BURNS LEADS AS MCILROY MAKES POINT ON DECHAMBEAU
Sam Burns will take a two-stroke lead into the final round of The 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. (Photo: Stuart Kerr/R&A/ Getty)
American Sam Burns takes a two-stroke lead into the final round of The 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale as he bids to win his first Major, while Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy are six and eight strokes back respectively.
Burns stuck to the task on a difficult and eventful ‘Moving Day’ Saturday to come through the pack with an impressive five-under 65 to lead on 10-under, two ahead of Ryan Fox, who carded the third 62 of the week (alongside Burns and second round leader Lucas Herbert) to tie second alongside Si Woo Kim (67) on eight-under.
After a fast start helped him to turn in 31, Burns made birdies at each of the par fives on the back nine to put him on track to become the fourth consecutive player from the United States, and fifth in the last six years, to win the Claret Jug.
American Ryan Gerard, who is competing in his Open debut, is at seven under alongside Herbert of Australia, with Ludvig Åberg, Tommy Fleetwood, Bryson DeChambeau and defending champion Scottie Scheffler among 18 players within six shots of the lead.
Burns has knocked on the door before at golf's marquee championships, most recently at the US Open last month when he finished one shot shy of countryman Wyndham Clark at Shinnecock Hills.
"I think coming into the day, I was just trying to focus on executing and give myself as many looks as possible, and we did a good job of that," said Burns, whose last worldwide win came at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in March 2023.
"After finishing bogey, bogey, bogey on Thursday, I was pretty upset. That's an understatement.
"Came out Friday and had nothing to lose. I honestly feel like I played a pretty good round of golf for 15 holes on Thursday, and then just a really sloppy finish the last three. I feel like my game was in a good place.
"The game plan for tomorrow will be just try to go out there and give myself as many looks as possible on the greens and see what happens."
DeChambeau, who was given a two-stroke penalty on Friday, is the only player in the top 10 to have won a Major and the two-time US Open champion is four back after a 69, with Scheffler at four under after a 70.
Lowry is on the same mark as world number one Scheffler after his third round 69 and is still within striking distance to repeat the feat of 2019 when he lifted the Claret Jug at Royal Portrush.
“Yeah. I mean, Dermot said to me there when I finished, we're going to need one of our best days, but at least we have a chance,” said Lowry after his round. “Look, I fought well. I made a couple of bogeys there because I felt like I played the front nine beautifully. Hit the ball great.
“Yeah, I'm happy. I'd love to be two or three shots better; don't get me wrong. I wanted to go out there and shoot five-under today; that's what I had in my head. But I didn't. I shot the best score I could, which was one-under.
“I'm going to be a few back going into tomorrow, but if I can go out there and get off to a good start on the front nine…and hole a few putts as well, I feel like I can get myself there or thereabouts going into the back nine.
When asked about the week’s main talking point of DeChambeau’s penalty for “inadvertently” improving the path of his golf swing, Lowry gave his thoughts.
“Yeah, I mean, looks to me like he improved his lie, and that's the rules of golf. Yeah, it was interesting watching it last night. None of us were expecting it. I was watching the end of the golf - yeah, that's the rules of golf. It's unfortunate for him, but that's the way it is.”
McIlroy also made his point clear on the DeChambeau saga.
“I was watching it live. I was up in the players’ lounge watching it with a few other players, and as soon as he made the step into the ball, we all sort of looked at each other, and we were like, that didn't seem right,” said McIlroy.
“Yeah, I think there's no doubt that he improved the line of his backswing. Again, it's like, whether it was careless or whether it was intentional, I don't think it matters. Hopefully it was careless, but I think the two-shot penalty was justified for sure.
“Late night for everyone. Yeah, look, I won't pretend to be up here and defend Bryson. I'm not particularly fond of him. I think a lot of it is performative. I think a lot of it's for attention.
“To hold the tournament hostage like that, and to have all of us, players, volunteers, everyone waiting on him to depart, I didn't feel like it was a great look.”