Daniel Brown says 'I would have ripped your hand off' to be trailing by one shot at 54-hole mark of The 152nd Open despite disappointing bogey, double-bogey finish to third round; Watch the final round live on Sunday from 8am on Sky Sports Golf or stream with NOW
Sunday 21 July 2024 08:08, UK
Justin Rose believes he is "within touching distance" of a "dream" Open Championship win at Royal Troon as he trails leader Billy Horschel by one stroke going into Sunday's final round.
Rose shot a two-over 73 in "super tough" conditions on Saturday as high winds and heavy rain tormented the late starters at the top of the leaderboard.
The 43-year-old stayed solid down the gruelling back nine, carding 11 straight pars until bogeying the 17th and celebrated wildly a par finish when holing a testing putt at the last.
"That was super tough," Rose told reporters after his round. "I did such a good job on the back nine hanging in.
"Obviously, eventually, a bogey came [at the 17th], which I think was going to happen at some point.
"To sort of double down and bogey 18 as well would have definitely made dinner taste a little worse than it's going to. I think really that par putt on 18 has really put me in a really great spot mentally going into tomorrow.
"I feel like I've got nothing to lose, like I'm right there within touching distance."
Rose, the US Open champion in 2013, added on his hopes of winning a second major: "It's still my dream. In a few years, it'll be someone else's dream but it's still my dream right now. And I've got a great opportunity to go live it out tomorrow."
World No 272 Daniel Brown, like Rose, is hoping to become the first Englishman to lift the Claret Jug since Sir Nick Faldo in 1992.
The 29-year-old held a one-shot lead until a bogey, double-bogey finish over the final two holes dropped him into a six-way tie for second at three under, alongside Rose.
"It was difficult. I'm a little bit disappointed with how the last two holes went because I did so well to get to where I got to and it's a bit nasty to finish like that," Brown said.
"We're still there... I think the way I've handled myself today, I think I can have a good go tomorrow.
"The last two holes it's a little bit of a kick in the teeth, but if you'd have told me I was going to go into the final round of the Open one or two shots back, I would have ripped your hand off."
Shane Lowry, who was in the final pairing with Brown having held a two-stroke lead going into the third day, endured a desperately difficult back nine to ultimately shoot a six-over 77.
It drops the Irishman, an Open winner at Royal Portrush in 2019, all the way back to one under, three behind leader Horschel.
"This is going to take me a couple of hours to get over today," Lowry said afterwards.
It's just hard because I felt like I played unbelievable golf today. I missed the first fairway and then didn't miss another until the 16th... I just didn't hole the putts early on when I had the chances.
"On the way in, I felt like I couldn't make a par... It was a grind. It wasn't much fun."
He added: "There's no doubt I'm going to go out there tomorrow thinking I can win the tournament, but it's just hard right now. You have to give me a bit of leeway."
World No 1 Scottie Scheffler is one shot better off than Lowry at two under going into Sunday's final round after what he described as "the hardest nine holes I'll ever play".
Scheffler played the back nine in one over, with a birdie at 17 aiding his quest for a third major title and second this year after his second Masters win in April.
"I think that was probably the hardest nine holes I'll ever play," Scheffler said. "I shouldn't say ever, but it's definitely the hardest that I've played to this point.
"Here you never really know with the forecast and there was some rain in the forecast but it was supposed to be a southwest wind, which was similar to the wind we've had the last couple of days, and it came more directly into us on the back nine versus down off the left. It was definitely very challenging.
"It was pretty wild out there, but I did a good job of grinding it out, staying in a good head space and staying in the tournament."
Also among the pack one off the lead at three under is PGA champion Xander Schauffele, who is hopeful that his success at Valhalla for a first major title this year can aid his push for a second.
"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," he said.
"Today was a day where you're one bad shot away from having a nightmare on certain holes. You really just had to keep it in front of you.
"If I'm in that spot [challenging] with a few holes to play, I think I can maybe lean on that [Valhalla win]. But it's just such a different style of golf. It's such a different tournament."
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.
