Billy Horschel is as close as he’s ever been to a major championship.
Horschel survived an awful weather round on Saturday to take the solo lead into Sunday’s final round at the British Open. He’ll start the day at 4-under, which is good for a one-shot lead over the field at Royal Troon in Scotland.
This marks the seventh time that Horschel has held at least a share of the lead at the 54-hole mark. He’s converted three of the previous six into titles. The last six major championship winners have held at least a share of the 54-hole lead, too.
While he’s in a great position, the Claret Jug is still anybody’s to grab. Horschel will tee off with Thriston Lawrence, who is one of six golfers sitting a stroke back at 3-under. Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler is at 2-under, and Shane Lowry, who has been in the mix all week, will start at 1-under.
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Xander Schauffele pushes his lead to 3
This thing is almost over. Xander Schauffele just birdied No. 16 to get to 9-under on the week. He holds a three shot lead now with just two holes to go.
Justin Rose not out of it yet
Justin Rose just pulled out a driver off the deck at the 16th to try to make a move for the Claret Jug. That left him with an eagle putt, which he left just short. He’s at 6-under now.
Leaderboard Update
Xander Schauffele holds a two-shot lead down the stretch at Royal Troon.
After Brian Harman’s win last year, a win for Xander Schauffele this week would be historic.
American players have not won back-to-back Open Championships since Tiger went back-to-back in 2005-06.
Xander Schauffele is starting to heat up. That’s three birdies in his last four holes now, and he’s suddenly up by two.
Xander Schauffele takes solo lead
Xander Schauffele is the new solo leader at Royal Troon. He made two birdies in a three-hole stretch just now, including one from the rough at No. 11, while Thriston Lawrence dropped back with a bogey at No. 12.
There’s no way Alex Noren is the only one feeling this way today.
Justin Rose bogeys, drops 2 back
Justin Rose just barely missed a par putt at No. 12, which left him tossing his putter in the air out of frustration. He’s now at 5-under, two shots back of Thriston Lawrence.
Who is Thriston Lawrence?
Thriston Lawrence is alone at the top at 7-under as he heads to No. 11.
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Thriston Lawrence takes solo lead
Thanks to a huge approach at No. 9, Thriston Lawrence is the new solo leader at Royal Troon
Leaderboard Update
The final group has made the turn, so let’s take a look at the leaderboard.
Leaderboard
1. Thriston Lawrence (-7)
2. Justin Rose (-6)
T3. Xander Schauffele (-5)
T3. Billy Horschel
5. Russell Henley (-4)
6. Shane Lowry (-3)
Thriston Lawrence matches leaders
Thriston Lawrence joins the group at 6-under after his birdie at the 7th. He’s made 10 birdies and just a single bogey dating back to Saturday morning.
Thriston Lawrence refuses to go away. He is legit: 4 Euro Tour wins in the last two years, including the South African Open, his national championship.
That double bogey just came at the worst possible time for Scottie Scheffler. He posted a six at the par-4 9th after getting into some trouble with his putter, and he’s at 2-under now for the week.
Suddenly, the top-ranked golfer in the world is four back.
Justin Rose not going away
Justin Rose just birdied again to match Horschel at 6-under, and the crowd at Royal Troon went wild. The Englishman is searching for his first major championship win since 2013.
Xander Schauffele up to 5-under as Billy Horschel takes solo lead
Xander Schauffele joined the group at 5-under now after back-to-back birdies, but Billy Horschel just sank a long birdie putt behind him to take the solo lead at 6-under.
Based on how it’s going so far, that’s likely not going to last.
Leaderboard
We’ve got seven golfers either sharing the lead or within a shot of the lead right now at Royal Troon. Buckle up.
Leaderboard
T1. Justin Rose (-5)
T1. Thriston Lawrence
T1. Billy Horschel
T4. Shane Lowry (-4)
T4. Scottie Scheffler
T4. Xander Schauffele
T4. Russell Henley
Shane Lowry bounces right back
After his bogey to start the day, Shane Lowry has bounced right back. He’s just a shot off the lead now after a birdie at No. 8, which was his fourth in his last five holes.
Horschel, Lawrence bounce back
Well, Justin Rose’s lead didn’t last long. Both Billy Horschel and Thriston Lawrence birdied No. 4 to join him at 5-under.
Justin Rose, solo leder
Thanks to his second birdie in four holes, Justin Rose is now the solo leader at Royal Troon.
