walk to his ball.

Bogey

That early gain on the first has been relinquished by Danny Willett. The Englishman lines up a five-foot par putt on the fourth, aiming out right as he expects plenty of movement. Not enough as it turns out, skirting the right edge and refusing to drop...

Latest scores

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Andrew Cotter

BBC Sport commentator

"It's getting pretty wild out there now."

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Suddenly as the rain falls, are those out ahead with solid scores best placed? It's teaming down.

Jason Day doesn't get this kind of weather too often in his home state of Queensland. All in black with the coat on and umbrella on hand, he tosses a high one into the first green. It's safe but long, a beast of a putt to take the outright lead.

Jordan Spieth is more accurate and gets a heap of back spin working his ball - around 10 feet for birdie.

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Graeme Latta: An afternoon watching the golf, canny beat it. I've money on Rose but hoping Garcia finally gets his major.

Nicky: I love how this tournament is wide 'Open'. It's quite fitting given the majesty of the setting.

Mark Yates: We'll all miss Ivor The Great. One of the 1st things I think of when I think of The Open. How would one apply to be his replacement?

Mark, we're not sure how you apply, but a day with no food, no drink and not even a toilet break, are you sure you're still interested in applying? Sat on the sofa, with a cup of tea watching on the TV is fine with us.

Birdie

Reuters

A huge roar on the fourth as Zach Johnson's second birdie of the day takes him to 11 under. He's tied fourth.

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One man among the contenders has been here, done it and got the 'I've won The Open at St Andrews' t-shirt. That, of course, is co-leader Louis Oosthuizen, who won the Championship when it was last held on the Old Course in 2010.

"I think confidence-wise, knowing I've done it before at this golf course, I will take a lot from that," says the South African.

"But there's a lot of golf that needs to be played. Jordan Spieth is obviously looking at making history, so you can expect him to fire on early and to really be up there, Jason Day is playing unbelievable.

"There's so many players that can still win this. It's going to be one of the tightest Opens."

Ben Dirs

BBC Sport at St Andrews

"No doubt who the fans' favourite is at St Andrews, Irish amateur Paul Dunne gets 'good lucks' and back slaps galore as he makes his way to the putting green by the first. Some kid, some story..."

Birdie

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Almost an eagle for amateur Ashley Chesters as he lips out with an uphill putt on 10. He finishes off the birdie, his fifth of the day, and moves to eleven under. Two amateurs in the top four... Wow.

Can it be Dunne?

History boy?

Here he comes then. The ultimate story if he wins. A victory would set up the tantalising prospect of golf witnessing a Grand Slam. Can it happen?

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Jordan Spieth tonks one down the first fairway and it briefly looks like it could threaten water but stops short. That's a good position. History awaits you Jordan...

Mark James

Former Ryder Cup captain on BBC TV

"He's very dangerous Harrington. He only needs a little taste he can win and he kicks into gear. It's a little knack he's developed."

Birdie

Here comes Padraig! No messing about from the Irishman on the opening green, converting that birdie chance to move within one of the leaders. Harrington reckoned he would thrive in rubbish conditions - now wonder he is smiling as the rain lashes down on the Old Curse.

Birdie

PA

What a round so far for England's Anthony Wall. He is up to tied fourth after a birdie on seven. His stats read fairways hit - 100%, greens in regulation - 100%, average drive - 344 yards. Not bad....

There are now 10 players on 10 under as Marc Leishman joins the bunch with a birdie on the first.

Ben Dirs

BBC Sport at St Andrews

A squall comes through as Day and Spieth wait on the first tee and the breeze has picked up appreciably. Day arrived in short sleeves and is now in wets, it could be that kind of afternoon...

Who is Oliver Schniederjans?

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Amateur Oliver Schniederjans is a 22 year old American from Dallas, Texas.

He currently has a World Amateur golf ranking of 8 but was the highest ranked amateur in the world for for 41 consecutive weeks in 2014.

