Summary

  • Billy Horschel (-4) leads The Open at end of third round

  • Justin Rose and Dan Brown in group of six players on -3

  • Overnight leader Shane Lowry -1 after six-over 77 in wet conditions on Saturday

  • Si Woo Kim gets hole-in-one on par-three 17th

  • Tournament concludes at Royal Troon on Sunday

  1. An arm wrestle in the rainpublished at 20:57 British Summer Time 20 July

    Billy Horschel and Justin RoseImage source, PA Media

    What a day.

    Those out early closed the gap in the sunshine.

    Those out later got drowned and brought the lead back even closer.

    The stage is set for an enthralling final round on Sunday.

    Catch up on Peter Scrivener's report from Royal Troon over here and we'll be back from about 1pm tomorrow.

    See you then!

  2. 'Trying to figure out how I shot 77'published at 20:56 British Summer Time 20 July

    Lowry -1 (77)

    Shane LowryImage source, EPA

    A dejected Shane Lowry has just been speaking after a third round of 77 left him three off the lead: "It was hard. Playing par threes hitting drivers is not much craic. It wasn't much fun out there.

    "I'm obviously pretty gutted right now and it'll take me a couple of hours to get over it today.

    "You'll have to give me a bit of leeway as I'm trying to figure out in my own head how I shot 77. This game is hard. You feel hard done by for playing well for first two days in those brutal conditions.

    "Today, I felt I played a lot of unbelievable golf but just didn't hole putts when I had the chances and then on the way in I felt like I couldn't make pars. It's hard in that situation - but it is what it is."

    On his chances for Sunday: "At three back, I'm still right in the tournament. I've got a job to do tomorrow and there's obviously no doubt I'll go out thinking I can win this tournament."

  3. Day three leaderboardpublished at 20:50 British Summer Time 20 July

    Here's how things stand at the end of day three at Royal Troon:

    • -4 Horschel (69)
    • -3 Brown (73), Lawrence (65), Burns (65), Henley (66), Schauffele (69), Rose (73)
    • -2 Scheffler (71)
    • -1 Lowry (77)
    • E Jordan (71), Thomas (67), Scott (66)

    Click here for the full leaderboard

  4. Watch: Horschel's back-to-back birdiespublished at 20:48 British Summer Time 20 July

    Horschel -4 (69)

    This man has the lead of The Open after 54 holes.

    Watch Billy Horschel's successive birdies on the sixth and seventh holes earlier today.

    Media caption,

    Back-to-back birdies for Horschel

  5. 'My best round in a major'published at 20:48 British Summer Time 20 July

    Horschel -4 (69)

    Billy HorschelImage source, Getty Images

    Billy Horschel speaking to Sky Sports on his round of 69 which left him top of the leaderboard: "This round in the Open Championship is by far the best I've played in a major. I had to grind out a score coming in.

    "I knew it wasn't going to be pretty. I knew it was going to be tough, but I was prepared for what the last nine holes would entail.

    "It would be the biggest win of my career. I have won a lot of great events but this one would top all of them and it's something I've wanted in my professional golf career."

  6. 'I'm lucky' - Schauffele on the conditionspublished at 20:44 British Summer Time 20 July

    Schauffele -3 (69)

    Xander SchauffeleImage source, PA Media

    Xander Schauffele after carding a two-under 69: "If you can get yourself in position with a few holes to play, I think you've really done your job for the week, but this was a good start to that.

    "It's a packed leaderboard, and it's going to be one of those where you just really have to keep your head down and try to worry about yourself."

    On the conditions: "I enjoy the challenge. Everyone has parts of their job that they don't like across the board. So I'm lucky. I'm still outside. I know it's raining, but it's a really nice thing for me to do, just try to test myself, and today was that.

    "It is a true test. It's a long day, and you and your caddie are basically a team. He's going to need an extra arm. I at times need an extra hand. Today was a day where you're one bad shot away from having a nightmare on certain holes."

    On whether he has heard from Tiger Woods, who he played with on Thursday and Friday: "I know he's pulling for me [but] you have to win these things to get a text from him!"

  7. Watch: Si Woo Kim's hole-in-onepublished at 20:40 British Summer Time 20 July

    SW Kim +5 (71)

    Media caption,

    Si Woo Kim gets first ace of the 152nd Open

    We had the longest hole-in-one in Open Championship history today.

  8. 'Delighted to have hung in there' - Rosepublished at 20:39 British Summer Time 20 July

    Rose -3 (73)

    BBC Radio 5 Live

    Justin RoseImage source, Reuters

    Justin Rose is still in the mix for the final day after an excellent par save at 18 left him one back.

    BBC Radio 5 Live's Andy Stevenson asked him whether it had a Ryder Cup feel: "It felt like a league match with the amount of Hammers fans out there [playing partner Billy Horschel is a big West Ham supporter].

    "I’m delighted to pull up at the end of the day just one back. It felt like survival mode. I felt you could get it going back in a hurry there.

    "The back nine is as brutal as I’ve played in a tournament for a long time. I typically don’t love the wet weather.

    "I never feel that the ball is coming off the driver face nicely. Everything felt tough for me and I’m delighted to have hung in there."

  9. Watch: Scheffler's 'shot of the day'published at 20:38 British Summer Time 20 July

    Scheffler -2 (71)

    Scottie Scheffler's putter was as cold as the Troon weather today, but he produced a moment of magic from the 17th tee...

