TROON, Scotland – Through 54 holes, Royal Troon Golf Club is winning at the 152nd British Open.
Eight years ago, Henrik Stenson shot a final-round 63 to post a 72-hole championship-record 20-under 264. This week? Billy Horschel is the 54-hole leader at 4-under 209 after a 69 in cold, wind and rain. How hard were the conditions at Troon on Saturday?
“You’re seeing a lot of fist pumps for pars today,” NBC’s Brad Faxon said. “Have you ever seen so many guys excited about pars?
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who shot even par, said, “I think that was probably the hardest nine holes that I’ll ever play. I shouldn’t say ever, but it’s definitely the hardest that I’ve played to this point.”
“We played five par-5s on the back side, and that’s not even including No. 16,” Horschel said of the only par-5 on the back nine.
“Today was a day where you’re one bad shot away from having a nightmare on certain holes,” Xander Schauffele said. “You really just had to keep it in front of you.”
Schauffele called it a classic British Open where one wave of players took advantage of easier conditions to jump in front but then the players who managed to survive the cut went out earlier in sunshine and light wind before the weather turned for the worst and were able to make their move.
“You obviously had to go out there and shoot a number, but you were rewarded with a good morning, and those guys did that,” he said. “The board sort of started to go this way. There was separation, and then everyone just kind of came together.”
There are seven players within one stroke of the lead and as many as 24 within six shots of the lead. Here are five things to know about the third round of the 2024 British Open.
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