He played his first PGA Tour event at the 2015 Valspar Championship where he missed the cut.

As the McCormack winner, he earned an exemption into The Open Championship, after which he plans to turn professional.

'I want to conquer that fear'

Jason Day speaks to BBC Sport: "It's obviously exciting to be in the last couple of groups. It's the same old thing, I have to go out there and focus on what I need to do. There's a lot of guys shooting a lot under par but I can't focus on that.

"You can either run away from it or run towards it, today I want to run towards it and conquer that fear of winning a major championship for once.

"Tiger has been a great buddy of mine, growing up he has always been my idol so to be able to get that advice is fantastic."

One the first

Awww, nice touch from Padraig Harrington after he lashes his first tee shot down towards Swilcan Burn. "Thanks Ivor, all the best," he tells tee announcer Ivor Robson, who is hanging up his microphone today after 41 Opens. Told you the Irishman was a likeable chap.

Harrington earns some sort of karma for his kind words, knocking a perfect approach over the water, which has a touch of back spin to leave him eyeing up an early birdie. A wink to the camera indicates that he is relaxed and very happy with his start...

Birdie

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Brooks Koepka is up to 10 under with a tap-in birdie on 10.... They are lining up behind the leaders.

Andrew Cotter

BBC Sport commentator

"So, Garcia with the ideal start. He would be a very popular champion."

Birdie

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"Yessss! Get in there!" shout quite a few of the fans perched behind the first green. That's because Sergio Garcia - gunning for that elusive first Major - drops a beautifully-judged opening putt into the can.

Playing partner Jordan Niebrugge grins a rather rueful grin as his birdie attempt on the first trickles just short.

We now have nine players on 10 under, just two shots behind the three-way tie at the top, with Jordan Spieth at 11 under. There are a further 14 players on nine under. This is anyone's Open.

Jordan Spieth will hope his putting improves on what he has served up on the practice green...

BBC

The Texan has a unique putting style for short putts in that he swings while looking at the hole. Just 20 minutes before his final push for a major which could secure a hat-trick this season and line up the potential Grand Slam at the US PGA in August.

The contenders

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The 31-year-old Australian threatened to shoot the first 62 in a major championship on Sunday as he collected eight birdies in the first 15 holes of his third round.

Three months ago Leishman nearly lost his wife as she fell seriously ill with toxic shock syndrome, a rare but life-threatening bacterial infection during which she was put into an induced coma.

She is now recovering but Leishman, a 31-year-old father of two young children, feared the worst.

He said: "I don't think about what happened but it has definitely changed my whole perspective on life. I feel like I've always had a pretty good outlook on life, but now it just takes a lot more to worry me."

Birdie

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Birdie alert. Hideki Matsuyama holes a short one on seven - his third birdie of the day. A first Japanese to win The Open perhaps?

Harrington hopes for Irish win

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If Padraig Harrington can't win The Open for a third time today, then he is backing another Irishman. That, of course, is Paul Dunne...

"There's not too many people who have been leading going into the third round of The Open as an amateur - it's phenomenal. If I don't win, I hope he does," says Harrington.

Latest leaderboard

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'The others won't be worried about my experience'

Philip Dawkes

Padraig Harrington is one of the most likeable golfers out there. Agreed? The two-time Open winner, who lifted the Claret Jug in 2007 and 2008, would be a popular winner at St Andrews.

But the 43-year-old is not convinced his previous experience of contending on the final day of The Open will give him an advantage.

"You've got to think the winning total will be up near 16 under," says the Irishman, who is now ranked 102 in the world. "You needed a good score yesterday to get there. I am happy about yesterday but there is a lot of work to do today.

"I am certainly the most experienced but I'm not sure that makes a difference. Hopefully it will down the final stretch but I don't think the others will be worried about my experience. It is about getting momentum and carrying it through."

Race for the Silver Medal

BBC

American amateur Oliver Schniederjans joins Brendon Todd as the clubhouse leader. He chips to within six feet on the 18th and buries the birdie for a five-under par round.

