July 19 (Bloomberg) -- Tom Watson is following his game plan to golfing history at the British Open.

The 59-year-old Watson made two late birdies yesterday to take a one-stroke lead at Turnberry in Scotland, making him the oldest man to be winning a major heading into the final round.

The five-time Open champion said much of the credit goes to making a game plan, something he said he never does. He wouldn’t give details, other than saying he’s decided how many birdies and bogeys he should be getting in a round.

“I’m actually kind of on course,” the American told a news conference yesterday after the third round. “Maybe I can go out there and complete the game plan and do what I think I have to do to win the tournament.”

Watson would break Julius Boros’s record for oldest major champion, set at the 1968 PGA Championship when he was 48. He would also tie Harry Vardon’s record of six British Open titles.

Watson, who had hip-replacement surgery last year, was second after the first round and shared the lead with Steve Marino after the second. He birdied the 16th and 17th holes yesterday to move ahead of Australian Mathew Goggin and England’s Ross Fisher at 4-under par.

“The first day here, yeah, let the old geezer have his day in the sun,” he joked. “The second day you said, well, that’s okay. And then now today you kind of perk up your ears and say, this old geezer might have a chance to win the tournament.”

Goggin’s Highlight

Goggin, who shot 69 yesterday, will be paired with Watson in the final round, which is under way on the Ailsa Course. It will be the second time they’ve played together at a British Open, having done so back in 2003.

“That was probably the highlight of the British Open for me, playing with Tom Watson,” Goggin said. “He’s such a good player and such a great champion, especially at the British Open. He was really good to me and I had a really great experience.”

England’s Lee Westwood and South African Retief Goosen are tied for fourth place at 2-under, with Americans Jim Furyk and Stewart Cink the only others below par at 1-under.

Marino shot 76 yesterday to fall to 1-over for the tournament. Even though he made four bogeys, two double bogeys and a triple bogey, he still took the time to admire his playing partner.

“It was just awesome watching him do his thing, you know there’s a reason why he’s won five Claret Jugs,” the 29-year- old American said. “He played awesome and it was just super special for me to watch him play and do his thing on the golf course.”

Watson was slated to work the weekend rounds as an analyst on Open telecasts for Walt Disney Co.’s ABC network.

Eight Majors

The Stanford graduate’s best finish this year was a fourth place at the Senior PGA Championship in May, where he shot a 4- under last round to reach even-par. He missed the cut at the Masters in his only other PGA Tour appearance this year.

He’s won eight majors in total and 39 PGA Tour events, the last being the 1998 MasterCard Colonial. He’s also had 12 Champions Tour victories, and captured the Senior British Open three times.

Watson won his second British Open title in 1977, beating Jack Nicklaus by one shot at Turnberry in what has been dubbed “The Duel in the Sun.” He said Nicklaus has probably been an interested spectator back home in the U.S.

“I know my friend is watching and it would be something special if I did what I intend to do,” he said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Bob Bensch at Turnberry through the London sports desk at bbensch@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: July 19, 2009 05:35 EDT