Golf is such a mental game and we have another example of that with Sam Burns leading The Open Championship after 54 holes. Burns shot a 3-over 73 on Thursday, but has been locked in posting 62-65 over the last two days to pace the field at 10-under. He goes to sleep on Saturday night with a two-shot lead over Ryan Fox and Si Woo Kim with a chance to win his first major. Burns was second at the U.S. Open and T-7th at The Masters, so he’s had a big year in golf’s big events and he’s 18 stressful holes away from a big pay day and a Claret Jug.
We’ll see if Fox and Kim are the ones applying the pressure to Burns or if somebody else will do so. Jackson Suber’s strong showing continued, as he kept pace in the top five with Ryan Gerard and Lucas Herbert. One of the bigger movers on Saturday that could be dangerous is Ludvig Aberg, who, like Burns, started slow, but then picked it up in a hurry. He shot an opening-round 71 before going 66-67 to be T-7th with Bryson DeChambeau. DeChambeau lost a little ground shooting 1-under after his two-shot penalty and the associated drama from Friday.
The Open Championship third-round scores
The Open Championship final-round tee times
The Open Championship latest odds
VSiN’s golf experts offered their third-round observations and final-round predictions . . .
Kelley Bydlon
It was another fun day of golf at Royal Birkdale. The Bryson Drama carries on for another, and kinda no matter which side you’re on, it’s pretty entertaining. We had another 62 out there. This time by Ryan Fox, who has a share of second with Si Woo Kim heading into Sunday. All will be chasing the glorious Sam Burns though who shoots a 5-under 65 in his third round and will be carrying a two-shot lead into Sunday.
I just spoke with Matt Brown on the phone, and neither of us will be adding any other positions heading into Sunday.
I might have some fourth round matchups bets at vsin.com later but that’s it.
Let’s. Go. Sam. Burns.
We’re both going to play some of Sam Burns NO price at Circa (-152 currently), but only enough to cover tournament bets.
Editor’s Note: Along with Brown and Bydlon’s positions, I just got an email from Matt Youmans who said “Brown and I will be happy if Burns gets there”. Sounds like we’ll have a bit of a biased group on Sunday.
