WILTSHIRE golfer Laurie Canter slipped down the field at the 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale today as the race for the Claret Jug heated up.

The 27-year-old, from the Cumberwell Park club near Bradford on Avon, shot a two-over-par 74 to slip to four over par overall for the tournament.

Canter, who had made the cut with rounds of 70 and 72 on the opening two days teed off his third round alongside Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen watched by a posse of supporters from the Cumberwell Park club.

But as much of the field took full advantage of the benign weather conditions at Birkdale - South African Branden Grace becoming the first player to score 62 in a major championship - the Wiltshire player found himself heading in the wrong direction.

After dropping shots at the sercond and sixth holes, Canter registered his first birdie at the seventh, only to drop a further shot at the ninth as he went to the turn in 36.

Bogeys at the 11th and 13th sandwiched a birdie at the 12th, Canter adding a further birdie at the long 17th to get back to four over par.

NEWS OF CANTER'S FINAL ROUND AT ROYAL BIRKDALE TOMORROW AT WILTSHIRETIMES.CO.UK/SPORT