TROON, Scotland - Todd Hamilton likes to tell stories about caddies who like to bet, girlfriends who make sure balls don’t go behind trees, and an elephant buried in a town square.

On Sunday, he could have a whopper to top them all.

Have you heard the one about the itinerant golfer who plays around the world for years only to hit it big at the age of 38 by beating Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson to win the British Open?

Hamilton has. And this is one story line he’s starting to like.

“I don’t see why it couldn’t happen,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton came to Royal Troon with half the story already written. After toiling everywhere from Osaka to Calcutta to Kuala Lumpur the last 12 years trying to eke out a living, he hit paydirt by qualifying for the PGA Tour in December.

Hamilton then promptly went out and birdied the last two holes to beat Davis Love III and win the Honda Classic, guaranteeing himself some job security he never had in Asia and Japan.

Now, he’s sitting atop the Open leaderboard after shooting back-to-back 67s, holding a one-shot lead over Els, with some players of pedigree just behind.

All the traveling through strange lands never prepared him for this.

“To be honest, I never even considered contending or not even too much playing in the majors,” Hamilton said. “I just tried to improve on things that I needed to do and somehow get to the U.S. tour. I really didn’t look at the majors as an ultimate goal. My goal was to get on the PGA Tour.”

Hamilton certainly looked comfortable making his way around Royal Troon on Saturday, where the rains came and went but his game remained steady.

He did nothing spectacular and certainly nothing to gain the attention of fans fixated on hometown hero Colin Montgomerie until his 6-iron on the 14th hole rolled to within three feet of the hole for his fourth birdie of the day.

Suddenly, Hamilton was 8 under and leading the Open. They may not have known who he was, but as he walked up the 18th fairway, they cheered the man whose name was on top the yellow leaderboard towering over the final green.

“I enjoy playing kind of ugly golf, which is what I like to call it,” Hamilton said. “I enjoy this style of golf, and I think this week, for some reason, I’ve been very relaxed.”

If Hamilton can stay that way, he might be a factor on Sunday when he is paired with Els in the final round. He had the same feeling the week of the Honda Classic, when he took a four-stroke lead into the final round before rallying with birdies on the last two holes to win by a shot.

At least he had that feeling until he stuffed his shot close on the final hole. Then, he had exactly 4 feet, 3 inches of green to traverse, and a sudden case of nerves to overcome.

“The green was in perfect condition, but when I stood over it, it looked like a frozen waffle,” Hamilton said. “Had there been a slightest amount of break, I don’t know if I would have hit the hole.”

Hamilton had already proved he could win in Japan, where he won 11 times in 12 years. He may have surprised many by winning in his rookie year on the PGA Tour, but Els, who played with Hamilton in Japan in the early 1990s, wasn’t one of them.

Els, who was paired with Hamilton in the third round, said his game is perfectly suited to the kind of links golf at Royal Troon where the ball is best kept low.

“He hits a driving ball, which you have to do here if the wind blows, and he putted very well today,” Els said. “It seemed like he was kind of brought up on this type of golf. So he’s a quality player. It’s going to take someone to beat him tomorrow.”

Hamilton likely won’t beat himself. He may not be the best ball striker around, but his short game is good and he’s as likely to make a par from off the green as on it. He missed 20 greens in the first three rounds, but made par or better on 15 of them.

Whatever happens, the father of three has come a long ways from his days in Asia. There, caddies who had bets on the outcome would kick balls from behind trees and a player’s girlfriend might help keep a ball on the fairway.

And he’s certainly come a long ways from Oquwawka, Ill., where as an 8-year-old he witnessed the biggest thing that ever happened to the town of 1,500 people.

The traveling circus came to town and they chained an elephant to a tree in the town square. That night, a storm came through and lightning struck the tree, going through the metal chain and killing the elephant.

It was so heavy they couldn’t move it, so it was buried in the town square.

“And the elephant’s name was Norma Jean,” Hamilton said, not waiting to deliver a punch line. “Swear to God.”