TURNBERRY, Scotland—Tom Watson has a plan to win the British Open. It no longer reads like a fairy tale. Even as he slipped out of the lead yesterday in the testing breeze of Turnberry, the 59-year-old didn’t blink. He fired off two late birdies to complete another amazing day with a 1-over 71 for a one-shot lead, putting him 18 holes away from becoming golf’s oldest major champion.

TURNBERRY, Scotland—Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus starred in the famous “Duel in the Sun,“ one of the most compelling final rounds in major championship history. Thirty-two years later, one of them earned a chance to win another British Open at Turnberry at age 59. The other was playing tennis. Nicklaus, 70, said yesterday he finished playing tennis at home in South Florida in time to watch Watson play the back nine at Turnberry.

TURNBERRY, Scotland—Who was on base when Bobby Thomson hit his famous homer? Who doled out all those assists the night Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points? They could probably relate to Steve Marino. The unheralded former University of Virginia star got into the British Open as an alternate, had to fly his dad to Florida to send along his passport and found himself with the 36-hole lead at golf’s oldest major.

“I kept compounding my problems out there,“ Tiger Woods lamented after missing the cut. TURNBERRY, Scotland—In one unforgettable hour, as nostalgia gave way to disbelief, Tom Watson and Tiger Woods walked off the 18th green at Turnberry headed in opposite directions few could have imagined. The oldest player at the British Open was leading.

Padraig Harrington believes his experience winning the British Open the last two years will give him an advantage over almost everyone at Turnberry. The hard part will be giving himself a chance. The Irishman is trying to become only the second player in the last century to win golf’s oldest championship three successive years. He has won three of the last eight majors, the highest rate since 2007 of any golfer, including Tiger Woods.