    Media caption,

    'Shot of the day' - Scheffler's superb birdie on 17

  10. Postpublished at 20:38 British Summer Time 20 July

    Jordan E (71)

    Matthew JordanImage source, PA Media

    England's Matthew Jordan, who has followed his top-10 finish at Royal Liverpool last year with another strong showing at Royal Troon:

    "When you come here, you're nervous from almost start to finish, especially when you're up there. [On Sunday] I don't think it's going to be too different to what I've experienced in the first three days.

    "I obviously did it last year, but it all comes down to good golf and trying to score well."

    On his approach to the final day: "Same again, like I've done each day really. Just try to start well and try to pick up a couple early on if it's possible. If not, stay patient.

    "But my goal will be to play the first few holes as well as I can, and we'll see what happens from there."

  11. 'The mental battle makes it so challenging' - Schefflerpublished at 20:37 British Summer Time 20 July

    Scheffler -2 (71)

    BBC Radio 5 Live

    Scottie Scheffler finished even par for the day and is two under for the championship, two off the lead - he has been speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live's Andy Stevenson:

    On the conditions: "I think that is probably some of the most difficult conditions I can remember playing in.

    "I can remember some days with some crazy high winds but this it was more the mental battle out there that made it so challenging.

    "Overall I did a good job of staying in and getting in at even par was definitely not a bad score."

    The OpenImage source, Getty Images

    Looking ahead to tomorrow:"We’ll see how the day shapes up. I may be four shots back, see what happens.

    "Hopefully get off to a good start, try to stay in my little world out there, and go out and execute."

  12. Can DJ call the tune at Troon?published at 20:36 British Summer Time 20 July

    Johnson +2 (72)

    Remember Dustin Johnson? He's done nothing in majors recently but could he make a challenge on Sunday? Here's what he thought of his round:

    "I don't think it's supposed to rain this hard, but it is what it is. This is The Open. I felt like I played really, really well. Can't really complain, one over is not a bad score.

    "It's The Open. It doesn't make you mad. You've got to play with what you get. But you see the guys go out this morning with sunshine and shooting really good scores... but that's part of it. It happens all the time here. You've just got to be prepared for the conditions."

    The OpenImage source, Getty Images
  13. Can Rahm make a run?published at 20:33 British Summer Time 20 July

    Rahm +2 (72)

    The OpenImage source, Getty Images

    Jon Rahm, who will start Sunday six shots back, speaking about the weather conditions during his third round:

    "I didn't know that it was going to turn as difficult as it did. I thought, from what I saw in the app, if the rain came, it wasn't going to be too windy. Man, did it turn quickly.

    On his chances of victory on Sunday [speaking immediately after his round]: "Right now I'm seven back. I would expect by the end of the day to be a little bit closer. We've seen crazier things. There's still room to dream about a possibly good Sunday and giving it a chance."

  14. 'Just strap in and buckle the chinstrap'published at 20:30 British Summer Time 20 July

    Burns -3 (65)

    The OpenImage source, Getty Images

    Sam Burns, who is one of those now in second after he shot 65 in the better of the conditions to get to three under for the tournament:

    "Any time you shoot under par on this golf course, it's always good. Even more so in these conditions.

    "I think I knew going out, the front nine was going to be somewhat gettable. Most of the holes are downwind. Then once you make the turn, just strap in and buckle the chinstrap because you know it's going to be difficult.

    "Overall, a really solid day."

  15. 'Each shot requires so much focus'published at 20:29 British Summer Time 20 July

    Henley -3 (66)

    Russell Henley views the line of a puttImage source, Getty Images

    Russell Henley finished his round on three under after a 66 today, which now leaves him in a tie for second place. What will be his approach heading into Sunday's final round?

    "You've just got to be in the present moment. Each shot is just so important. Each shot requires so much focus for me personally, and I just try to do the best I can on every shot.

    "Every shot's going to be probably different tomorrow than it was today, and you just have to be able to try to adapt and do the best you can."

  16. What they said: The contenderspublished at 20:27 British Summer Time 20 July

    Right, Royal Troon has really shown its teeth later on today, and that means the leaderboard is tightly packed with plenty of players having chances - let's hear from a few of them now...

  17. Where it went wrong for Shanepublished at 20:26 British Summer Time 20 July

    Lowry -1 (77)

    He never quite recovered from this on the eighth.

    Media caption,

    Lowry loses solo lead with Postage Stamp double bogey

  18. Day three leaderboardpublished at 20:25 British Summer Time 20 July

    Here's how things stand at the end of day three at Royal Troon:

    • -4 Horschel (69)
    • -3 Brown (73), Lawrence (65), Burns (65), Henley (66), Schauffele (69), Rose (73)
    • -2 Scheffler (71)

    Click here for the full leaderboard

  19. Postpublished at 20:23 British Summer Time 20 July

    Brown -3 (73)

    I don’t quite know where to start with Dan Brown.

    Utterly unflappable for 17 holes and then a couple of bad breaks at 18 leave him one back rather than leading the way.

    For a debutant though, this remains an incredibly impressive performance.

  20. Bogey for Lowrypublished at 20:22 British Summer Time 20 July

    Lowry -1 (77)

    Now then Shane Lowry, can you rescue it from distance?

    It's a great effort and the crowd are loudly willing it on but it doesn't quite carry.

    It’s another bogey for Lowry and he’s gone round in 77 today.