Sam Burns
Sam Burns followed his record-tying 62 with a 5-under 65 third round to build an Open Championships two-shot lead at the Royal Birkdale.
Burns is at 10-under 200 for a two-shot lead over Kim Si-woo Kim, who carded a 67 and Ryan Fox, who became the third player this week to tie the major championship record with a 62.
It has been a remarkable tournament for Burns, who only made a last minute decision to play here after he and his wife welcomed a daughter two weeks ago.
He is now on the verge of winning his sixth PGA Tour title and more importantly a first major championship.
His best at the championships was a tied-21 two years ago. He also seeks to become the second player to win The Open after being outside the top 50 following the first round after Mark O’Meara in 1998.
A win tomorrow will see him add to his previous wins at the 2021 and 2022 Valspar Championship, 2021 Sanderson Farms Championship, 2022 Charles Schwab Challenge and the 2023 World Golf Championships Match Play.
A lurking Fox is hoping to become only the second player from New Zealand to win The Open Championship. If he does manage that, he would become the lowest-ranked winner of the event since Darren Clarke in 2011.
South Korea native, Si-woo is also seeking to become the first player from Asia to win The Open Championship.
Ryan Gerard (T4/-7) trails by three strokes and is tied with Lucas Herbert, who had matched the all-time major 18-hole scoring record with a 62 a day earlier. Herbert recorded a third-round 71 as he chases the record as the third Australian winner at Royal Birkdale.
First-round leader Jackson Suber is a further stroke behind while reigning FedExCup champion Tommy Fleetwood is tied-ninth at five under.
2024 winner Xander Schauffele is six strokes adrift of the leader while World No. 1 and 20-time PGA Tour winner Scottie Scheffler (T11/-4) trails by six in bid to become the first player to successfully defend at The Open since Padraig Harrington in 2008.
