Can you even have a round at Royal Birkdale without a 62, some compelling drama involving Bryson DeChambeau, and someone who's seeking their first major championship holding the lead?
Saturday was another enthralling day at The Open, with Ryan Fox, Rory McIlroy, and DeChambeau each playing the main character at various points before Sam Burns ultimately walked off the course holding a two-stroke lead.
Burns followed up Friday's record-tying 62 with a 5-under 65 to reach 10-under for the championship while making more history in the process. According to Justin Ray of the Twenty First Group, Burns' two-day total of 127 is the lowest over two rounds in major championship history.
Saturday's effort pushed him clear of Si Woo Kim and Fox, who reached 8-under for the championship thanks to his own 62 early Saturday morning.
| Position | Player | Total to par | Round 3 score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam Burns | -10 | 65 |
| T-2 | Si Woo Kim | -8 | 67 |
| T-2 | Ryan Fox | -8 | 62 |
| T-4 | Ryan Gerard | -7 | 69 |
| T-4 | Lucas Herbert | -7 | 71 |
| T-6 | Jackson Suber | -6 | 70 |
| T-6 | Bryson DeChambeau | -6 | 69 |
| T-6 | Ludvig Aberg | -6 | 67 |
| T-9 | Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen | -5 | 67 |
| T-9 | Tommy Fleetwood | -5 | 69 |
| T-11 | Xander Schauffele | -4 | 66 |
| T-11 | Scottie Scheffler | -4 | 70 |
| T-11 | Shane Lowry | -4 | 69 |
| T-11 | Jon Rahm | -4 | 70 |
| T-11 | Hideki Matsuyama | -4 | 67 |
| T-11 | 4 others tied | -4 |
While Burns is the leader heading into Sunday, DeChambeau once again finds himself as the tournament's biggest talking point.
The LIV star sits four strokes off the lead after an up-and-down day, but his Friday penalty continued to dominate headlines. McIlroy, who's eight behind at 2-under, didn't hold back in his post-round presser when asked for his opinion on the matter.
"I think there's no doubt that he improved the line of his backswing," McIlroy said. "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."
He wasn't done there.
"I won't pretend to be up here and defend Bryson. I'm not particularly fond of him. I think a lot of it's performative. I think a lot of it's for attention," the six-time major winner added. "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."
DeChambeau was offered a chance to respond but once again declined to speak with reporters after his round. While he's likely still irritated with Friday's ruling, DeChambeau remains in the mix as the most experienced player within striking distance of Burns.
Of the 11 players within five shots of the lead, only DeChambeau has claimed a major trophy in his career. That should add further drama to what's expected to be an epic Sunday at Royal Birkdale.