Fellow amateur Ashley Chesters is up to 10 under after a fourth birdie of the day on nine.

Reuters

Justin Rose has a chance on the first. Ten feet past the pin, downhill to the hole. The Englishman attacks it, rattling one down, but it has a little too much steam and races past. A par will have to do. Playing partner Retief Goosen must also be content with a save, lipping out on the left with his birdie putt.

Not Westy's week

England's Lee Westwood, runner-up here at St Andrews five years ago, rounded off a frustrating week with a one-under 71 to finish four under for the tournament.

He told BBC Radio Nottingham: "I played all right but I struggled to get anything going. I got a few birdies but I had too many sloppy bogeys.

"I haven't been playing very well," added 42-year-old Westwood, who has dropped to 35 in the world rankings. "You need to be playing well going into major championships, so I didn't expect much this week."

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Luke Donald with a mammoth birdie effort on 15, well judged and a safe par. The Englishman is five under for the day and 10 under overall. Just two shots back. In three holes time he will performing a wind and rain dance...

Checking in early

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You can watch Phil Mickelson's drive onto a hotel balcony on the 17th, which ultimately saw him make a triple bogey, here.

The contenders

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After 18 failed attempts, including two close calls, how fitting would it be if Sergio Garcia won The Open at St Andrews - the scene of fellow Spaniard Seve Ballesteros' memorable celebration in 1984.

Garcia has finished second, third and fourth in majors, could this year be his time?

He said yesterday: "My feelings weren't amazing. I'm not saying that I played badly, but I didn't feel like I was totally smooth and totally on.

"So to be able to shoot a solid round like I did today, I'm still happy with that. But there's a lot of really, really good players there that are going to be there having a chance."

Birdie

Reuters

Anthony Wall provided a welcome dash of colour yesterday, wearing a Tiger-esque red jumper during his penultimate round. However, the Englishman - who has just the one Tour win to his name - has received the dress-code memo today and opts for a rather gloomy dark grey number. His golf is much brighter though, despite narrowly missing out on an eagle on five. A tap in gives him his third birdie of the afternoon, moving him into the pack on 10 under.

Double bogey

Reuters

Disaster for amateur Oliver Schniederjans as he double bogeys the 17th. The American was six under for the day but has now dropped down the leaderboard. It has been a brilliant round by him but surely any slim chance he had has gone?

Open redemption?

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That final day at Royal Lytham & St Annes was one to forget for Australian Adam Scott as he ended up finishing second behind Ernie Els after what looked like an unassailable lead. But he won the Masters the following year and was also in contention at the last two Opens, in which he has had top-five finishes.

A good start today for Scott as he birdies the first after a sublime approach to within four feet. Up to within two shots of the leaders.

An old record could go

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Goosen, who has just strode purposefully onto the first tee, is 162 days older than Old Tom Morris was when he won at Prestwick in 1867.

Birdie

Reuters

Just what the golf doctor ordered for Danny Willett - a big spoonful of birdie-flavoured medicine. The Englishman sinks his seven-footer on the first green to move into tied fifth.

Latest scores

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A young St Andrews employee is scrabbling about on his hands and knees on the practice ground, swiftly throwing golf balls into a bucket for the Open hopefuls to spank back out on to the range. Paul Dunne, decked out in the seemingly-mandatory grey outfit, looks pretty relaxed as he limbers up. The Irish amateur will be hitting off the tee peg for real in less than an hour.

Ben Dirs

BBC Sport at St Andrews

AFP

And then the rain came. The 144th Open Championship twists and turns like a twisty, turny thing. Although to the modern pro, with gloves galore in his bag and a caddie to hold an umbrella, rain is more of a blessing than a hindrance, softening up the greens and making them more receptive to balls parachuted in rather than scuttled across the surface.

