Amateur Paul Dunne among British Open leaders; Jordan Spieth a shot back

For the first time in more than 80 years, an amateur sits at the top of the British Open leaderboard through 54 holes.

Paul Dunne walked off the 18th green at St. Andrews on Sunday with a share of the British Open lead to his name.

The Irish amateur shot a six-under 66 to share the lead with Jason Day and Louis Oosthuizen at 12 under for the tournament.

Dunne, 22, is the first amateur to lead the British Open after three rounds since the great Bobby Jones in 1927. Jones was the last amateur to win the British Open, pulling off the feat in 1930.

“I’ve just felt comfortable all week,” Dunne said. “I’ve played well, and I’m hoping for more of the same tomorrow.”

The magnitude of being associated with Jones wasn’t lost on Dunne.

“It’s a bit surreal,” Dunne said. “He’s a legend of the game, so anytime you can be associated with someone like that, it’s an honor.”

Ooshuizen, the 2010 British Open champion, sank a birdie on 18 to finish with a 67 for the round. Day said he was aiming to get to 13 under before the start of the round, but was pleased with how the round played out.

“I’m very happy with how I played today and I’m pleased to be in the lead,” Day said.

Jordan Spieth, who led for a brief time, finished with a six-under 66 and is one stroke behind the leaders. The Masters and U.S. Open champion is a stroke ahead of Padraig Harrington, who shot an impressive 65.

“I’m very pleased with putting myself in position,” Spieth said. “I’m going to need a similar round tomorrow.”

Nine players are tied three shots back at nine under, including former major winners Retief Goosen, Adam Scott and Zach Johnson. Among them is American amateur Jordan Niebrugge, who finished with a 67, and Danny Willett.

Dustin Johnson, the second-round leader, struggled with his putting en route to finishing with a three-over 75. He dropped three consecutive bogeys to finish the round and was tied for the second-worst round on a course featuring favorable conditions for players. He stands five shots behind the leaders at seven under.

“Tomorrow I’m going to have to go out and attack the golf course,” said Johnson, who is trying to win his first major. “I definitely need to have a good start.”

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10:03 a.m.: Paul Dunne isn’t showing any signs of being intimidated.

The Irish amateur moved back into a share of the lead at 12 under after a fine-looking birdie putt on the 15th hole. He moved into sole possession of the lead when Danny Willett bogeyed on a long par attempt on the 13th green.

A short time later, Dunne was joined at the top by Jason Day, who sank a challenging seven-foot birdie putt on 15. Day and Dunne each stood at six under on the day with three holes to go.

If Dunne leads going into Monday, he would be the first amateur to lead the British Open after 54 holes since the great Bobby Jones in 1927. Jones was the last amateur to win the British Open in 1930.

Willett is tied for second at 11 under with Masters and U.S. Open champion Jordan Spieth and Louis Oosthuizen.

Oosthuizen barely missed out on moving into the lead on 16 when his birdie putt stopped on the edge of the pin.

Second-round leader Dustin Johnson has not birdied any of first 14 holes on a day that has seen the vast majority of the field finish under par. He stood three shots back of the leaders with four holes to play.

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9:33 a.m.: Danny Willett is leading the British Open once again.

Consecutive birdies on nine and 10 moved the 27-year-old Englishman into sole possession of the lead at 12 under, one shot ahead of Jordan Spieth, Irish amateur Paul Dunne and Jason Day.

Willett nearly took a two-stroke lead on 11 when he just missed a 10-foot birdie putt.

Spieth finished with a six-under 66 to move into contention for the win Monday.

“I feel more calm than [I was at] the [U.S] Open...certainly better than the Masters,” Spieth said after his round. “I have more experience in this position. Tomorrow it’s just a matter of playing to my strengths. I’m going to sleep fine tonight.”

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9:12 a.m.: Jordan Spieth and amateur Paul Dunne have more company at the top of the British Open leaderboard.

Danny Willett and Jason Day have made it a four-way tie for the lead.

Willett hasn’t lost any momentum despite entering the third round not having played a shot in nearly 48 hours because of rain and high-wind delays.

The Englishman birdied on nine to move into a tie for the lead with Spieth and Dunne at 11 under. A short time later, Jason Day birdied on 13. Willett stands at two under for the round and Day is at four under.

Spieth, who is trying to keep his Grand Slam hopes intact, finished his round with a six-under 66.

Dustin Johnson, American amateur Jordan Niebrugge and Sergio Garcia were among nine who are tied two strokes back of the leaders. Johnson is one of the few players today who didn’t hit a birdie on the front nine.

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8:55 a.m.: A 22-year-old amateur from Ireland shares the lead of the British Open with a Masters and U.S. Open champion.

