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Henrik Stenson is taking divots so big you'd comfortably resurface the back garden with the turf.

It's generating a lot of spin and grip, his wedge on seven is grade A and that's about 12ft left for birdie. Phil Mickelson has around 25ft left.

With 116 yards to play from tee to pin, Andrew Johnston pitches up towards the Postage Stamp eighth green but watches as it drifts left.

And it carries on going, hitting the turf and rolling down into the bunker that caused Rory McIlroy so many problems in practice on Tuesday - six shots it took him to get out.

No such issue for the Londoner, he's out in one and on to the green.

Pitching into the wind, Andrew Johnston clips it up onto the green. It skips up once, before stopping and spinning back towards the flag.

'Beeeef' is the cry. 

The crowd favourite underestimates the speed off the green a little. Too slow for his liking, and pulls up short from eight feet or so.

Another par for Beef as he heads towards the Postage Stamp. Bill Haas also makes par to stay four under.

Image source, Reuters

Controversial, but if you were a pro and your ball was heading into a bush off the tee, deep, deep down are you hoping it hits someone to stay out?

I think I would be.

Phil Mickelson just found himself in that scenario on seven as somehow his ball stays out of the bushes following a wayward drive. Henrik Stenson sends his effort up the middle. 

Lefty will do well to sign a glove and give it to whoever headed his ball away from trouble there.

Another birdie opportunity for Rory McIlroy slips past, but that was from around 20 feet. The Northern Irishman makes par and has three holes to play.

He stays at three under in tied eighth.

No surrender from either party.

These two players - Phil Mickelson and Henrik Stenson - are shot perfect so far. 

Both their birdie putts drop on six, Mickelson's was slightly tougher, off they stride, like men on a mission. No inch given.

Image source, Reuters

Our two leaders are exactly 74 yards from the pin and there's some commotion as to who goes first for their third shots into this green. 

"Do you have a coin Phil?" says a caddie.

In the end Lefty says "I don't care" and asks Henrik Stenson what he wants to do. Mickelson goes first, nice spin on the ball and that leaves 15ft for birdie.

Stenson on the other side of the fairway, huge divot, over the flag, lashings of back spin, five feet for birdie. That spin got the crowd pumping.

Bill Haas' consistent start to the final day has quickly evaporated. On the same hole Beef salvages par, the American drops another shot.

Haas has never finished in the top 10 at a major. He would've fancied his chances at Troon having started the day in third, but with back-to-back bogeys is down to tied sixth on Sunday. Work to do.

Image source, PA

I found this image of Henrik Stenson earlier. It's from 2001 after a win in the International Open at The Belfry.

Look at the fresh face, he'd have been 24 by my reckoning and such early success probably meant he expected a major win to arrive before his 40th birthday. 

Still, he's still our there rocking and rocking well, sadly his Westlife hairstyle hasn't stood the test of time.

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Andrew Johnston blasts one out of the bunker and with his third shot at the par-five sixth sends his ball sprawling towards the putting surface.  

He has an outside chance of birdie with a putt from around 15 feet, but after finding the sand a couple of stroke back it looks like Beef will have to be happy to settle for par.

Phil Mickelson gets off to a great start to take the lead on the first hole.

JB Holmes has opened with a pair of birdies through six, taking the American up to six under for the tournament and into fourth spot - one stroke behind Beef.

The 34-year-old has proved consistent this week - 70, 70, 69, ? - another solid under-par round would surely warrant a top-five finish.

Watch Andrew Johnston's great start to the final round.

"I don't like that, we're going to lay up so what do I need off the tee?"

"It shouldn't get to the right bunker? OK, I like that."

Those are the words of Phil Mickelson to his caddie. Lefty will not be going for the green on this par five in two. He finds the meat of the fairway. Conservative but calculated.

Henrik Stenson is bringing the warrior to the party, he gets the driver out to bring eagle into play. Fairway. 

Alex Shcnopple:  Best beard, easy choice, Roy Keane, shiver mi timbers.

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Tee shot-putt-putt, that's the mantra for Phil Mickelson and Henrik Stenson on the par-three fifth. Both leave lengthy putts for birdie, both are unlucky and close, both will move onto six with their hopes still in one piece.

Beef's in the bunker. I imagine he's the sort of bloke that if you asked him to stop and build you a sandcastle there, he'd probably oblige.

No time for messing around in the sand on Open Sunday though.

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Sergio Garcia just bent the laws of physics on seven with a putt that was moving at pace yet curled around to drop into the back of the cup.

It was a full 20ft and brought home a birdie for El Nino. Clearly a little buzzed, his tee shot on eight is good too, it leaves 15ft and Sergio could make it to five under... he does. 

How do you respond to back-to-back bogeys? Well, if you're Rory McIlroy it's with a birdie on a hole that has plagued you all week.

A double bogey at the 13th on Thursday, another dropped shot at the same place on Friday, but he's down in three on Sunday. A superb approach and confident putt from six feet - he's back to three under.