The third round of the Open Championship was moving day at Royal Troon. After 80 players made Friday’s cut, some put themselves into or out of contention heading into Sunday’s final round.
The rain was more of a factor on Saturday. In addition, as the day progressed, the wind started to pick up a bit which challenged the field. As a result, a handful of holes on the front nine were playing easier compared to the first two days with the greens being softer.
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However, the course was still challenging as the par-4 11th played 0.66 strokes over. There were just two birdies on the 11th hole compared to 39 bogeys or worse. With Round 3 in the books, let’s look at the 10 biggest winners and losers from Saturday’s action at the Open Championship.
Winner: Billy Horschel
Despite a bogey on the final hole, Billy Horschel had a strong Saturday. He made four birdies in six holes to end his front nine before the conditions took away a couple of strokes. Horschel made a 31-foot birdie putt on the par-4 seventh.
On the previous hole, he got his 92-yard approach to tap-in range for another birdie. In addition, he was able to save par on the 10th from 10 feet out. Horschel will be looking for his first career major victory and third top 10 at a major in 41 major championship starts.
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Loser: Daniel Brown
Daniel Brown, who had to qualify to get into the Open Championship this week, struggled Saturday, playing in the final grouping. It was a roller-coaster round with a 2-over 73. Brown had five birdies compared to five bogeys and a double bogey.
He is one shot back of Horschel as a result of his first double bogey on the final hole today. Brown is trying to become the third player since 1914 to win a major in their first start. He would join Ben Curtis, who won the 2003 Open Championship, and Keegan Bradley, who won the 2011 PGA Championship.
He would also be the first player since Collin Morikawa in 2021 to win the Open in his first start.
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Loser: Shane Lowry
Shane Lowry, who had the lead entering the third round, made a birdie on the par-5 fourth to have a three-shot lead. However, he stumbled after that. He made a double bogey on the par-3 eighth bey into the coffin bunker.
Lowry made three bogeys in four holes on the back nine en route to shooting a 6-over 77. He ranked 71st in total strokes gained, 77th in strokes gained putting, and 73rd in strokes gained around the green as he is three strokes back of the lead heading into Sunday’s final round.
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Winner: Xander Schauffele
Xander Schauffele started 4-under through 10 and remained afloat, finishing with a 2-under 69. The conditions did not favor him over the final eight holes. However, Schauffele is at 3-under par and one stroke back of the lead. Horschel and Schauffele were the only two golfers among the final 10 groups to shoot under par Saturday.
Schauffele is looking to record his second major victory in three starts as well as top 10s at all four majors this year. In addition, if Schaufflele finishes inside the top 20, then it would be his 11th consecutive top 20 finish at a major championship.
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Loser: Joaquin Niemann
Joaquin Niemann had an 8 on the par-3 eighth, the coffin hole before a bogey-free 4-under 31 on the back nine yesterday. Saturday was a similar story as Niemann posted a big number on the par-4 11th. After shooting 2-under on the front nine and a bogey on the par-4 10th, he made a 9 on the ensuing hole.
He had two penalty shots, one off the tee and another on his approach that went right out of bounds onto the train tracks. His nine was one of nine double bogeys on that hole as he made 7-over 42 on the back nine. He shot 5-over par on the day and is +5 heading into the final round.
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Loser: Brooks Koepka
The opportunity to get into the mix and go after major win No. 6 will wait until at least next April for Brooks Koepka. On Saturday, he did not make a birdie at all. He made a double bogey on the par-5 fourth. After a bogey on the par-4 10th, he made four consecutive bogeys from holes No. 13-16, en route to shooting 7-over 78 in the third round.
Out of the 80 golfers that made the cut, he ranked 76th in total strokes gained and 78th in strokes gained off the tee. He is now 8-over heading into Sunday’s final round.
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Winners: Thirston Lawrence & Sam Burns
Thirston Lawrence and Sam Burns both recorded the lowest third-round score with a 6-under 65. Lawrence shot a 6-under 30 on the front nine. On the other hand, Burns started the front nine and the back nine with bogeys but was able to respond. He made birdies on five of six holes from Nos. 3-8 to close the front nine with a 4-under 32.
Burns made back-to-back birdies on 11 and 12 before another birdie on the par-5 16th. Lawrence and Burns were the only two golfers on Saturday to make a birdie on the 11th.
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Loser: Patrick Cantlay
It looks as if the monkey on Patrick Cantlay’s back to win a major will continue into 2025. On Saturday, Cantlay did not make a birdie until the par-5 16th. He bogeyed the eighth and the 13th while recording a double bogey on the 11th. Shooting 4-over 75 on moving day does not help in any tournament, especially with a major championship on the line.
Cantlay goes into Sunday at 3-over par. He ranked 63rd in total strokes gained, 67th in strokes gained off the tee, and 68th in strokes gained approach as signs of struggle.
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Loser: Jordan Spieth
The 2017 Open Championship winner had a roller-coaster round with four birdies compared to five bogeys and a double bogey. Jordan Spieth was unable to have that signature moving day round to put him into contention.
He would get a birdie or two and then give it away. He made back-to-back birdies on 12 and 13 including making a 58-foot birdie putt on the latter. However, he gave both of those strokes away with bogeys on 15 and 17.
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Winner: Si Woo Kim
No matter the score, any time one can be put on the scorecard it is memorable. Despite being at 7-over par, Si Woo Kim was able to record a hole-in-one on the par-3 17th. At 238 yards, it marked the longest ace in Open Championship history. It also marked the first hole-in-one on the 17th at Royal Troon in an Open Championship.
That came after he made a birdie on the previous hole to finish 3-under on his last three holes to finish even par on the day to remain at 5-over par heading into the final round.
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