And after a gutsy third round 68 and move one clear of Phil Mickelson Stenson has his best shot at Royal Troon to call himself a ‘Major Champion’.

“I’m looking forward to the opportunity. I’ve worked hard these first three days to put myself in this situation and, once again, I’m going to try my hardest tomorrow (Sunday) to finish the job,” Stenson said.

And Stenson knows if he’s going to be handed the Claret Jug it means keeping five-time Major winner Mickelson at bay.

Stenson, meanwhile, accepted that he couldn’t afford to let his mind wander to tantalising thoughts of victory yet.

“Yeah, thoughts of the outcome is never really helping you. I know what I would like to see tomorrow. There’s no question about it,” said the Swede, who was the runner-up at Muirfield in 2013 and finished tied third at The Open in 2008 and again in 2010.

“But in a way I’ve got a second and two thirds at The Open, so it’s not like I’m looking to pick up any more of those finishes. There’s only one thing that matters tomorrow.

“I know he’s not going to back down, and I’m certainly going to try to not back down either. So it should be an exciting afternoon. He’s one of the best to play the game in the last 15, 20 years for sure, and it’s going to be a tough match.”

Three years ago Stenson was beaten to the title by Mickelson, who ended his own long wait to win the Claret Jug with a final-round 66.

Stenson had come into the Sunday then trailing leader Lee Westwood by four shots but leading Mickelson by one.

“Yeah, I was one of the guys who was up there at Muirfield and Phil won it very deservingly and made a great finish, four birdies on the last six holes, I believe.

“It would be great to hand one back to him tomorrow, absolutely. As we know it’s going to take some good golfing to do that, but I’m certainly willing to give it a try.”

He has the chance to make up for Muirfield and finally be a winner after seven top-four finishes in majors.

Stenson, who triumphed at the BMW International in Germany late last month, would also become the first Scandinavian winner of a major, and in the home of golf to boot.

“Yeah, it would be massive. This is the one thing I’m looking for. It would be the icing on the cake. But at the same time I’ve worked hard, I’ve put myself in a great spot.”

With a nod to the typically Scottish summer weather seen at Troon over the last two days, he added of the fear of failure: “The sun will come up on Monday anyway, hopefully. Maybe not in Scotland, but in other parts of the world.”