Birdie

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Brooks Koepka might just fancy this. The American makes his third birdie of the day on seven to join the ever-growing bunch on nine under. Hideki Matsuyama and Anthony Wall have got a couple of birdies on the opening few holes to move to nine under as well. This is already getting very interesting...

Phil Mickelson finishes off with a par. A brave effort but his seven on the 17th killed his challenge as he finishes on seven under.

Another player now very much in contention is Australia's Marcus Fraser, with a fifth birdie of the day on 11. He is up to 10 under - two behind.

Ivor The Great

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One of golf's most recognisable voices will retire following the end of 2015. This will be Ivor Robson's 41st and final as the official first tee starter.

Announcing and watching the world's best golfers sounds like a great job doesn't it? But, imagine having to stand up all day at work, having no food and drink and not even going to the toilet. Ivor is a legend. (We might have made up that bit about him not nipping to the loo.)

The last name that we will hear him welcome onto the first tee is Paul Dunne. Well if the Irish amateur doesn't win, at least he can boast about that to his grandkids in years to come....

On the first

"On the tee, from England, Da-nnyyy Will-ett," The Englishman, three off the pace, is welcomed on to the opening tee by legendary announcer Ivor Robson.

Willett is hoping to become the first Englishman to win The Open since Nick Faldo's triumph at Muirfield in 1992 - and starts with a bang. Tee shot down the middle, second looped over Swilcan Burn, one bounce, a bit of check...and a seven-foot putt for an opening birdie.

Triple bogey

Ouch. That is costly, very costly. After landing his ball on a hotel balcony on the 17th. Phil Mickelson takes a treble bogey to take him back to three under for the day and seven under for the championship.

You can watch live golf on the Red Button and online.

Birdie

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Andy Sullivan is not letting his earlier double bogey get to him as he gets the strokes back with birdies on seven and 10. He is now four under for the day and nine under overall.

Martin Kaymer (-9) is flying along with a fourth birdie of the day on 10, while amateur Ashley Chesters (-9) birdies three of the first six to move right into the frame.

Clubhouse leader

We have a new clubhouse leader in America's Brendon Todd. His six-under-par round of 66 sees him finish the championship on nine under - just three shots back from the leaders. Probably too much to be in with a shout of winning.

Rusty dusty

ESPN golf writer Jason Sobel sums it up nicely. DJ's ability to close out will be under question to say the least.  Three straight bogeys have taken him back to -5.

Ben Dirs

BBC Sport at St Andrews

"Oh, what we all would have given for someone to wander onto their balcony in a dressing gown and discover Phil Mickelson's ball lying there."

That's ugly!

Phil Mickelson, it was all looking so good.

The American could be about to do some real damage to his card as he pulls his tee shot on the 17th well right and straight towards the hotel. A couple of bounces off the low roof and the ball comes to the rest on a balcony.

Out of bounds for Phil, who had moved to 10 under overall, and he takes three off the tee.

Bogey

Bookies around the world rejoice. Dustin is totally bustin' out on the Old Course. The man who was leading The Open after each of the opening two rounds is having a 'mare. The American bagged a birdie on the opening hole, but then picks out more bogeys than a kid with a blocked nose. Three on the trot leave him scrabbling about among the also rans...

The contenders

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Few tipped Danny Willett to be challenging into the weekend but, since turning pro in 2008, he has enjoyed some notable successes.

He finished 58th in the Race to Dubai in 2009 and then finished fifth at the 2010 BMW PGA Championship after leading into the second round. He ended the 2010 season ranked 23rd on the Order of Merit.

Willett won for the first time on the European Tour in June 2012 at the BMW International Open in Cologne and also won at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in 2014.

"Three shots back in an Open Championship is never too far back is it?", he says...

Birdie

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Luke Donald is going to be regretting his 73 on Sunday. The Englishman birdies 12, his third in a row and fifth of the day, to move to within two of the leaders on 10 under. A sniff of a chance for him perhaps?

Martin Kaymer is also going well and his birdie on 10 takes him to nine under.

