Australia's British Open hopes all but blew away in the wind at Royal Troon as Kim Felton was the only Australian to remain under par after the third round.

Felton's one-over-par round of 72 gave him a 54-hole total of 212 to be one-under for the tournament, seven shots behind surprise leader Todd Hamilton who shot 67.

Pre-tournament favourite Ernie Els goes into the final round one shot behind Hamilton on seven-under-par 206 after firing a 68.

The only other Australians to make the halfway cut, Adam Scott, Stuart Appleby and Rodney Pampling, all fell out of contention.

Scott shot 74 to slip to two-over 215 after three rounds, while Appleby and Pampling were both on 214.

Pampling bogeyed the last two holes to card a 74 to go with his first two rounds of 72 and 68 and Appleby had a 73 following his 71-70.

After going into one-under with rounds of 73 and 68, Scott was paired with world No.1 Tiger Woods and had a chance to finally assert himself on a major.

Instead, it was Woods who made the charge with four birdies in a front nine of 32, while Scott squandered his opportunity as the temperamental Scottish weather blew hard at times, lashed the course with rain for a period and then briefly bathed it in sunshine.

Woods came home in 36 with one bogey and goes into the final day on 209, four-under-par and four behind Hamilton.

Scott matched Woods off the tee most of the day but regularly sprayed his approach shots wide or long while the American was immaculate coming into the green and clinical with his putter.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP