AT ABOUT half-past seven yesterday evening, a 59-year-old man walked off the 18th green at Turnberry, put his arm around a blond woman, and they strolled off towards the Open Championship scorers’ hut. His name is Tom Watson, the woman is his wife, Hilary, and though he was once a champion golfer, he doesn’t play much against the big boys any more. His world ranking is 1,373 and, astonishingly, he leads the tournament by one shot going into today’s final round.

It could be the greatest victory in the history of sport. Watson has already won The Open five times, but God knows the last time he contended. He came this year with good feelings because he won the greatest of all Opens on this very course 32 years ago. He and Jack Nicklaus dominated for four days, and in the white heat of championship golf, it was Watson who triumphed. The Duel in the Sun is the moment for which he is best remembered. Until now, perhaps.

Watson had a hip replacement last year and few could see him sustaining a challenge for golf’s greatest prize. But as Tiger Woods and many more of the world’s best fell by the wayside, Watson seemed to get stronger. He trailed by one shot after day one, shared the lead at the end of 36 holes and yesterday claimed the outright leadership.

The 35-year-old Mathew Goggin and the impressive young Englishman Ross Fisher are one shot behind. Fisher’s wife, Jo, is due to give birth to their first child. Fisher insists that if she goes into the labour before the tournament ends, he will quit to be at the birth. It is a problem the venerable Watson doesn’t have to worry about.