Horschel eyes British Open glory as Scheffler lurks

TROON, United Kingdom: Leader Billy Horschel prepared to tee off in his final round at the British Open on Sunday with world number one Scottie Scheffler just two shots behind as calmer weather returned to Royal Troon.

Horschel led by one from a group of six chasing players after Saturday´s sodden third round on the west coast of Scotland. The group comprised PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele, former US Open champion Justin Rose and English compatriot Daniel Brown, South Africa´s Thriston Lawrence and Americans Sam Burns and Russell Henley.

Scheffler was just one shot further back at two under after battling to an even-par round of 71. A total of 12 players were within four shots of the lead for what promises to be a fascinating battle for the Claret Jug in drier but still windy conditions.

Two-time major winner Justin Thomas had a nightmare start to his final round, hitting a triple-bogey seven on the first hole. But Spain´s Jon Rahm, also a two-time major winner, birdied his first three holes to move to one-under for the championship.

On Saturday, overnight leader Shane Lowry had a day to forget as the 2019 champion crumbled in the soaking conditions to collapse from eight under par after seven holes to one under by the end of his round.

Horschel was one of the big movers on a day that had allowed for lower scoring before the wind and rain picked up.

Starting at two under, Horschel produced a sublime four-under 32 on the front nine. He dropped two shots on the back nine, including one on the 18th but remains in prime position to land his first major. “I´ve worked my entire life to be in this position,” said the world number 62.

“I know what it means to my legacy in the game of golf and what I want to do and accomplish.” Brown, ranked 272 in the world and playing his first major, looked set to be out in front heading into Sunday until he dropped three shots in his last two holes.

But he and Rose, who had to go through qualifying to get to Troon, remain in the hunt to give England a first since Nick Faldo in 1992. “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 yeah, it´s a bit nasty to finish like that,” said Brown.

Lowry began the day with a two-shot lead but the Irishman´s round started to come off the rails with a double bogey at the 130-yard Postage Stamp eighth. Worse was to come as five bogeys in eight holes on the back nine dropped him back into ninth.

Fresh from his maiden major win at the PGA Championship, Schauffele is eyeing another. The world number three moved to five under at one stage before bogeys at 11 and 18 knocked him back to three under after a round of 69.

Scheffler is also right in the mix to claim his third major and win for a seventh time in 15 starts this year. A birdie at the third on Saturday got the American off to a fine start but he then played the next 13 holes in two over before picking up a shot at the 17th to remain ominously poised. “The back nine, I think that was probably the hardest nine holes that I´ll ever play,” said Scheffler.