Xander Schauffele and Justin Rose in logjam one shot behind Billy Horschel; Scottie Scheffler two back and overnight leader Shane Lowry falls three behind; Watch the final round live on Sunday from 8am on Sky Sports Golf or stream with NOW
Sunday 21 July 2024 08:09, UK
Billy Horschel takes a one-shot lead into the final round of The 152nd Open, as major debutant Dan Brown suffered a costly finish and Shane Lowry squandered a commanding advantage.
Horschel came into the weekend three strokes back but charged up the leaderboard with four birdies in a six-hole stretch, in treacherous conditions, with a two-under 69 seeing the American set the clubhouse target at four under.
World No 272 Brown held a one-shot lead until three dropped shots in the final two holes dropped him in to a six-way tie for second that contains Justin Rose, with PGA champion Xander Schauffele among that logjam as he chases a second major victory of the season.
Scottie Scheffler is just two shots adrift as he searches for a seventh win in 11 starts, while Lowry - who led by three at one stage of an eventful round - is three back and in ninth spot after slumping to a six-over 77.
Lowry's lead increased to three with a two-putt par at the first, having seen Rose in the group ahead open with a bogey, only for Brown to claim solo second when he bounced back from starting with a dropped shot to drain a 25-footer at the third.
Brown scrambled a par at the par-five fourth after having to pitch out of a fairway bunker, while Lowry poured in from 15 feet to move to eight under before leaving short his birdie try - from a similar distance - at the sixth.
A close-range birdie for Brown on that par-five was followed by another unorthodox fashion at the par-four next, where he almost hit the group on the next green off the tee before pitching it close with his approach, as Lowry missed a six-foot birdie chance and saw his lead cut too one.
Both players found sand off the tee at the Postage Stamp, where Brown made a bogey and Lowry hit over the green on his way to a double-bogey that left both on six under, as Horschel made it a three-way tie by charging through the field with four birdies in six holes.
Brown started his back nine with a bogey but holed from 10 feet to save par at the next, where Horschel dropped a shot and Lowry began his bogey run to leave the trio locked on five under, only for the Englishman to edge into the lead with a brilliant birdie at the 12th.
Lowry failed to get up and down from off the same green with a putter and fell two behind, while Brown had to lay up after a wayward drive at the 13th and posted a bogey to drop back alongside Horschel on five under.
Brown produced sensational saves from off the green over his next two holes to stay in touch with Horschel, who was making battling pars of his own in tough conditions, as Lowry's hopes suffered further setbacks with bogeys at the 14th and 15th.
Horschel went inches away from a bunker hole-out at the par-five 16th, where Brown flicked a wedge to inside five feet and made birdie for the outright lead, then failed to save par at the last to fall back to four under.
Brown scrambled a bogey after finding sand off the tee at the par-three 17th, where Lowry holed a 20-footer to save par - then carded a dramatic double-bogey at the 18th after finding a horror stance off the tee and then sending his third shot into the greenside bunker.
The major rookie sits on three under alongside Schauffele, Justin Rose and Russell Henley, with Sam Burns and Thriston Lawrence completing the group a shot back after both matching the lowest round of the week with third-round 65s .
Scheffler struggled with his putter during a level-par 71, only moving within two of the lead after almost making a hole-in-one at the par-three 17th, with England's Matt Jordan inside the top-10 and on level par alongside Adam Scott and Justin Thomas.
Horschel: "I've worked my entire life to be in this position. Listen, I've been in the lead many times going into a final round. Obviously this is a major. It means a little bit more, we all know that. We know what this means to everyone. I know what it means to my legacy in the game of golf and what I want to do and accomplish."
Brown: "That finish is why it's a little bit deflating. It's a bit frustrating but at the start of the week if you'd told me I'd be one or two back going into the final round of the Open I'd have snapped your hand off."
Lowry: "I felt like I played unbelievable golf today. Missed the first fairway and then didn't miss another fairway until 16. Hit some great iron shots, just didn't hole the putts early on when I had the chances, and then I missed a few par putts."
Who will win The 152nd Open? Watch extended coverage on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins with Sunday At The Open, live from 8am, with early play on the red button ahead of full coverage from 10am. Watch The Open on Sky Sports Golf, or stream The Open and more top sport with NOW.
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