By Mark Garrod, PA Sport Golf Correspondent

Sergio Garcia treated himself to a hot bath and a seat in front of the television - as his chances of becoming Open champion got better almost by the minute.

The 21-year-old Spaniard battled through the wind and the rain for a level-par third-round 71 at Muirfield that he said felt like "five or six under".

Garcia posted his two under aggregate as Tiger Woods turned in 42 to be two over and with everybody else having their own nightmares he knew he was sitting pretty.

"I feel very happy," he said. "I think I played really well. I missed only two fairways and only four of five green, two or three of those by only five inches.

"I missed three of four putts inside six feet, but the way it was blowing and raining it was always going to happen.

"This is not the worst day I've had here in Great Britain. I remember my first British Amateur at Turnberry. It was likle today, but colder and windier. At the third hole, which is something like 460 yards, I hit a driver, three-wood and nine-iron."

Asked if he would rather be in the clubhouse on two under than out on the course on four under - the mark the leaders were at the time - he said: "I don't want to be out there even if I'm 11 under!

"I was lucky in that I played five or six holes without rain, but it was blowing a hoolie.

"I'm going to get a hot bath first, then I'm going to watch to see what they all do. But I'm not going to laugh - you don't laugh about your fellow pros.

"If you start getting frustrated it's going to get tougher, but when you hit a few good shots you get some confidence. I just hung in there and tried as hard as I could.

"I'm a little bit surprised by Tiger's 42, but I'm sure that's not the highest score on the front nine." He was right, but only just.

Garcia was positively bouncing with delight at the long 17th. Normally it is a drive and roughly a three-iron to the green for the stars of the game, but Garcia hit a drive, three-wood and nine-iron just like that day at Turnberry and looked like he had won the title when his second shot carried the cross-bunkers 120 yards short of the green.

"I want it to blow tomorrow, but nice and sunny. If I am able to win I will be the happiest man on Earth. If I don't I'll still be happy."