Paul Dunne sank a long birdie putt on No. 10 to take over sole possession of the lead at St. Andrews before Jordan Spieth tied Dunne at 11 under with a short birdie putt on the 15th hole.

Dunne nearly moved 12 under for the tournament when he just missed a 35-foot birdie putt on No. 11.

Spieth stood at six under through 16 and Dunne was at five under after 12 holes.

Dunne, who is planning to turn professional later this summer, played college golf at Alabama-Birmingham. He’s hoping to become the first amateur to win the British Open since Bobby Jones achieved the feat in 1930.

Padraig Harrington finished his round tied in second with Danny Willett and Jason Day at 10 under after shooting a seven-under 65.

“I always wanted to shoot 65 on Sunday at an Open,” Harrington joked in the clubhouse. “Unfortunately there’s another round to go.”

Second-round leader Dustin Johnson got off to a slow start. He dropped to two shots back after bogeying on seven. He was tied with eight other players through eight.

The player-friendly conditions have created plenty of movement at the top of the leaderboard. The vast majority of players have shot under par today as the wind -- and rain, at least for now -- has stayed away.

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8:17 a.m.: The friendly playing conditions at St. Andrews are making for plenty of challengers at the top of the British Open leaderboard.

Jordan Spieth, amateur Paul Dunne, Louis Oosthuizen, Danny Willett, and Padraig Harrington have moved into a share of the lead with Dustin Johnson at 10 under for the tournament. Spieth had three consecutive birdies on holes Nos. 10-12 after bogeying on No. 9.

Oosthuizen stands at three under for the round through seven holes, and Dunne sank birdies on seven and nine to move to four under for the day.

Dunne, 22, entered the day with his name already amongst golf’s elite on the leaderboard after carding consecutive rounds of 69. He is looking to become the first amateur to win the British Open since Bobby Jones in 1930.

He isn’t the only amateur surprising the pros this weekend. American Jordan Niebrugge is among eight golfers one shot behind the leaders. He is five under through six holes on the day.

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7:57 a.m.: Jordan Spieth’s third round has started well.

Consecutive birdies on the 10th and 11th holes moved him into in a tie for second at nine under, one shot behind leader Dustin Johnson. Spieth missed a playable par putt on No. 9 that could have moved him into a share of the lead.

Spieth, the Masters and U.S. Open champion, is attempting to keep his Grand Slam hopes alive with a win this weekend.

Spieth isn’t the only one on course who’s doing well. Padraig Harrington is also part of a nine-way tie for second after going six under through 14. He shares the leaderboard with Marc Leishman, Danny Willett, Robert Streb, Retief Goosen, Louis Oosthuizen, Paul Lawrie and amateur Paul Dunne.

Phil Mickelson finished his round with a two-under 70 to stand at four under heading into the final round.

Johnson remains the leader at 10 under through four holes, but he cannot rest easy -- 26 players are within three shots of the lead.

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6:51 a.m.: Eddie Pepperell’s stint in the lead at the British Open was brief, but he’s still in contention for the win on Monday.

The 24-year-old moved into a share of the lead with Dustin Johnson at 10 under after sinking consecutive birdies on 15 and 16. But he finished his third round with a six-under 66 after being forced to settle with a double bogey on 17.

Course conditions seem to be favoring the players this afternoon. There’s very little wind, but the threat of rain persists. Johnson tees off at 7 a.m. PDT. Adam Scott, Zach Johnson and Jason Day started their rounds a short time ago. Masters and U.S. Open champion Jordan Spieth is two-under through five holes, and three shots behind the leaders.

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6:29 a.m.: Weather will continue to play a major factor throughout the rest of the British Open, but the soggy and windy course conditions aren’t hindering players from making big jumps up the leaderboard during Sunday’s third round.

Englishman Eddie Pepperell, who has three top-10 finishes this year, moved into a tie for the lead with Dustin Johnson at 10 under after going eight-under par through 16 holes at St. Andrews, Scotland. Australia’s Marc Leishman is tied for second after wrapping up an eight-under 64 -- the best round of the weekend, so far.

Pepperell and Leishman aren’t the only ones who’ve benefited from a generous-playing Old Course. Rickie Fowler (-7) and Jim Furyk (-6) each shot 66 and Ashley Chesters finished with a 67 (-6) to move to within striking distance of the lead. David Duvall, the 2001 British Open champion, also shot a 67 (-5).

In all, only four of the 28 players who’ve finished their rounds have failed to make par. There also have been 17 scores in the 60s.

Johnson entered the round in the lead following his three-under 69 on Saturday. He is scheduled to tee off at 7 a.m. PDT (3 p.m. local time). He will be playing with Danny Willett, who is tied for second and hasn’t played a shot since Friday morning.

Heavy rains caused a delay earlier in the round and there’s a chance of more rain hitting St. Andrews later this afternoon.