The Open 2023 LIVE: Final round golf leaderboard and updates as Brian Harman cruises to victory
Harman produced a composed final round to hold off the likes of Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood to win the 2023 Open Championship at Hoylake
Brian Harman won The Open in style as a nerveless final round saw him turn his healthy overnight lead into a convincing victory for his first major title.
The 36-year-old American won by six strokes after shooting a one-under-par final round of 70 in soggy conditions at Royal Liverpool to finish 13-under for the tournament.
His overnight lead of five strokes was never truly threatened and, in the end, there was a four-way tie for second place between Jon Rahm (70), Jason Day (69), Sepp Straka (69) and 21-year-old Tom Kim (67).
Home favourites Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy showed flashes of what they were capable of and looked set to close the gap on a couple of occasions but eventually fell away in the face of Harman’s mistake-free golf. His win was built on keeping his ball out of the bunkers and his brilliance on and around the greens. He missed just one putt under 10 feet all week on the Hoylake links to deservedly lift the Claret Jug.
Follow reaction from the fourth round of the 151st Open Championship at Hoylake below:
The Open: Pars for Harman and Young
Harman -12 (10), Young -5 (10)
Steady as you like from Harman who knocks in another two-putt par to stay at -12. Cam Young is finding pars as well but the American is seven back and needs birdies.
The Open 2023: Birdie chance goes begging for McIlroy
McIlroy -6 (15), Grillo -6 (15)
The rain is really lengthening this golf course and it causes problems for McIlroy and Grillo at the par-five 15th with neither able to reach the green in to.
A wedge from McIlroy drops stone dead at the front of the green, giving him a 13-footer for par. The ball refuses to drop and another chance goes begging for Rory. You feel that is his race run.
The Open 2023: Rahm remains six back
Rahm -6 (10). Day -6 (11)
The birdie-less streak continues for the Spaniard as his long-range effort for birdie on the tenth comes up short. It leaves him with a bit of work to do to save his par but the Spaniard makes no mistake.
Up ahead on the 11th, Day has a cracking look at birdie on the 11th, but he’s left in disbelief as his effort just leeks out to the left.
The Open 2023: Wheels falling off for Young as leader makes turn
Harman -12 (9), Young -5 (9)
I thought Cam Young might be one of the people best set to chase Harman down. But a front-nine 37 is not going to get it done as the American makes a bogey on the 9th.
Another solid par for Harman, meanwhile, who makes the turn with a five-shot lead.
The Open 2023: Birdies for McIlroy and Grillo
McIlroy -6 (14), Grillo -6 (14)
13 feet and Rory converts for his first birdie since the 5th. Much-needed for the world number two but he almost needs birdies at every single hole coming in to stand a chance.
Griillo is not going away, either, as he makes his third birdie in five to join Rory at -6.
The Open 2023: Bounce-back birdie for Straka
Straka -7 (11), Fleetwood -6 (11)
With Rahm vacating the -7 position on the leaderboard, his fellow European, Straka, takes his place as his birdie effort on the 11th just catches the left edge and drops.
Fleetwood can’t quite chip in and he remains at -6.
The Open 2023: Rahm makes bogey
Rahm -6 (9)
Himmm, not what the doctor ordered. Having missed that birdie putt on the last hole, the Spaniard goes left into the ninth hole. He gives himself a look at par, albeit longer than he would have wanted, and that added distance is costly. The putt is pushed wide and he is now back at -6.
The Open 2023: Solid par from Harman
Harman -12 (8), Young -6 (8)
With a five-shot lead, Harman doesn’t need to take any risks. And he knows it. The American safely finds the green in regulation and two-putts nicely to find a par. 11 more of them and he should be walking off with the Claret Jug.
Youg’s putt is agonisingly close to dropping on the right edge of the hole and it’s a near miss from the American.
The Open 2023: Chip-in from Day
Day -6 (9)
Well, that’s a way to bounce back from a bogey at seven! Birdie at eight before a sublime chip-in from across the green to get him back up to -6.
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