Those who thought Tiger Woods, having grabbed the halfway lead, would turn the Open championship into a one-man show are thinking again after his rollercoaster ride at Hoylake today.

Trying to become the first man to make a successful defence of the title since Tom Watson in 1983 Woods is still out in front with 18 holes to play.

And since he has won all his 10 majors from the top of the leaderboard on the final day he remains the favourite.

But three three-putts on the back nine and four bogeys in all in a one under par 73 have kept the battle for the claret jug very much alive.

Woods, who had opened so impressively with rounds of 67 and 65, is 13 under par and keeps the one-stroke advantage he took into the day.

But now it is not only Ernie Els right on his heels.

The South African, winner at Muirfield in 2002, was a mixture of the good, the bad and the ugly as well and also shot 71 to stand 12 under.

Sergio Garcia and Chris DiMarco are on the same mark, though, after shooting very contrasting rounds of 65 and 69.

Garcia's challenge for a first major was ignited by him holing his nine-iron approach to the 436-yard second for an eagle two and he was only one outside the major record with his outward 29.

DiMarco, the man who lost a play-off to Woods for the Masters last year, appeared to be slipping out of it when he covered the first 10 holes in one over. But he played the last eight in four under.

Garcia's round-of-the-day means he is the one who partners Woods on the final day. That happened in the 2002 US Open in New York, but the gap between them then was four.

Ireland's Graeme McDowell, who led after the opening round, is five under par after a level par 72 today.