Billy Horschel

Billy Horschel leads the rainy Open Championship by one shot.

 

TROON, Scotland Billy Horschel, the reigning champion, opened out about his mental challenges in an unforgiving game a little over 13 months ago, following his 12-over 84 in the Memorial Tournament’s opening round.

“On June 1, 2023, at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, I think my confidence is at its lowest point in my entire golf career.” Horschel stated.

Horschel will have an opportunity to write a new chapter in his career on Sunday at Royal Troon Golf Club during the 152nd Open Championship final round. He made it through the wind and rain on Saturday, shooting a 2-under 69 to finish with a 54-hole total of 4-under 209, one stroke ahead of six players, including Justin Rose, Sam Burns, and Xander Schauffele, the champion of the PGA Championship.

Horschel exclaimed, “I adore it.” “To be in this position, I have worked hard my entire life. Hear me out: I’ve led several times heading into the last round. This is obviously a big deal. It has a slightly deeper meaning. Everyone is aware of that. We are aware of everyone’s implications. I am aware of the significance it will have for my golf legacy and my goals.

However, I’m happy to be here. All my life, I’ve wanted to be here. I’ve arrived at last. I’m accepting it.

The 37-year-old Horschel has won eight times on the PGA Tour. The Florida native has enjoyed success in Europe, but he has never fared well at The Open, missing twice as many cuts (six) as he has made (three) in his nine prior starts. He finished in a tie for 21st place at the 2022 Open held at St. Andrews, Scotland, and went on to win the DP World Tour’s 2021 BMW PGA Championship.

According to Horschel, he has accepted the challenge and abrasive nature of links golf. Saturday was all of that and more, as soon as the leaders teed off, the sky over Scotland opened up. In the heart of the back nine, they encountered fierce winds.

With an even-par 71 to tie for seventh place at 2 under, world number one Scottie Scheffler described the second nine holes at Royal Troon as “probably the hardest nine holes that I’ll ever play.”

With an even-par 71 to tie for seventh place at 2 under, world number one Scottie Scheffler described the second nine holes at Royal Troon as “probably the hardest nine holes that I’ll ever play.”

On the par-4 15th hole, Scheffler reported that he shot a driver and a 3-wood solidly, missing the green in two. On the 453-yard 18th hole, he struck a strong 3-iron and a good drive.

Many others weren’t fond of the circumstances and challenges at Royal Troon on Saturday.

The victor of the 2019 Open Championship, Shane Lowry of Ireland, led relatively unknown qualifier Daniel Brown of England by two shots going into the third round. After making a birdie on the par-5 fourth, Lowry increased his lead to three shots, but things quickly went south for him.

Known as the Postage Stamp hole, Lowry’s tee shot on the renowned par-3 eighth hole went into the left greenside Coffin bunker. The ball rolled off his chip shot, making it a double-bogey five.

On the back nine, Lowry committed five bogeys, missing putts of five feet on the 12th and six feet on the 14th holes. On the par-4 18th hole, he hit his approach and ended up hitting another bogey a few rows into the grandstands.

With a 6-over 77, Lowry is currently ranked ninth at 1 under. He finished the last seven holes in seven overs.

To be honest, you’d have to wonder why a few tees weren’t put forth today. The greatest hole on this course is roughly 100 yards, although I believe that holes 15 and 17 are the longest. For example, hole 15 is 500 yards while playing into the wind.

Despite a few false starts on the last two holes, Brown, who grew up on a pig and cow farm in Burneston, England, is still very much in the hunt. When Brown made a 5-footer on hole 12 and another on hole 16, he had taken a one-stroke advantage.

Brown, a frequent participant in the DP Tour who qualified for the tournament by winning final qualifying, was unable to maintain the lead as his ball fell in greenside bunkers on holes 17 and 18, and he was unable to get up and down. He trailed Horschel by one stroke after missing three shots on the last two holes.

Brown said, “Yeah, we are still there.” “It was challenging. It’s a bit harsh to finish like that, and I’m a little let down by how the last two holes went because I played so brilliantly to get to where I was.”

In his bid to become just the fourth golfer since 1900 to win in his first major title, Brown, 29, is aiming to join Francis Ouimet (1913 U.S. Open), Ben Curtis (2003), and Keegan Bradley (2011).

Those players who teed off early enough to beat the wind and rain had a far better day than those who did so in the afternoon. Thriston Lawrence of South Africa, who began the third round ten strokes behind Lowry, finished the front nine with six birdies in eight holes to shoot a 6-under 65. He will play the last round alongside Horschel as he was 3 under.

Burns, who shot a 65 with eight birdies, came in at 3 under with Russell Henley, who shot a 66 on Saturday.

For the first time in his career, Horschel will go to bed with a 54-hole lead at a major, four strokes ahead of Adam Scott, Justin Thomas, and Matthew Jordan.

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