Paul Lawrie
Former Open champion on BBC Radio 5 live

I would say my money is on Francesco Molinari. I would love to see Francesco Molinari win The Open. He has been playing the best golf of late.

Image source, Getty Images

The last three Open Championships at Carnoustie have needed a play-off to decide the winner, and with this year's final round beginning with a a three-way tie for the lead, it is again a real possibility.

Tom Watson beat Jack Newton in 1975, Paul Lawrie came through a three-way showdown with Justin Leonard and Jean van de Velde in 1999 and Padraig Harrington denied Sergio Garcia in 2007 via a four-hole aggregate play-off.

That same format will be repeated this year on holes 1, 16, 17 and 18, with sudden death following if needed.

If the play-off is four players or less, they will head off together. Anymore, and they will be separated.

Paul Lawrie
Former Open champion on BBC Radio 5 live

It was left off the putter from Rory McIlroy. It was a great effort, but looking at his body language he thinks it is one short. And if I would put my neck on the line, I would agree with him.

Tom English
BBC Scotland's chief sports writer at Carnoustie

Not sure the Carnoustie fans are getting their head around Xander Schauffele’s challenge here. “He’s joint leader now, says one guy after the American’s birdie on 14. “Who?” says his mate. “This geezer...”

Does Francesco Molinari know he's bidding to become the first Italian winner of the Open? He is not showing any sign of nerves. Another bogey-free hole.

Tiger Woods makes par too. He has got to find a birdie on 17 or 18 to have a chance.

On they go.

Image source, BBC Sport

But who will be joining them...

Now Rory McIlroy has a chance to join the lead after a delightfully weighted clip on to the final dancefloor...

Are you keeping up? Phew.

McIlroy scuttles it up the slope, but it doesn't have the legs.

It sits about a foot to the left and he pops in to finish on a par, before whipping off his baseball cap and shaking hands with Matt Kuchar.

What a putt that is. Kevin Chappell holes a 15-footer to stay at six under, one back. Kevin Kisner's birdie putt, which would have given him a tie for the lead, misses by a whisker. The American, me and the crowd thought it was in. Groan.

Co-leader Francesco Molinari has missed the 16th green with his tee shot.

No bother. Cool as you like the Italian chips up towards the flag.

He's not flinching.

-7: Molinari (15), Schauffele (14)

-6: Rose (69), McIlroy (17), Chappell (14), Kisner (14), Spieth (14)

-5: Pepperell (67), Woods (15)

Selected: -3: Fleetwood (73)

Oh wow. A gust of wind and that eagle putt from Xander Schauffele would have dropped. It was all over the cup, balancing on the rim. But a birdie takes him into a share of the lead.

Can Jordan Spieth join him?

No! He flirts with the hole and leaves it up. Par. What a chance missed.

Tommy Fleetwood could have done with a 63 today.. he's ended up with a 73. Not the Sunday he wanted, but a fine week nevertheless for the long-haired Englishman.

He'll keep knocking on the door of these majors if he continues to play like that.

Handbrake on for Xander Schauffele, he fizzes in an approach and watches it screech to a halt 10 feet beyond the flag.

Jordan Spieth finds the edge of the green and has an eagle chance. He rolls it up within five or six feet.

Birdie this to join the lead...

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In two Opens here, including one he won in a play-off, Tom Watson failed to make a par once. The length makes it hard enough, but the green is raised and bunkers short narrow the way in.

Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport at Carnoustie

Right down the chute from 15th green to 16th tee. Three yards behind Tiger Woods. Some less than complimentary barbs fired his way. Most were friendly. A wall of noise. Bedlam. Molinari followed a few seconds later to much less fuss. He’s holding it together spectacularly well.

Was it ever in doubt? Francesco Molinari just doesn't look like missing so far. Still he hasn't made a bogey. Three holes left, three of the toughest in golf.

He takes a one-shot lead into the final stretch.

Tiger makes a good effort of his putt from off the green but it just misses. He makes par.

Leader Molinari has a tester to keep his par.

Five-time major champion Phil Mickelson: "I'd go with 18. We all saw tragedy there and we know what it's capable of. It's one of the scariest, there's so much trouble everywhere. There's water right, water left, you have the rough, you have water short, out of bounds left is a major factor. There is a lot of trouble. Yeah, that's a tough one."

Four-time major champion Ernie Els: "It's got to be 18 at Carnoustie when it's blowing its head off. Burns, out of bounds. Vicious."

Darren Clarke, 2011 Open champion: "16 (long par three). Because it's brutal. Just brutal. No other word for it, brutal. Brutal."

Two-time major champion Martin Kaymer: "The 16th is quite tough. If you give yourself two threes and two fours it's not that bad. It's tough to hit the green especially with the long club you have to hit and if you hit the green, it's quite an exposed green and it's tough to make two putts."

Danny Willett, 2016 Masters champion: "The 18th is right up there and the 15th is very sneaky with the prevailing wind as well."

Justin Rose has just set the clubhouse lead at six-under par. This eagle at 14 was absolutely crucial.

Ooops, Rory's in the sand. A decent lie for the four-time major winner, I'm sure he's seen plenty of beaches as serene as this before. He executes a tidy little flop out on to the green and shuffles in his par putt with a fist pump to boot. One to go...