The Open live! Leaderboard and latest updates from Royal Birkdale with Rory McIlroy, Ian Poulter and more in action
It's moving day at the 146th Open Championship with a host of the game's biggest names in the mix for the Claret Jug
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Your support makes all the difference.It's moving day at the 146th Open Championship with a host of the game's biggest names in the mix for the Claret Jug.
It will clearly take more than blustering wind and hammering rain to stop runwaway leader Jordan Spieth so far after he opened up a two-shot lead, posting a one under-par 69, in the second round of on Friday.
Spieth, who encountered the worst of the weather in both of the opening rounds, stands at -6 with American compatriot Matt Kuchar, two strokes behind after his very solid 71.
But don't count out the home contingent - Ian Poulter, who was second at Birkdale when it last staged the Open in 2008, is on three under alongside US Open champion Brooks Koepka with a back in form Rory McIlroy only five off the lead behind them.
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Rory McIlroy is relishing the prospect of doing battle for a secondOpen title as Jordan Spieth looked to join him in pursuit of a career grand slam.
McIlroy added a 68 to his opening 71 on Friday to lie five shots off the pace set by Spieth, who defied strong winds and torrential rain - which led to a short suspension in play in late afternoon - to finish six under par.
Spieth, who would join McIlroy in having won three of the game's four majors with victory at Royal Birkdale on Sunday, held a two-shot lead over Ryder Cup team-mate Matt Kuchar, with England's Ian Poulter on three under alongside US Open champion Brooks Koepka.
South Africa's Shaun Norris has made the most of the best conditions of the day so far.
As the odd man out of the 77 players to make the cut on five over par, Norris teed off at 9:20am alongside marker Gregg Pettersen, an assistant professional at Royal Birkdale.
And the 35-year-old from Johannesburg got off to a flying start on a calm, dry morning with birdies on the first, third and fifth taking him to two over par, eight shots off the lead held by Jordan Spieth.
Englishman Lee Westwood is on the march in round three.
The 44-year-old, who has never won a major championship, is three under par for the day after birdies on the fifth, sixth and ninth holes.
At two over par he remains eight shots adrift of the front-running American Jordan Spieth.
Jason Day, the former world No 1 and a PGA Championship winner in 2015, is enjoying a superb day at Royal Birkdale.
The Aussie hasn't had a year to remember so far but he's four under par for the day after birdies at the second, fifth, ninth and 10th.
However, his second-round 76 yesterday ended any realistic chance he had of winning the tournament after a solid opening-round 69 on Thursday.
Branden Grace, the 29-year-old South African, is three under par for the day after just six holes.
Birdies at the first, fourth and fifth have taken him to one over for the tournament.
Branden Grace is playing some sublime golf. He's produced four birdies in the opening eight holes to move to level par for the tournament. Could he better fellow South African Shaun Norris' third-round 65? You certainly wouldn't bet against it.
Lee Westwood started well today with three birdies in the opening nine holes but a double bogey at the 12th saw him fall back to just one under par for the day - and that is where he remains with just the 18th to play.
Branden Grace birdies the 16th hole and he's on course for a 63! If he birdies the par-five 17th hole then he'll be just one parred 18th hole away from becoming the first man in major history to post a 62.
Grace reacts to record-breaking round
This is what Branden Grace had to say about the third-round 62 he shot a short while ago:
“It feels great. It was a special round from the start. I played really good, really solid from tee to green. I missed a couple of shorter ones, but I made up for them with a couple of nice ones. It was a great day, all in all! I was honestly not aware of the 63 record. My caddy Zach said ‘congrats’ and I was like ‘Cool, I played a good round!’ He said: ‘That’s in the history books.’ And I said: ‘What are you talking about?’ I had no idea. But it makes it more special now, especially to be in the history books at a place like this.”
Quotes from Sky
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