It may come as little consolation, but Tom Watson's agonising play-off defeat at the Open has improved his world ranking by a record 1,269 places – from 1,374th to 105th.

Jack Nicklaus watches from Florida with tears in his eyes as his old friend's poignant quest to turn back the clock fails at the last

He earned nothing for fifth spot last year, but joint-third pays out for former amateur

Rather than toasting his best-ever finish in an Open, Luke Donald was last night lamenting his first-round performance, which cost him a chance at victory at Turnberry.

Search for next British winner goes on after Englishman drops shots on last four holes to concede defeat in bid for Claret Jug

Veteran is left to reflect on missed chances as record, like his putt on the 18th, slips away

Tom Watson continued his serene progress through the perils of Turnberry yesterday and managed to finish with a spectacular flourish that restored him to the top of a leader-board ahead of a jostle of whipper-snappers who had threatened to usurp his place.

Much has been made, thanks to Tom Watson's emergence as a beady-eyed putter, of the value of experience, and the presence of Watson and Mark Calcavecchia among the leaders seems to confirm it.

Veteran starts final day with a lead of one but that may be enough to tear up all the record books.

Sometimes the genius of the Tiger has failed. Seven years ago some way east of here in Muirfield it was blown away, but there was a storm of biblical proportions going on when he shot 81 on the third day of that Open.

Gary Player arrived at his first Open with £200 in his pocket and a burning desire to succeed. Some 54 years and nine majors later, the South African has seen it all. As the action at Turnberry heats up, he shares his views on cheating allegations past and present, and how the game has changed

The Last Word

American Steve Marino, who had to use his father as a passport courier to take up his place in the Open, today set the early clubhouse target at Turnberry as the course exacted a measure of revenge on the world's best players.

Not many elite sports events begin with such an unobtrusive lack of fuss as the Open Championship. The first shot of this year's tournament was struck at 6.30am by England's Paul Broadhurst. The sky was blue; mist spilt off the hills; the sea was like a lake; flags hung limp around the 18th green, and a gaggle of early-bird spectators whispered and nudged each other behind the tee.