Tiger Woods (top) reacts after missing a birdie putt yesterday, shooting an even-par 70 in the third round. (
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TIGER ON HIS TAIL: Adam Scott (left), swinging from the rough on the 6th hole, leads the British Open by four strokes heading into today’s final round.Tiger Woods (right) reacts after missing a birdie putt yesterday, shooting an even-par 70 in the third round. (Reuters, AFP/Getty Images)
LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England — Is Adam Scott ready?
Will he finally do what virtually everyone in golf believes he should have done years ago — win a major championship?
We find out today in the Open Championship final round at Royal Lytham, where the winds are predicted to blow in anger for the first time all week.
If Scott, who is 11-under after his 68 yesterday and takes a four-shot lead over Brandt Snedeker and Graeme McDowell into the final round, wins the Claret Jug, there will be many who will repeat these words: “Well, it’s about time.’’
Scott, 31, years ago was considered the heir apparent to Tiger Woods’ greatness because of his picture-perfect swing.
There have been wins along the way — the 2004 Players Championship and last year’s WGC-Bridgestone Invitational the highlights among his eight PGA Tour triumphs — but there is no major championship on the resume, a gaping hole for a player of Scott’s talent.
Is he ready to break through?
“Well, I certainly hope so,’’ Scott said yesterday. “It would be incredible, but I don’t even really want to think about it right now. I’m really excited for what [today] holds. I truly believe I can go out and play a great round of golf, no matter what the conditions. If I do that, then I think that makes it pretty hard for them to catch me.’’
The elephant in the room is actually a tiger.
Tiger Woods, who shot 70 yesterday, is well within striking distance — five shots back at 6-under — and he will have the advantage of playing in front of Scott and posting a number for Scott to look at. Woods was expected to make a move yesterday after shooting a pair of 67s in the first two rounds, but he ran in place for much of the day.
“Adam’s got Tiger on his tail and there’s a lot of golf left to be played,’’ Mark Calcavecchia said in a forewarning tone.
Woods complimented Scott for his play, but tweaked him at the same time.
“He’s been out here a long time and he’s won a Players Championship, but I don’t think he’s really done probably as well as he’d like to in major championships,” Woods said. “But I think that he’s maturing in his game, and I think over the last maybe year or so he’s really improved his game. He’s in a great position to win his first major championship.’’
Snedeker, who was paired with Scott yesterday, described Scott’s performance as “kind of a clinic out there for the majority of the round.’’
McDowell, who will be playing in the final pairing of a major championship for the second consecutive major after finishing second in last month’s U.S. Open, is a significant obstacle standing in Scott’s way because he has won a major before (the 2010 U.S. Open).
“I’m sure myself and Adam will be experiencing slightly different emotions,’’ McDowell said. “But it will all boil down to the same thing. It will boil down to pressure. It will boil down to being scared, probably of failing more than winning. He’s a hell of a player and he’s been a hell of a player for a very long time. He’s got the unfortunate burden of never having won a major championship.’’
“I don’t know what to expect’’ from today, Scott said, adding, “I’ve not really teed off [in] the last group of the Open before. I’m sure I’m going to be nervous, but it’s good nerves and I’m excited. I’m playing well. I’m looking forward to the round.’’
If Scott plays the way he’s played all week — and the way so many have expected him to play for years — he will be a major championship winner for the first time in his career.
“He’s got the best swing in the world,’’ Calcavecchia said. “I don’t know how he ever plays bad. Whenever he plays good, it’s like, ‘Well, it’s about time. Where has he been?’ ’’
mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com