Open day four: Billy Horschel out in front as Shane Lowry slips back
Phil Casey, PA Golf Correspondent
American Billy Horschel holds the lead at Royal Troon, in front by just one stroke going into the final day of the 152nd Open Championship.
Shane Lowry, who took a two-shot lead into the third round, struggled to a 77 to fall three shots off the pace in pursuit of his second Open title.
England’s Justin Rose and Dan Brown were part of a six-way tie for second behind Horschel, with the top 24 players separated by just six shots on a highly-congested leaderboard.
A second major title for Rose would come 4,053 days after he won the 2013 US Open at Merion, breaking the previous record of 4,026 days set by Julius Boros in winning the US Open in 1952 and 1963.
World number 272 Brown would be the lowest ranked major champion since Ben Curtis won the 2003 Open when ranked 396th. Curtis was also making his major debut at Sandwich, with Brown only securing his first appearance thanks to a birdie on the last hole of a 36-hole qualifier at West Lancs.
Brown held the outright lead until an unfortunate double bogey on the 18th but a third round of 73 left him just a shot behind Horschel, who scrambled his way to an astounding 69 in wet and windy conditions to finish four under par.
That gave the 37-year-old a slender lead over six players, with Brown and Rose joined on three under by US PGA champion Xander Schauffele and a trio of players who had exploited ideal early conditions.
South African Thriston Lawrence, who teed off more than three hours before the final group, carded a superb 65 to set a clubhouse target later matched by Sam Burns (65) and Russell Henley (66).
As the weather took a significant turn for the worse, they steadily climbed the leaderboard to end the day in a tie for second, with world number one Scottie Scheffler ominously poised another stroke behind.
Shot of the day
Si Woo Kim made a hole-in-one on the 17th in ideal conditions earlier in the day, but six-time major winner Sir Nick Faldo and Dame Laura Davies both felt Scheffler’s 3-wood to three feet was even better back into the teeth of the wind.
Round of the day
Thriston Lawrence and Sam Burns both shot 65 in the good early conditions, but Horschel’s 69 in the worst of the weather was sensational.
Quote of the day
“Sadistically enjoyable” was Justin Rose’s memorable description of Saturday’s conditions.
Statistic of the day
Top statistician Justin Ray highlights the improbable rise of Sam Burns, who headed into the final round in a tie for second.
Easiest hole
The par-five fourth was the easiest hole for the first time, yielding 28 birdies, eight bogeys and just two double bogeys for an average of 4.800.
Hardest hole
The 504-yard 11th played the most difficult, with just two birdies, 30 bogeys, four double bogeys, four triple bogeys and a nine from Joaquin Niemann resulting in an average of 4.662.
Selected tee times
1.35pm – Matthew Jordan, Justin Thomas1.45pm – Adam Scott, Shane Lowry1.55pm – Scottie Scheffler, Daniel Brown2.05pm – Justin Rose, Xander Schauffele2.15pm – Russell Henley, Sam Burns2.25pm – Thriston Lawrence, Billy Horschel
Weather forecast
Dry with some brighter spells developing and only a very slight chance of a light shower. Winds gusting between 18-22mph from 10am onwards.