The Open

^^ Couldn't be happier with that result.

Rory struggling at Troon, even managed to put one on the railway tracks off the 11th tee.

England's Dan Brown has just finished his round in near darkness & is the leader on -6 one shot better than Shane Lowry. Conditions were mixed today with wind & rain, just 17 players broke par.

Lowry the halfway clubhouse leader, ahead of Brown and Justin Rose.

Rory McIlroy may have wanted to emulate Tiger Woods in his career, but not like this.

Billy Horschel leads The Open after 3 rounds on -4, with 6 players one shot back including Rose & Brown who drew some bad luck on both the 1st & 18th hole with near impossible shots as his bail finished on the lip of fairway bunkers having to manufacture a shot from inside the trap with the ball wat above his feet. Much worse trouble for his playing partner Lowry who had led on -8 only to slip back to -1.

Rambo on the charge with birdies on the opening 3 holes moves him to within 3 shots behind the leader Horschel who doesn't tee off until 14.25.

The round of the day from Schauffele -6 on the day & his -9 gave him a 2 shot lead over Rose & Horcshel who tied 2nd.
It looks like the floodgates have opened for Xander backing up his 1st Major win at the USPGA.
Admirable finished for Englishmen Brown & Jordan who tied 10th on level par.

Padraig Harrington will hit the opening shot at the 153rd Open from Royal Portrush, he will be partnered by Northern Irelands Tom McKibbin & Nicolai Hojgaard from Demark who complete the 06.35 starting group.
The marque group of Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood & Justin Thomas tee off at 15.10

Selected Tee Times
09.58 - J J Spaun, Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele
10.09 - Collin Morikawa, Scottie Scheffler, Shane Lowry
14.48 - Bryson Dechambeau, Justin Rose, Robert MacIntyre
14.59 - Ludvig Aberg, Viktor Hovland, Jordan Spieth
15.10 - Justin Thomas, Tommy Fleetwood, Rory McIlroy

The early leaders are a blast from the past with Mickelson & Westwood tied on -2. Now joined by H T Li from China.