Runaway second round leader Brian Harman gave his pursuers brief hope that he might come back to the pack when making bogeys at two of the first four holes on Saturday afternoon, but the left-handed American soon regained his composure and reeled off four birdies over the next 14 holes to maintain his five-shot lead going into Sunday’s final round at the 151st Open at Royal Liverpool.
Just when it looked like the pressure of leading the season’s final major may have got to him, the 36-year-old from Georgia showed that he had lost none of the skills and temperament that first got him into such a commanding position, and a combination of straight driving, accurate approach play and nerveless putting – he hasn’t missed a putt inside 10 feet over 54 holes – saw him end the day with the same sizeable lead that he started with.
And while there is a long way to go before Harman’s name is engraved on the Claret Jug, only Rory McIlroy has ever led by more going into the final round at Hoylake, carrying a six-stroke lead to victory nine years ago.
A two-under-par 69 ones Saturday saw Harman ease to -12, with nearest chaser Cameron Young – who finished second at St Andrews last year – sitting on -7 after a third round 66 played in the worst of the conditions late on Saturday afternoon. A further shot back sits Jon Rahm who made the biggest move on Moving Day with a stunning eight-under-par 63 that took him from +2 to -6 and from tied 39th to solo third. The ebullient Spaniard, who broke the course record after coming back in just 30 strokes, said it was the best round of his life on a links course, although he would swap it in a heartbeat for the trophy itself as he looks to complete the third leg of a career major grand slam.
Hovering in T4 is a quintet who will have come away with mixed feelings from Moving Day. Viktor Hovland and Antoine Rozner shot 66 and 67 respectively to reach five-under, while Jason Day went out strongly before struggling to back it up on the back nine. For Sepp Straka, a bogey on 18 was a disappointing end to what had been a promising round, while first round co-leader Tommy Fleetwood battled all the way round for a second consecutive level-par 71, but failed to progress his total from the one he had after the first round, despite being roared on by the legions of local fans.
Rahm was not the only man to excel in the morning groups, with Alex Fitzpatrick matching the previous best on the course with a 65 to move to four-under, and two clear of his brother Matt in the sibling rivalry.
With three birdies through the first five holes, Rory McIlroy was on course to make a real charge after his Scottish Open success, but from there, the 2014 Champion Golfer just could not buy a putt, with a bogey on 12 and pars from then on in leaving him marooned on three-under and fully eight shots behind the leader.
Jordan Spieth is a stroke further back, while a trio of former Open champions, Stewart Cink, Henrik Stenson and Cameron Smith, are all on one-under, meaning that baring McIlroy making a big move, it will take a comeback of Paul Lawrie-proportions to prevent a first-time Open winner being crowned on Sunday.