The Open: Henrik Stenson will not relinquish title without a fight
Last Updated: 22/07/17 6:22pm
Henrik Stenson kept his hopes of retaining The Open title alive by shooting a five-under 65 in the third round at Royal Birkdale.
The Swede, who is three under after 54 holes, admits he faces a tough task to haul in Jordan Spieth and the others in front of him, but is determined not to relinquish his crown without a fight.
"We are not really playing for second-place finishes," Stenson, who fired a 63 in the final round at Troon last year, told Sky Sports. "If there is a chance, I can go out and play aggressive - as will many others - try and reach the guys in front.
"I might be too far behind but we are certainly going to give it a go. I know I can shoot 63 on Sunday."
Stenson had opened his defence with rounds of 69 and 73 but was back to his best as he enjoyed the sunny conditions in Southport on Saturday.
"That was more like it, for sure," added the 41-year-old. "Today the crowd were amazing, they obviously remember last year and I felt like I remembered some playing from last year.
"It was a good day out there, totally different from yesterday obviously with the weather."
Stenson made a flying start with back-to-back birdies, before dropping his only shot of the day at the sixth, although he recovered from that with further birdies at the eighth, 12th, 14th and 15th.
"I knew I had to make a bunch of birdies," he said. "I got off to a great start - two birdies - and came close with the second shot on five. Then I got it going again from eight onwards.
"It would have been nice to get one more [birdie]. I was in a good position on 17, but I couldn't take advantage there. I hit a poor second shot."
Masters champion Sergio Garcia is back on level par following a two-under 68 which saw him birdie the fifth and seventh holes and then par his way in.
The Spaniard hurt his shoulder on Friday when hacking at a gorse bush, but said the injury had not affected him as he returned to the golf course.
"Funny enough it got better as the day went on," he said. "It was a little bit sore practising warming up, more than anything on the finish.
"But unfortunately I think it probably got a little tired as the day went on, because some of the shots I hit on the last four or five holes I was hitting the ball nicely and I could feel that I wasn't able to do what I wanted to do.
"So we'll get a little bit of work on it and make sure that it's as good as it can be for tomorrow. Nothing seems to be torn or broken or anything like that. Just a little inflammation in the joints."