Women's British Open:Catriona Matthew will surely never have a better chance to become Scotland's first winner of the Ricoh Women's British Open - indeed any of the women's majors. Three weeks away from her 40th birthday and only 11 weeks on from giving birth to her second daughter, Matthew takes a three-stroke lead into the final round at Royal Lytham.
A first prize of just over €230,000 is in her sights after a one-under-par 71 took her to four under.
Her closest challenger now is colourful American Christina Kim and, with Matthew anything but extrovert, television commentator Ken Brown described their pairing as "Laurel and Hardy".
On that the 25-year-old Kim said: "I don't know that show, but I'm going to take that to mean opposites. Catriona is a phenomenal player, an absolute diamond and I adore her."
She was also prepared to concede Matthew "a bit of an advantage", not from the gap between them, but because of support from British fans.
Matthew resumed tied for top spot with Italian Giulia Sergas and bogeyed the second and third.
It was the third round that did for her at St Andrews two years ago - an 80 after she was second at halfway - but this time she came back with birdies at the fifth, 10th and 13th to move clear.
After that it was a matter of avoiding disasters and she did that expertly.
Matthew also led with a round to go at Sunningdale in 2001, but that was only by one and she finished third.
Defending champion Jiyai Shin had a best-of-the-day 68 to move from 17th to joint third with Japan's Ai Miyazato, winner of last week's Evian Masters.
At four behind they certainly cannot be counted out of it. But with Sergas taking 78 Matthew appears to be carrying European hopes alone.
Matthew said: "I hit a terrible shot on the fourth, but the birdie at the next settled me down for the rest of the round.
"I started practising about five weeks ago. During the season I find it difficult to practise, so the break has done me good I think.
"I'm hitting my irons better than I have the last couple of years."
The final round is also the final leg in Solheim Cup qualifying for both Europe and the United States.
When Laura Davies, the only player to appear in every match since the competition started in 1990, made the halfway cut with nothing to spare and then added a 75 for 12 over she was in danger of falling out of an automatic spot and needing a wild card.
Two players need to go past her for that, but then Swede Sophie Gustafson, who would relegate Davies by finishing 19th, crashed from eighth to 47th with a nightmare 82.
German Martina Eberl could climb into the side by coming 17th and a 72 leaves her 23rd, but Norway's Marianne Skarpnord, who requires a eighth place finish, took four in a bunker in running up a nine on the long 15th and with a 76 slipped from eighth to 18th.
The American race might have to go to a countback. If Jane Park finishes second - she is joint seventh on two over - she will be level on points for the last automatic spot with Natalie Gulbis, who missed the cut.
Michelle Wie needed to win to make it into the top 10, but is down in a tie for 30th on seven over following a 74.
She and veteran Juli Inkster are probably favourites for Beth Daniel's two wild cards, while major winners Anna Nordqvist and Karen Stupples could well head the list for European captain Alison Nicholas, who has three to name.
