Faldo Relishes a Lead as Rest Play Catch-Up : British Open: After a brief challenge from Pate, Briton takes four-shot advantage with 18 holes to go at Muirfield.

GULLANE, Scotland —  There was one question after the third round Saturday of the 121st British Open at the Muirfield course:

Can anyone beat Nick Faldo?

Faldo didn’t run away from the field. He had a three-stroke lead at the outset of the round, was caught on the back nine, then worked his advantage back up to four shots.

Asked if anyone could beat him, Faldo said: “How do you answer a loaded question?”

Then, after pausing, he added: “If I carry on in the same mode, I’m feeling pretty good.”

He should be. He’s an experienced winner in major events and is playing on a course where he won the Open in 1987.

Faldo shot a two-under-par 69 for a 54-hole score of 199, 14 under.

Steve Pate and John Cook shot 69 and 70, respectively. They are at 203.

Donnie Hammond (70), Scotland’s Gordon Brand Jr. (72) and South African Ernie Els (70) are six shots behind Faldo.

The wind from the Firth of Forth kicked up more than it did Friday and scores were generally high, making it tougher for anyone to make a move.

Faldo, who turned 35 Saturday, seemed satisfied with his round after earlier scores of 66 and 64.

He had three birdies and one bogey.

“I am very pleased,” Faldo said. “It was good, solid stuff. I just have to go out and do the same tomorrow, play solid and putt solidly.

“First, I must play the course. Second, I’ll look at the leader board and, if anyone is making a run at me, I’ll put my head down and go.”

If he had glanced at the leader board Saturday, he would have noticed that Pate briefly threatened him.

Playing one group ahead of Faldo, Pate birdied the 11th and 12th holes to momentarily tie for the lead.

It didn’t last long as Faldo birdied the par-four 12th with a 15-foot putt to go 13 under. He got to 14 under with a birdie at the par-five 17th.

Pate didn’t apply any more pressure as he bogeyed three of the last six holes along with a birdie.

When asked if he was aware that he had briefly pulled even with Faldo, Pate smiled. “If I had seen it, I would have taken a camera out and taken a picture of it (the leader board).”

Asked about his chances of catching Faldo, Pate said: “I haven’t seen anybody I’d like to give a four-shot lead. He is probably the least likely to make mistakes.”

Cook and Hammond, without conceding the championship to Faldo, doubted that Faldo would fold.

“Golf is such a crazy game, but if there is anyone who doesn’t beat himself, it’s Nick Faldo,” Cook said. “He has that look and it’s kind of tough.”

Said Hammond, who had to qualify for the Open: “Nick is pretty tough to beat, so somebody has to shoot a great round to catch him.”

Faldo said he wasn’t surprised that there was little pressure put on him Saturday.

“It was a tough course for everybody,” he said, citing the wind.

Hale Irwin and Chip Beck had the low rounds of the day, each with 67s.

Raymond Floyd’s chances of becoming the fifth player to win all four major events faded. He was five strokes behind Faldo at the outset of the round, and faltered with a 73.

Pate had an uneven round with seven birdies and five bogeys.

“I didn’t play badly. I made seven birdies and that’s not unusual. As long as I’m making birdies, I’m fine,” he said. “I’ve made 18 or 19 birdies (actually 18) in three days and I’m 10 under.

“This is the first time in two or three months that I have played three decent rounds and there is only one guy in front of me.”

But that happens to be Faldo, who has won two British Opens and two Masters championships. Faldo had a five-stroke lead at the start of the final round of the Open at St. Andrews in 1990--and he won by five. In 1987, he made 18 pars in the final round to beat Paul Azinger and Rodger Davis by one shot.

Cook had two birdies and an eagle, when he pitched in from 80 feet on the par-five, 504-yard ninth hole. However, he also had three bogeys.

“I was more comfortable than I thought I was going to feel,” Cook said of being paired with Faldo. “Usually, at three o’clock (the final tee time) I’m laying by the pool at home with a couple of beers in my hands.

“We talked a little bit, but Nick is very businesslike--and that’s OK, because I’m not a big talker on the course.”

Even though Faldo was favored by the crowd, Cook said there wasn’t any negative reaction to him.

“I learned that British fans know golf,” said Cook, who is playing in only his second Open. “They made some nice comments to me. I wish we could import them home.”

When asked if everyone was playing for second, Hammond disagreed.

“I don’t think there is a tendency among those challenging to be playing for second place,” he said. “Someone could shoot a great round and they will have their own game plan. I haven’t formulated mine.”

Whatever it is, Faldo doesn’t seem overly concerned.

British Open Notes

Nick Faldo’s 54-hole score of 199 tied his Open record that he set at St. Andrews in 1990. . . . There was some question whether Steve Pate put his club down near a bunker on the fifth hole, causing the ball to move, which would be a one-stroke penalty. “I was looking at the shot and I did not think I grounded the club,” Pate said. “I looked back down and the ball appeared to be in a different spot. An official asked one of the spectators and he said it had moved. The official asked me If I had grounded my club and I said no.” Pate later watched a TV replay of the incident. The video was inconclusive and a British Open official said: “There is no evidence that could be seen of the ball actually moving. The player has the benefit of the doubt and is not penalized.”

John Daly, who barely made the cut at 143, shot an 80 Saturday. “These conditions definitely don’t suit my game, but I’m not going to change it. I am not used to hitting low shots, especially off the tee. I’d rather hit full shots, and I don’t want to play punch shots,” he said. “Is it worth trying to change my game when we come over here once a year? I might come back, you never know.” . . . Ian Baker-Finch, the defending champion, is out of contention at 72-214.