South African Louis Oosthuizen fought off Paul Casey to hold on to a four-stroke lead over the Englishman after Saturday's third round of the British Open at the wind-swept Old Course.
Oosthuizen, whose seven missed cuts in eight prior majors include three at Opens, birdied two of the last three holes to fire a three-under par 69 and stand on 15-under 201 after 54 holes at the legendary links course.
"I felt like I swung it really well all day and probably left a few more birdies out there," Oosthuizen said. "But 69, I'm really happy. Over the moon really."
Not since American Tony Lema in 1964 has a first-time major champion been crowned at golf's birthplace, but such a fate seems assured Sunday as two-time US Open winner Retief Goosen is the only prior major winner in the top 17.
"It means everything to everyone, but the Open at St. Andrews would be something special," Oosthuizen said. "It's one of those things you dream of."
Casey, hoping to be England's first major champion since Nick Faldo won the 1996 Masters, fired a 67 and hopes to do so again to catch Oosthuizen, although he has never managed a top-5 finish in 29 prior majors.
"I would love to replicate that," Casey said. "I'm not sure it would be enough with the way Louis is playing, but I was very happy with that."
Oosthuizen, a 27-year-old former farmboy mentored as a teen by three-time major winner Ernie Els, began with a bogey but birdied seven and nine to stay atop Casey, who had five front-nine birdies and nine pars on the inward trek.
A long birdie putt over a ridge at the 16th and a tap-in birdie at 18 put Oosthuizen in clear command but not overconfident.
