Open contenders blown off course

KOREAN LEADER: KJ Choi is so far defying the elements at the Open. (AFP)

High winds battered the third round of the British Open on Saturday, leaving the world's best golfers struggling against being blown clean off the leaderboard.

Overnight leader, KJ Choi, bidding to become the first Asian golfer to win a major, stood firm however with pars on his first four holes to stretch his outright lead to three strokes.

He was the only player under par after two rounds and that by just a single stroke.

Playing partner Greg Norman, seeking to become the oldest ever Open champion at 53, slipped back with bogeys at the first and third, while three straight pars from Jim Furyk were followed by a bogey at four to fall to three over, four adrift of Choi.

Defending champion Padraig Harrington was one ahead of him after bagging a rare birdie at the fifth with a chip in from the rough 50 yards out. That came after the Irishman had bogeyed the second.

Colombian debutant Camilo Villegas was level at two over with Norman and Harrington after a bogey-par-par start.

Back-from-the-dead David Duval suffered with a triple-bogey opening hole followed by a further three bogeys to drift out to eight over, while Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland shed three strokes in the first two holes and stood at six over.

Gusts of up to 50 miles per hour (80 kilometres per hour), raised the possibility that play could be suspended at any moment if the balls are moving on the greens.

In view of the conditions, tees on the sixth, 11th and 16th were moved forward, reducing the length of the course by a total of 159 yards and several holes were repositioned to easier spots.

Among the early starters, only US veteran Davis Love, Sweden's Henrik Stenson and 2003 Open champion Ben Curtis were able to match the Royal Birkdale par of 70.

The 2002 champion Ernie Els saw his hopes all but scuppered when he carded a four over 74 leaving him at 13 over for the tournament.

"It's been a frustrating week on the greens and when you're not making putts it's more frustrating," he said. "I had a good back nine but let it slip at the end again."

World No. 2 Phil Mickelson also failed to make any impression faced with the wrath of the elements. He could only manage a 76, leaving him stranded, like Els, on 13 over.

Others to struggle were Colin Montgomerie who had a 74 to stand at 12 over, Paul Casey who had a 73 and was also at 12 over and Lee Westwood whose 78 left him out of the running at 17 over.

Casey suffered a lost ball at the 15th and got some royal sympathy from the watching Prince Andrew, well know for his affection for the sport.

"The Duke of York was there and he said he'd hit the ball in there the other day. I said 'did you find it sir?' and he said no."

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