By Ed Osmond

LYTHAM ST ANNES, England (Reuters) - Brandt Snedeker and Adam Scott continue to bid for a first major win with the shadow of former world number one Tiger Woods looming large ahead of them in the British Open third round on Saturday.

American Snedeker matched Scott's opening 64 in the second round to equal the Open 36-hole record and his Australian playing partner followed up his scorching start with a tidy 67 to lie one stroke off the pace.

Woods chipped in from a bunker at the last hole to post his second 67 in a row and he will start four shots behind Snedeker, perfectly poised to mount a strong challenge for a 15th major crown and his first for four years.

The world number four will be partnered by 22-year-old Dane Thorbjorn Olesen who rolled in a 22-footer at the 18th to complete a second-round 66 and move one shot behind Woods.

The 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie, former U.S. Open winner Graeme McDowell, Americans Matt Kuchar and Jason Dufner and South African Thomas Aiken are a further shot back.

Further down the field, the world's top three players will hope to make a charge.

Number one Luke Donald is two under, second-ranked Rory McIlroy is two over and number three Lee Westwood is a distant three over.

(Editing by Tony Jimenez)