Scott and Williams set for final-day battle at Open

Adam Scott of Australia hits his tee shot on the first hole (Getty Images)

Less than a year after hiring golf's most successful caddie in a bid to end his long wait for a first major title, Australian Adam Scott hopes he is just 18 holes from achieving his dream at Royal Lytham tomorrow.

But, even though he holds a four-stroke lead going into the last leg of the Open Championship, the 31-year-old knows the toughest part is still to come.

And, despite the quality of those just behind him, Scott also knows the biggest battle is with himself.

Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell, up into joint second with American Brandt Snedeker after a superb 67, came from three shots back on the final day to win the 2010 US Open and only last month was one putt away from forcing a play-off in the same event.

And then there is Tiger Woods one stroke further back in fourth place. He senses a chance to grab his fourth Claret Jug and 15th major four traumatic years after he last tasted success at the highest level.

New Zealander Steve Williams is the man on Scott's bag and he helped Woods win 13 of his 14 majors before being sacked last summer.

Williams made no secret of how angry he was about that after staying with Woods throughout his sex scandal and when Scott won a world championship last August he called it "the best win of my life".

Then three months later at a caddie awards dinner in China Williams aimed what he later admitted could be construed as a racist comment about his former boss.

They have done battle face-to-face since then in the Presidents Cup, with one win for each of them, but not in a major. It could be some day.

Taking advantage of Snedeker running into all sorts of problems following his major-record-equalling first two rounds, Scott moved to 11 under par and back out in front with a 68.

His 199 total is only one outside the championship record set by Tom Lehman on the Lancashire links in 1996.