Royal Birkdale: Sam Burns leads Open after third round, Ryan Fox and Kim Si-woo in pursuit
Burns takes lead at Royal Birkdale
Sam Burns has taken the lead heading into the final round of The Open at Royal Birkdale. Burns, whose wife recently gave birth, shot a five-under 65 on Saturday, bringing his total to 10 under par. This places him two shots ahead of Ryan Fox of New Zealand and Kim Si-woo of South Korea.
Burns’s participation in the tournament was uncertain due to his wife’s due date. However, the early arrival of their daughter, Belle, allowed him to compete. He mentioned that his wife encouraged him to play, stating, “She basically said ‘I’ve got this’ at home. ‘Go over there and give it your best’, and here we are.”
The third round saw challenging conditions, with only 12 of the final 40 golfers managing to break par. Burns’s performance has made him a favourite for his first major title, a sentiment echoed by his close friend Scottie Scheffler, who noted Burns’s talent and consistent presence in recent Ryder Cups and Presidents Cups.
Chasing pack and notable performances
Among the golfers in contention, Bryson DeChambeau is at six under par after a third-round 69, despite a two-shot penalty for a rules infringement in the second round. Ludvig Åberg is also at six under. Local favourite Tommy Fleetwood is five shots off the lead at five under, while Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, and Xander Schauffele are all at four under par.
Ryan Fox made a significant move up the leaderboard, taking advantage of calmer morning conditions. Starting the day eight shots back at even par, he recorded a 62, one of three such scores at this Open, to propel himself into second place. Fox attributed his strong round to the favourable weather, noting that the greens were softer and there was minimal wind in the morning.
Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns both achieved record-equalling rounds of 62 earlier in the tournament. Herbert, who narrowly missed a 61, began the weekend at eight-under-par. Burns’s 62 on Friday, which included six birdies on the back nine, was sealed with a chip-in from a greenside bunker on the 18th hole.
Challenges and hopes for the final day
Scottie Scheffler, last year’s winner, expressed frustration with his putting, stating that he would have been leading the tournament if his putts had dropped. He will start the final round hoping for an earlier tee time to take advantage of potentially better morning conditions, acknowledging that scores can vary significantly between morning and afternoon.
For the home contingent, Robert MacIntyre finished at three under, while Tyrrell Hatton dropped to one over after a four-over 74. Matt Wallace and Alex Fitzpatrick also lost ground. Tommy Fleetwood, despite dropping two shots late in his round, remains at five under and expressed optimism for the final day, stating, “The tournament is not in my hands. It’s not like I am going out and it is there on a plate for me. I have to play the best I can, enjoy it, and we’ll see.”
The final round is set to determine the champion of The Open at Royal Birkdale.
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Source: theguardian.com
As NewsUK's Senior Football Correspondent, Thomas Beckwith reports on the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side for readers across the country. He reported on three World Cups for a national news agency. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from Sheffield Hallam University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Thomas lives in Sheffield, where he watches lower-league football most weekends. “Football writing is about the decisions, not just the result.”