Ben Dirs

BBC Sport at St Andrews

"Just had a chat with the 11-year-old boy waiting for autographs outside the media tent. He reckons he's collected upwards of 50 signed gloves at this year's Open, including Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth, his favourite player. The wee boy has a handicap of 12, so it might be that one day he is winning tournaments and being interviewed about the days he waited patiently for his heroes.

"Was about to ask his name as he ran off to get Henrik Stenson's autograph..."

Latest leaderboard

We're about 20 minutes away from the first of our nine-under men stepping onto the first tee. And they will have seen that more names - some more familiar than others - have gatecrashed their leaderboard party...

-12: P Dunne* (Ire), L Oosthuizen (SA), J Day (Aus)

-11: J Spieth (US)

-10: P Mickelson (US) (15), O Schniederjans* (US) (14), L Donald (12) (P Harrington (Ire)

-9: M Leishman (Aus), J Niebrugge* (US), S Garcia (Spa), J Rose (Eng), R Goosen (SA), R Streb (US), A Scott (Aus), Z Johnson (US), D Willett (Eng).

* denotes amateur

Birdie

AP

Phil Mickelson is up to 10 under - just three shots back - as he birdies 14 and 15, his fifth and sixth of the day. Luke Donald birdies 11 to move to nine under. The chargers on their way...

Will Irish eyes be smiling?

The 1 o'clock headlines

• American amateur Oliver Schniederjans (-6) is the biggest mover today, leaping up to -10 overall and a share of fifth place
• Another amateur - Ireland's Paul Dunne - says he has the ability to upset the paid ranks and lift the Claret Jug
• Dunne tees off at 14:30 alongside co-leader Louis Oosthuizen

Frontrunners hold the pace

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Dustin Johnson will need to pull of something special today to keep that stat running...

The American is already out on the course after dropping back down the field with a tournament-destroying three-over 75 yesterday. Mixed start from the world number four today, a birdie on the first is swiftly followed by a bogey on the next.

Double bogey

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Remember Englishman Andy Sullivan tearing through the opening four holes? He has been brought down to Earth with a bump on the fifth. The 29-year-old, who qualified for his first Open by winning the South African and Joburg Opens, ruins his scorecard with a double bogey. Rather surprising as the 570-yard par-five has been the easiest hole of the Championships, coughing up nine eagles and 233 birdies for an average stroke of 4.484.

Birdie

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Another amateur and another birdie. Englishman Ashley Chesters birdies the second and the third to move to eight under overall, just four shots off the leader. So that is now three amateurs in the top 20...

Mo money, mo problems

In the scenario of an amateur winning The Open, the £1.15m top prize was set to go the player who finished second. Not anymore...

The Open chiefs have released the following statement...

"The Open is a standalone championship and the Championship Committee does not believe that first-place prize money should be paid to a second place finisher.

"Amateur players are not eligible to win prize money and therefore, should an amateur win The 144th Open first place prize money will be distributed proportionately among the professional players who have made the cut."

It's not about the money

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The winner of The Open will receive £1.15m - unless you are an amateur of course.

Co-leader Paul Dunne will not get a single penny if he stays top of the leaderboard - but he would at least be handed the Claret Jug and the Gold Medal.

If a professional wins, a silver medal will go the leading amateur with a bronze medal to the other amateurs who completed the 72 holes.

I'm sure there will be a few sponsors waiting to make up for that lack of prize money...

Happy Hors

Ged Scott

BBC Sport at St Andrews

"The Old Course, being technically still a municipal, would actually have been open today, to patrons, who have obviously all had to have their customary post-Open fourballs scratched.

"One side issue, for the R&A press office, has been having to print up an extra daily drawsheet. Having also had to produce one for the Champions Challenge on Wednesday night, six daily drawsheets for an Open is a new record."

New clubhouse leader

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Branden Grace is the new clubhouse leader on seven under. The South African shot a five-under 67 for his final round to move five behind the leaders who are yet to go out. He won't be staying there for long one would imagine.

