Adam Scott leads British Open by four shots ANNES, England - Maybe there's something in that argyle sweater. Maybe he has finally found the right balance between fire and ice. Maybe it's that broomstick he putts with, though purists blanch at the thought. Or maybe, it's just his time. Whatever the case, Adam Scott now stands 18 holes away from the major championship many thought would have been checked off years ago. All that's left is to finish the job. Scott held steady while those below rose and fell, shooting a two-under-par 68 that was good enough to crack open a four-shot British Open lead and put him on the cusp of joining golf's current parade of first-time major winners. "I'm really excited," said the 32-year-old Aussie, whose total of 11-under 199 came up one stroke shy of the Open's three-round scoring record. It's fun just to get in this position, really. It's what I've been practicing for. We'll see if the practice pays off or not. That's really all I can say at the moment. Scott, sporting the same sweater he wore when he shot 64 Thursday, took the lead from a faltering Brandt Snedeker on the front nine at Royal Lytham & St. Annes, then knocked down a trio of birdies to create some separation. He might need it, considering the high-profile names in the chase pack. Graeme McDowell,U.S. Open champion two years ago at Pebble Beach, put on a finishing kick for a 67 that moved him to the front of the crowd. Snedeker also lingered four behind, salvaging a 73 with two birdies in his final three holes. Tiger Woods (70) was another shot back, followed by two more major champions - Ernie Els (68) and Zach Johnson (66) at five under. "I've got my work cut out for me," Scott said. I don't even want to think about the rest of the guys. Scott becomes the fourth man in the last nine majors to take a lead of at least four strokes to the final round. Two of the previous three walked away victorious - the exception being Rory McIlroy at last year's Masters. "Adam is in a great spot right now," Woods said. To his credit, Scott has been a pretty good closer. Of the eight times he has taken at least a share of the lead into a PGA Tour's final round, he has claimed the trophy six times. Then again, he has never been in this position with a major championship on the line. In fact, Scott never has trailed by fewer than four shots heading into the final round. "He's got all the talent in the world," Els said. He could be No.1 in the world if he gets this one. That has been Scott's drawback. For all the potential he displayed when he turned pro at 19, he has been strangely invisible on Sundays in majors, aside from a tie for second in the 2011 Masters. He did place third at the 2006 PGA Championship, but that was a year when Woods cruised to victory. Two changes, though, seem to have supplied missing pieces to the mix. Years of putting frustration led him to embrace the broomstick putter before last season. A few months later, he scooped up caddie Steve Williams, Woods' former bagman whose fire nicely complements the laid-back Scott. "He believes in the way I'm going about my business," Scott said. At some point tomorrow, I'm sure there's going to be a time when I'm going to lean on his experience, and he's going to have some great advice for me. The weather might have a say in the finish too. After three days of soggy turf, waterlogged bunkers and almost no breeze, forecasts call for a second dry day and winds to kick up to possibly 30-mph gusts Sunday. "I don't think there have been three more benign days here in this part of the world maybe all year," McDowell said. Obviously, [Royal Lytham] still is a sleeping giant, I suppose. Said Woods: "I've come to learn you can't really rely on the weather forecasts around here. We'll see what happens.