furyk delighted to 'feed off' garcia

By Carl Markham, PA Sport

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Jim Furyk admits he fed off the energy of playing partner Sergio Garcia as he returned a third-round 66 in the Open to move to 11 under.

The 36-year-old American Ryder Cup star birdied the second - after his Spanish opponent had holed his nine-iron approach for an eagle - and after that they both set the course alight.

Garcia went out in 29 - equalling the second-lowest front-nine score in Open history - while Furyk had 31 shots after a run of three successive birdies from the fifth.

Things got a little more scrappy after the turn, with four birdies and two bogey fives, but it all added up to the second-best round of the day.

"I shot four under on the front nine and got beaten by two shots!" said an astounded Furyk.

"Sergio holed his iron shot (at the second), and I knocked it in for birdie. I think we fed off each other."

Furyk is just happy to be in contention in an Open again after a terrible run in the tournament since 2001 during which he has finished no higher than 74th.

"It means a lot to be challenging. I have played poorly here for a few years now, and it is disappointing," he said.

"To come over and first make the cut and then put myself in a position to win is great."