Scores being made all over the place with Graeme McDowell making his fifth birdie on 15 to move to six under and Australia's Geoff Ogilvy moving to eight under with birdies through the first eight.

Just behind Grace in the clubhouse is American Billy Horschel, who finishes six under after 72 holes.

Pinpoint accuracy

Ben Dirs

BBC Sport at St Andrews

AP

It's actually pretty muggy out there, you could get a good sweat on striding the fairways. Add to the good weather the £10 tickets and it's a boon, bonus day for anyone selling pretty much anything in St Andrews.

Each day, a small American boy waits patiently outside the media tent, waiting for players to arrive before and after their rounds. Even Jim Furyk's caddie Mike 'Fluff' Cowan, he of the white walrus moustache, gets a little shout as he crosses the bridge. That boy's autograph collection will be worth a few quid one day....

Selected tee-times

13:30: Danny Willett (Eng), Zach Johnson (US)

13:40: Adam Scott (Aus), Robert Streb (US)

13:50: Retief Goosen (SA), Justin Rose (Eng)

14:00: Sergio Garcia (Spa), Jordan Niebrugge (US)

14:10: Marc Leishman (Aus), Padraig Harrington (Ire)

14:20: Jordan Spieth (US), Jason Day (Aus)

14:30: Louis Oosthuizen (SA), Paul Dunne (Ire)

Latest leaderboard

Oliver Schniederjan's flurry of birdies means the young American has gatecrashed the leaderboard...

-12: P Dunne* (Ire), L Oosthuizen (SA), J Day (Aus)

-11: J Spieth (US)

-10: O Schniederjans* (US) (after 10), P Harrington (Ire)

-9: A Sullivan (Eng) (after 4), M Leishman (Aus), J Niebrugge* (US), S Garcia (Spa), J Rose (Eng), R Goosen (SA), R Streb (US), A Scott (Aus), Z Johnson (US), D Willett (Eng).

* denotes amateur

Birdie

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Wait a minute... Oliver Schniederjans bags another birdie on 10. The amateur is six under for the day and just two shots off the leaders at 10 under overall. An incredible Open for the amateurs so far...

Birdie

PA

A stunning start to the final round from American amateur Oliver Schniederjans. He birdies nine, his sixth of the day, to go to nine under overall and just three shots off the leader.

An even better start for England's Andy Sullivan as he birdies the first four holes of the day to join the 10 others on nine under. Phil Mickelson is up to eight under with his fourth birdie of the day on 10.

Weather update

The chatter from the Old Course has been that the wind levels will rise later on - and our meteorology man has confirmed it. Could that spell trouble for our overnight leaders Louis Oosthuizen, Paul Dunne and Jason Day?

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BBC Weather forecaster Steve Cleaton: "A southeasterly breeze of around 20mph with gusts to 30mph seems a pretty reasonable estimate at this stage, from around 15:30 onwards.

"As we progress through the rest of this morning, there will be the continued risk of some outbreaks of rain, but the good news is that there are some breaks in the cloud that will drift across the course. This afternoon, cloud will to thicken again from the west, with some further spells of rain."

Ged Scott

BBC Sport at St Andrews

"The only previous time a St Andrews Open was affected by the weather and went to the extra day it was in 1960, when an Australian won, Kel Nagle, so maybe Jason Day, Marc Leishman and Adam Scott might be good shouts?"

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Weather update

The birdies are already being sunk with pleasing regularity by the men already out on the Old Course. St Andrews may be grey and drizzly, but there is little breeze to cause them bother. And that means only a handful of the also-rans are over par so far today. But there is talk that the wind levels could be about to rise...

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JJ Tait: After all the weather shenanigans and delays, today's final round could not be more exciting. Let's get it Dunne!

Richard Anthony: Some early starters today are already -5/-6 for the round and they're nowhere near finishing. Today will be good.

Chris Marshall: Heavy rain forecast from 1pm. Will the course be flooded again before the end? Will we see a Tuesday finish? Surely not!