Shane Lowry from way downtown
Shane Lowry had a three-stroke lead on Saturday slip away, but if he keeps putting like this, he could get back in the mix on Sunday:
What if there’s a playoff?
With so many players bunched up at the top of the leaderboard, a playoff isn’t just possible, it’s likely. The Open Championship uses a four-hole aggregate playoff, and those holes will be 1, 2, 17 and 18. After that, the battle becomes sudden death. Get ready.
(Jane Barlow/PA Images via Getty Images)
Birdies, eagles in the air at Troon
Royal Troon is never really all that “gettable,” in golf parlance, but early Sunday for the leaders, the opportunities were there. Justin Rose tied briefly for the lead at -4, and Billy Horschel recaptured it moments later to get to -5. And then there was Sungjae Im:
The general assumption is that the outward nine is the easier of Troon’s two halves; we’ll see how the second half plays for the leaders in just an hour or so.
Jon Rahm: Too little, too late?
It’s been a major season to forget for Jon Rahm: a T45 finish in his Masters defense, a missed cut at the PGA Championship, a withdrawal from the U.S. Open. And he struggled early at the Open Championship. But Sunday, he began his day with three straight birdies to reach -1, three strokes off the lead. Unfortunately, he then failed to capitalize on either of the two par-5s, but he birdied the 7th to get to -2. He’ll need to keep that hot streak rolling in his closing holes to make any kind of charge.
(Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images)
Wind is gusting
Flags are standing at attention and their sticks are bending as the leaders begin their rounds.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler left his approach at No. 1 just short of the green, but managed a par. Shane Lowery scrambled for par out of a greenside bunker.
Just two groups have yet to tee off.
Justin Thomas just ejected himself
So, you start the day just four strokes back of the lead. By the time you walk to the second tee, you’re seven back. That’s how Justin Thomas has begun his round via a triple at the first. How’d that come to be:
First: OB
Second: Penalty
Third: Fairway bunker
Fourth: 11-yard pitch
Fifth: Green
Sixth: Putt
Seventh: Hole
Jason Day gives one back
Welp, after making the turn in 32, Day promptly bogies the 10th, putting him back above par. Of note: the back nine has played harder than the front all week.
Don’t sleep on Jon Rahm
Three holes, three birdies for Rahm, who’s got it to -1. What a start for the Spaniard.
Jason Day trying to post an early number
By the time Billy Horschel and Thriston Lawrence tee off in an hour, Jason Day will be a few holes from finishing his round. Why does that matter? Because Day just made the turn in 32, 4-under on his round. He’s now at even par for the tournament, just four strokes back. If he can card a few more birdies and post an early number, he could be in a surprisingly decent position if weather wreaks some havoc as the day goes on.
Weather and Vegas
The rain and whipping wind that dominated and — in many cases — disrupted Round 3 have given way to more moderate gray skies and more manageable breezes (for now) in Scotland. There are birdies to be had — Ryan Fox is already in the clubhouse with a 4-under 67 — but rain is on the way and is expected to arrive around the time the leaders begin teeing off.
Nine players are within three shots of leader Billy Horschel. Who is Vegas favoring to win?
That would be Xander Schauffele at +350, followed by Scottie Scheffler (+375), then Horschel at +550.
For Schauffele, it would be second major of the season after going 0-for-26. Scheffler is looking for his third major championship and first outside the gates of Augusta. And Horschel, he’s still looking for major No. 1.
Si Woo Kim’s historic ace
Si Woo Kim didn’t just hit the first hole-in-one of the tournament on Saturday, but he hit the longest ace in recorded British Open history.
Click the photo to read more about Si Woo Kim’s historic ace at Royal Troon. (Zac Goodwin/PA Images via Getty Images)
Billy Horschel’s one shot lead
Billy Horschel survived a brutal weather day on Saturday to take his one-shot lead over the field. It’s the first time in his career that he’s held the 54-hole lead at a major championship.
For more on Horschel’s third round, and what’s at stake for him today, click the photo.
Click the photo to read more about Billy Horschel’s third round at Royal Troon. (Zac Goodwin/PA Images via Getty Images)
British Open Final Round
It’s time for the final round of the British Open. The Claret Jug and the record $3.1 million prize are up for grabs at Royal Troon in Scotland. Here’s everything you need to know.
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