Heading into the final round of play at Turnberry golf course in Scotland, unexpected contender Tom Watson leads by a stroke at the 2009 British Open.

Watson is turning this British Open into a fairy tale.

Even as he slipped out of the lead Saturday in the testing breeze off the Firth of Clyde, Watson didn’t blink except to hold back the occasional tears. He is close enough to the claret jug to believe he can win again.

A 30-foot birdie putt on the 16th gave him a share of the lead.

Then came a hybrid 2-iron that took a bounce to the left and onto the green, setting up another birdie.

When he walked up the 18th fairway, his name atop the massive yellow leaderboard, Watson had a 1-over 71 for a one-shot lead, leaving him 18 holes away from becoming the oldest major champion in history.

Can this really happen?

Even Watson wasn’t sure early in the week. Now, those doubts have morphed into determination.

“The first day here, ‘Yeah, let the old geezer have his day in the sun,’ ” Watson said. “The second day you said, ‘Well, that’s OK.’ And now today, you kind of perk up your ears and say, ‘This old geezer might have a chance to win the tournament.’ I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I do know one thing. I feel good about what I did today. I feel good about my game plan.”

I wonder how many media members in Scotland hit the pavement after Tiger Woods missed the cut on Friday. I couldn’t blame them seeing as how Tiger is usually the headline in any PGA event, but Watson is one hell of a walking story himself.

It’ll be interesting to see if Watson can hang on today and win a major at 59.

If you were hoping Tiger Woods would bust out of the gates at the British Open, take an early lead and dominant the competition throughout the weekend your wish has not been granted.

Woods shot a 71 in the opening round of the British Open, which began this morning at 8:00 a.m. ET at Turnberry golf course in Scotland. That score is good for one over par and currently ranks him tied for 56th place, although more than half of the golfers have yet to take the course.

Tom Watson, a 59-year-old five-time Open champion, currently holds the lead after shooting a 65. That score gives him a five-under-par and also gives him a one stroke advantage over John Senden, Steve Stricker, Camilo Villegas, Stewart Cink and Mathew Goggin.

Tiger was a 9/4 favorite when play began today. Watson didn’t have odds, so he was part of The Field, which was 5/2 to win. Stricker and Villegas were 40/1, while Cink was 60/1.

Here’s the TV schedule for the rest of the British Open:

Thursday, July 16: 6:30AM – 7:00PM ET on TNT

Friday, July 17: 7:00AM – 7:00PM ET on TNT

Saturday July 18: 7:00AM – 9:00AM ET on TNT

Saturday July 18: TBA on ESPN

Sunday July 19: 6:00AM – 8:00AM ET on TNT

Sunday July 19: TBA on ESPN