Who is Jordan Niebrugge?

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Paul Dunne might be leading The Open, but there's another amateur only three shots behind on his Open debut.

Jordan Niebrugge is a 21-year-old American who currently plays collegiate golf at Oklahoma State University.

In 2011, he won the Wisconsin State Open, one of only four amateurs to do so and he played in last year's US Masters.

He is 6ft 4in, has a plus-four handicap and is ranked 86th in the world amateur rankings.

The race for the silver medal

AFP

The battle for the silver medal between the amateurs is going to be fascinating today.

There might not be even one handed out if co-leader Paul Dunne or American Jordan Niebrugge lift the Claret Jug... but if neither man does, they have a battle on their hands to be top amateur.

Another American amateur, Oliver Schniederjans, is staking his claim with birdies on five, six and eight to take him to four under for the day and eight under overall.

Niebrugge is a shot ahead on nine under, with Dunne a further three shots forward. Neither go out until past 14:00 BST.

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Laura Bradburn: Made the most of the delay and came to my first ever golf event, the final day of The Open Championship!

Matthew Hill: Last minute trip to St Andrews for what should be one of the great Open finishes. May have backed the winner as well.

Backed about 25 players then, Matthew?

Get Involved

Birdie

Reuters

Big Phil is making his move - possibly too late, but you never know.

Mickelson birdies six and seven, after a three on the par-four first, and moves to seven under. He won't be ruling out winning this yet.

Not such good news for David Howell who bogeys the 14th and drops back to five under overall and three under for the day.

Manic Monday

If you've been away to the Costa Del Sol for the past week, or out gallivanting all weekend (we're only jealous because we've been stuck in the office), you may have returned to work and wondered 'why on Earth is The Open finishing today?'

First we had a rain delay on Friday, then strong winds on Saturday blew the Open timetable totally off course. So the third round was moved to yesterday, with the final round being played on a Monday for only the second time in the Championship's history.

The last time? In 1988 when this legend - and frankly any man who can pull off green trousers is a legend - won at Royal Lytham St Annes...

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The clubhouse leaders

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The leaders have another two-plus hours before they get out on the course, but the early birds are already finishing.

England's Paul Casey cards an even-par 72 to remain level for the championship, with German great Bernhard Langer also in for the day level, but one over overall.

The early clubhouse leaders on five under are Australia's Scott Arnold and Italy's Francesco Molinari. Arnold's six birdie round of 66 is the best out there this morning.

Our man Andrew Cotter has received a Tweet from one of the Open hopefuls, praising this week's BBC coverage. Thanks very much Peter...

The hunted five...

The five nearest the top of the leaderboard looked pretty tasty on Sunday but an astonishing 20 players are within three shots of fifth-placed Padraig Harrington on 10 under.

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In that pack of chasers is no shortage of experience. Major winners Justin Rose, Retief Goosen, Adam Scott, Charl Schwartzel and Zach Johnson are all lurking. We make that seven Major winners among the leading 14 players...

What might have been

PA

Wales' Jamie Donaldson will be thinking what might have been after shooting six birdies through 14 holes this morning. Donaldson bogeys 12 to move back to seven under for the championship - still five shots behind the leaders.

Another Brit going along happily today is Swindon's David Howell. He has hit four birdies through 13 and is up to six under.

DJ out of tune

And the stats don't do Dustin Johnson's reputation as a weekend offender any favours. Here are his combined round-by-round scores in the last three Open Championships....

Round 1: -11

Round 2: -9

Round 3: +6

Round 4: +7

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DJ out of tune

You might notice that Dustin Johnson is rather conspicuous by his absence in the late tee-times below. The American, who blew the chance of winning his first Major at the US Open last month, was the overnight leader going into the third round. Now he is nowhere to be seen after a third-round 75...

