Open leader Rory McIlroy left the door invitingly ajar for a charging pack led by Rickie Fowler and Sergio Garcia before slamming it shut with a dazzling finish to his third round at soggy Hoylake yesterday.

The Northern Irishman began the day four shots clear of Dustin Johnson, was caught by inspired American Fowler after 12 holes, but two eagles in his last three holes meant he walked off the 18th green with a six-stroke lead for today’s finale.

It is 50 years since a player went into the fourth round of the Open with a bigger lead, on that occasion Tony Lema taking a seven-stroke advantage into Sunday at St Andrews in 1964.

Yet for much of the third round on a Royal Liverpool course softened up by heavy rain McIlroy seemed in real danger of missing his share of the birdie feast which allowed 16 players to post sub-70 rounds.

After 13 holes he was level par for the day and had Fowler breathing down his neck.

However, the 25-year-old responded with an incredible 3-3-3-3-5-3 finish to move to 16-under and only an extraordinary turnaround today can prevent him completing a first Open triumph to add to the US Open and US PGA titles he won in 2011 and 2012 respectively.