Catriona Matthew needs gift of gale

DIFFICULT though it will be for Catriona Matthew to make up a six-shot deficit in today's final round of the Ricoh Women's British Open, she didn't mind dwelling on a few helpful omens last night. Not only has she won at Carnoustie before, she has lifted this trophy already, and at times like these, it doesn't do any harm to reel off the old chestnut about 1999. "You saw how Paul Lawrie came back from ten shots so, if it's windy, anything can happen," she said.

It is to be windy today, but whether it will be that windy is another matter. Matthew shares third place on nine under par with Inbee Park, so the good news is that she needs only two players to falter. The bad news is that one of them is Yani Tseng, the world No.1 who is on 13 under, and the other is Caroline Masson, an unknown German showing not a shred of uncertainty in only her second major championship.

Masson, a 22-year-old who turned professional only last year, shot a four-under-par 68 in yesterday's third round to consolidate what has a been a remarkable performance this week. "I still can't really believe it," she said. "I'm just trying to enjoy every moment and realise what is happening. It is a strange feeling right now."

Tseng, the defending champion, is two strokes off the pace after a 66. The Taiwanese player's 60-foot putt for eagle on the 14th was the highlight of a back nine negotiated in just 30 blows. Having won four majors already, she will be an intimidating partner for Masson in today's final match. She hasn't even heard of Masson, never mind spoken to her. "I just asked my caddie, 'who's that?' I've never seen her play before."

On a day when many of the South Korean challengers fell away, Masson, Tseng and Matthew had every reason to be pleased with their work. Matthew, on nine under after a 68, admitted to scrambling her way through the first few holes, but three birdies on the homeward half, and not a single dropped shot, have kept her in contention. She was most satisfied with finding the 18th fairway, which she hadn't done all week. After a perfect approach, her 12-foot birdie putt hung on the lip, but refused to oblige.

Matthew became the first Scot to win a women's major when she triumphed at Royal Lytham & St Annes two years ago. She also won the Scottish Ladies Amateur Championship when it was held at Carnoustie in 1991, although she was honest enough to admit that a success 20 years ago will have limited bearing on today's outcome. "I think everyone kind of knows the course now so I don't think that's such a big advantage, but having won this tournament before certainly helps a little bit."

Special though it was to win in England, a victory in Scotland would be something else again.Matthew, who hails from North Berwick, certainly had the galleries on her side yesterday, although her suggestion that the "crowds were out in force" owed more to her role as an ambassador for Carnoustie Country than it did to the truth. There has been only a modest attendance on the Angus coast these last few days.

There have also been one or two grumbles about the course set-up, which at least took a turn for the better yesterday. Alarmed perhaps that so prestigious a venue was being ripped apart in the opening two rounds, the championship committee took it upon themselves to make the flag positions more difficult, and it seemed to do the trick. Add to that a stiffening breeze, and we had the kind of elements that played into Matthew's hands.

If, indeed, there is a further increase in the wind speed today, it will be a welcome development. It hasn't quite been the formidable challenge that Carnoustie is supposed to be. Perhaps afraid that a deterioration in conditions would make a mockery of the women, much as pencil-thin fairways and knee-high rough did in the men's Open 12 years ago, some of the tees have been moved so far forward that it isn't really like playing Carnoustie at all.

The self-styled toughest finish in golf has been compromised by the decision to shorten the 18th by 100 yards, making the famous Barry Burn much simpler to carry, and the sixth has taken out of play one of the course's most famous features. Hogan's Alley is the tunnel through which players are tempted to thread their drive, despite bunkers on the right and an out-of-bounds fence on the left. Ben Hogan pulled it off in each of his four rounds at the 1953 Open, but this week's competitors are not even presented with the choice. All they have to do is blast their ball over the top. Janice Moodie, the Scot who is on one-over after a 75, is disappointed that the essence of the hole has not been preserved. "I remember playing here a few times in amateur golf, and I remember Hogan's Alley being in play. It just isn't in play this week. The tee needs to be 50 yards further back because there is no wind. Those bunkers don't really come into play. Apart from that, the golf course is set up pretty good. When you don't have the wind, links golf is vulnerable. It has always been that way."