Golf

Open day four: Justin Rose and Dan Brown eyeing history books

The English pair went into Sunday one shot behind leader Billy Horschel.

Justin Rose would break the record for the longest gap between major wins with victory in the 152nd Open
Justin Rose would break the record for the longest gap between major wins with victory in the 152nd Open (Zac Goodwin/PA)
By Phil Casey, PA Golf Correspondent

England’s Justin Rose and Dan Brown had history in their sights on what promised to be a thrilling final day of the 152nd Open Championship.

Rose and Brown were part of a six-way tie for second behind American Billy Horschel at Royal Troon, with the top 24 players separated by just six shots on a highly-congested leaderboard.

A second major title for Rose would come 4,053 days after he won the 2013 US Open at Merion, breaking the previous record of 4,026 days set by Julius Boros in winning the US Open in 1952 and 1963.

World number 272 Brown would be the lowest ranked major champion since Ben Curtis won the 2003 Open when ranked 396th. Curtis was also making his major debut at Sandwich, with Brown only securing his first appearance thanks to a birdie on the last hole of a 36-hole qualifier at West Lancs.

Brown held the outright lead until an unfortunate double bogey on the 18th but a third round of 73 left him just a shot behind Horschel, who scrambled his way to an astounding 69 in wet and windy conditions to finish four under par.

That gave the 37-year-old a slender lead over six players, with Brown and Rose joined on three under by US PGA champion Xander Schauffele and a trio of players who had exploited ideal early conditions.

South African Thriston Lawrence, who teed off more than three hours before the final group, carded a superb 65 to set a clubhouse target later matched by Sam Burns (65) and Russell Henley (66).

As the weather took a significant turn for the worse, they steadily climbed the leaderboard to end the day in a tie for second, with world number one Scottie Scheffler ominously poised another stroke behind.

Ireland’s Shane Lowry, who took a two-shot lead into the third round, struggled to a 77 to fall three shots off the pace in pursuit of his second Open title.

Shot of the day

Si Woo Kim made a hole-in-one on the 17th in ideal conditions earlier in the day, but six-time major winner Sir Nick Faldo and Dame Laura Davies both felt Scheffler’s 3-wood to three feet was even better back into the teeth of the wind.

Round of the day

Thriston Lawrence and Sam Burns both shot 65 in the good early conditions, but Horschel’s 69 in the worst of the weather was sensational.

Quote of the day

“Sadistically enjoyable” was Justin Rose’s memorable description of Saturday’s conditions.

Statistic of the day

Top statistician Justin Ray highlights the improbable rise of Sam Burns, who headed into the final round in a tie for second.

Easiest hole

The par-five fourth was the easiest hole for the first time, yielding 28 birdies, eight bogeys and just two double bogeys for an average of 4.800.

Hardest hole

The 504-yard 11th played the most difficult, with just two birdies, 30 bogeys, four double bogeys, four triple bogeys and a nine from Joaquin Niemann resulting in an average of 4.662.

Selected tee times

1335 – Matthew Jordan, Justin Thomas

1345 – Adam Scott, Shane Lowry

1355 – Scottie Scheffler, Daniel Brown

1405 – Justin Rose, Xander Schauffele

1415 – Russell Henley, Sam Burns

1425 – Thriston Lawrence, Billy Horschel

Weather forecast

Dry with some brighter spells developing and only a very slight chance of a light shower. Winds gusting between 18-22mph from 10am onwards.