Selected tee-times

13:30: Danny Willett (Eng), Zach Johnson (US)

13:40: Adam Scott (Aus), Robert Streb (US)

13:50: Retief Goosen (SA), Justin Rose (Eng)

14:00: Sergio Garcia (Spa), Jordan Niebrugge (US)

14:10: Marc Leishman (Aus), Padraig Harrington (Ire)

14:20: Jordan Spieth (US), Jason Day (Aus)

14:30: Louis Oosthuizen (SA), Paul Dunne (Ire)

Get involved via #bbcgolf

With the Open being concluded on a Monday for only the second time in its 155-year history, we also want to know your memories of other sporting 'Magic Moments'. Tweet using #bbcgolf and text 81111. Go, go, go!

Dunne has nothing to lose - Player

BBC Radio 5 live

PA

Three-time Open winner Gary Player has been speaking to BBC Radio 5 live about Paul Dunne's chances:

"First of all I would say to him 'you have nothing to lose, nobody is expecting you to win. If you won, it would be a wee miracle at St Andrews. What you have done is remarkable, capitalise on that, be confident and let it go. Don't play it safe, you are not going to win unless you are aggressive throughout'.

"Golf is very unlike other sports. You start the tournament with 150 players, one plays in wind another plays in perfect condition, and today there are 30 players that can win. I believe they are expecting terrible conditions and so 40 players can win.

"Paul Dunne would not get the money but, if he won, he would be inundated by companies wanting to sign him up and rightly so."

Can it be Dunne?

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If you hadn't heard of Paul Dunne before the weekend, then you will have now. Unless you've been living on a different planet that does not involve golf.

Can he upset those paid to play for a living and win the Claret Jug? You betcha.

"I don't see why not," says the confident 22-year-old. "I'm well capable of shooting the score that I need to win if everyone else doesn't play their best."

That's the spirit young man...

Latest leaderboard

South Africa's Brandon Grace knows a thing or two about mastering St Andrews - he won the 2012 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship here. But his blistering start still leaves him some way short of the overnight leaders. In case you've forgotten (I'm sure you haven't), here's our leaderboard for a quick reminder...

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Early movers

EPA

Some low scores are already being made on the Old Course with American Brandon Grace, Italy's Francesco Molinari and Australia's Scott Arnold all at six under for their rounds so far today.

Grace has fired six birdies in the first 13 holes to move to eight under for the championship and just four shots off the lead, while Molinari is up to six under overall through 15.

A couple more birdies and, with the weather due to worsen, you never know what score will be needed...

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The names at the top of the leaderboard - Paul Dunne, Louis Oosthuizen and Jason Day - will not be striding on to the first tee until after 14:00 BST. But that does not mean there is nothing to talk about until then. Oh no. We will have all the build up to the leaders, plus the latest from the Old Course where those men further down the field are already trying to climb up the leaderboard. Speaking of which...

Is today the day (albeit an unfamiliar Monday) that we are going to see another iconic moment captured at the 'Home of Golf'?

Irish amateur Paul Dunne following in the footsteps of the peerless Bobby Jones perhaps? Maybe Jordan Spieth, the Masters and US Open champion, will become only the second man to lift the first three Majors of the year? Or can Louis Oosthuizen win back-to-back Claret Jugs at St Andrews?

Questions, questions, questions. And that's without even dipping into the storylines of the Redemption Man (Adam Scott), the Comeback Kid (Padraig Harrington), the Best Current Player Not To Win A Major (Sergio Garcia) and the Old Stager (Retief Goosen). Plus countless other potentially-exciting narratives. Phew...

The historic Old Course at St Andrews has seen pretty much everything that the Open Championship has thrown up over the years...

Golf's first superstar Bobby Jones becoming the one and only amateur to lift the Claret jug at the home of golf...

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Doug Sanders's capitulation on the last at the 1970 Championship, missing a three-foot putt to win and allowing Jack Nicklaus to triumph in a play-off....

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And swashbuckling Seve Ballesteros jigging and fist-pumping on the 18th green after his 1984 triumph....

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