Roberts shoots 69, holds four-shot lead

He overcame inclement weather to fire the only score under par.
TURNBERRY, Scotland (AP) -- Loren Roberts shot a 69, the only score under par Saturday, and held a four-stroke lead through three rounds of the Senior British Open.
Roberts, who won the first three tournaments on the Champions Tour this season, overcame rainy and windy conditions to move closer to his first senior major title. He will carry an 11-under 199 into the final round today at Turnberry.
Eduardo Romero, Roberts' nearest rival, missed a 5-foot par putt on the final hole to finish with a 3-over 73. He fell to 7 under for the tournament, two shots ahead of Tim Simpson, who is alone in third place at 5-under 205.
Roberts is nine strokes clear of fourth place. Only one other player in the field made par on Saturday.
"We've got 18 holes to go so I don't really want to think about it really," Roberts said of his title chances. "But it would be huge for me.
"I've had a nice career on the tour but, especially to win this championship. I love links golf, I love Turnberry. I just think it would be a feather in my cap. I could feel like I've been fulfilled."
Weather goes bad
After three days of warm sun, the weather at Turnberry turned nasty with heavy rain and winds of up to 35 mph blowing toward the sea.
The rainstorm broke just as the leaders went out. After 38 holes without a bogey, Roberts finally dropped a stroke at No. 3 on Saturday. His second shot was short of the green and, after he pitched 8 feet past the hole he missed the putt.
He also surrendered the lead he held or shared since the end of Thursday's play when Romero recovered from a bogey to make a birdie at the third hole to go to 10 under.
Roberts had a birdie on No. 4, however, to move into a tie with Romero. He moved two strokes ahead on the seventh hole with a 20-foot eagle putt.
The heavy rain made puddles on the course and there was a holdup as the eighth green was mopped. Roberts dropped another shot when he missed his putt.
Although Romero had a bogey at nine, Roberts' lead dropped to one stroke when his tee shot at 13 landed in a fairway bunker and he could play out only a few yards forward. He then missed his par putt from 25 feet and settled for bogey, while Romero holed an 8-foot par putt to stay at 10 under.
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