The Open 2023 LIVE: Golf leaderboard with Rory McIlroy underway and Tommy Fleetwood in third-round contention
Just Stop Oil protested again at the Open Championship
American Brian Harman responded to missing the cut at the Masters in April by returning to his Georgia farm and killing a pig and a turkey. Three months later, at half-time in the 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, the left-handed player held a comfortable five-shot lead over home favorite Tommy Fleetwood.
Harman carded four straight birdies on the front nine and pocketed from 15 feet for an eagle on the 18th to complete a clean second round of 65 and set a 10-under par mid-score of 132. That matched the levels recorded by Rory McIlroy in 2014 and Tiger Woods in 2006 at Hoylake, although both men were 12-under on course to win the Claret Jug as the course was a par 7-2 at the time.
Harman also became the first player since Louis Oosthuizen in 2010 to lead the Open by five shots after 36 holes. The South African then won at St. Andrews by seven strokes.
Follow live coverage from Round 3 of the 151st Open Championship in Hoylake below:
The Open 2023: Defending champion under par
Smith -1 (68), Matt Fitzpatrick -2 (67)
Finally, birdies for Smith and Fitzpatrick, who advance to -1 and -2, respectively, with rounds of 68 and 67.
Very solid stuff, but you suspect both are just playing for money at this point, with Harman way ahead at -10.
Ben FlemingJuly 22, 2023 2:38 p.m
The Open 2023: Perfect start for McIlroy
McIlroy -2 (1), Homa -1 (1)
They suspect Rory will be licking his lips after seeing the first good haul of points being offered and the world number two cashing in on the spot. Driver off the tee, great approach and he rolls a ten foot ball for a yardage.
The Northern Irishman needed a lot more of that as Homa made par.
Ben FlemingJuly 22, 2023 2:37 p.m
The Open 2023: Bland and Hojgaard continue their attack
Bland -3 (4), Hojgaard -3 (3)
Rahm is joined at -3 by two other Europeans, Richard Bland and Nicolai Hojgaard, who find more early risers to reach -3.
Ben FlemingJuly 22, 2023 2:33 p.m
The Open 2023: Kim flies despite injury
The South Korean was struggling with a first-degree ankle injury following a rollover on Thursday. He’s limping a bit but that doesn’t seem to be affecting him too much as he’s had two birdies in his first five birdies and is in the top ten at -2.
Ben FlemingJuly 22, 2023 2:30 p.m
The Open 2023: Schauffele in the clubhouse
It’s perhaps unusual for someone to be disappointed with a three-under par given how the course has played for the first two days, but you suspect Xander Schauffele will be a little upset with how the back nine has played out.
In milder conditions, the American failed to continue after a really promising front nine, finishing -1. You have to have a feeling that he should have found a few more.
Ben FlemingJuly 22, 2023 2:27 p.m
The Open 2023: Opening hole for Jordan
The hometown club hero does not have an ideal start as he is the first to find the fairway bunker. Playing alongside former champion Stewart Cink, he has to settle for a bogey after his long par putt falls short.
Ben FlemingJuly 22, 2023 2:21 p.m
The Open 2023: English interest at -2
A Fitzpatrick -2 (10), Bland -2 (3)
A nice group of players hanging out at -2 and making the most of these favorable morning conditions. LIV’s Richard Bland rolls a birdie in the third while Alex Fitzpatrick lands his fourth birdie of the day in the tenth to join his compatriot at -2.
Ben FlemingJuly 22, 2023 2:16 p.m
The Open 2023: Four in a row for Rahm
Well, his streak ends on par in the 13th, but the Spaniard took a huge leap up the leaderboard with another birdie in the 12th. A few more come and he’s right in the middle.
Ben FlemingJuly 22, 2023 2:14 PM
The Open 2023: McIlroy is about to start
As we tick past two, a reminder of tee times for this afternoon. A certain Rory McIlroy kicks off alongside Max Homa in just over 15 minutes which should be loads of fun.
Then it takes another hour until the last group starts:
1415 Michael Stewart (Sco), Guido Migliozzi (Ita)
1425 Max Homa (US), Rory McIlroy (NIR)
1435 Thriston Lawrence (RSA), Matthew Southgate (Eng)
1445 Cameron Young (USA), Jordan Spieth (USA)
1500 Emiliano Grillo (Arg), Adrian Otaegui (Esp)
1510 Jason Day (Australia), Shubhankar Sharma (Indian)
1520 mins Woo Lee (Aus), Sepp Straka (Aut)
1530 Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Brian Harman (USA)
Ben FlemingJuly 22, 2023 2:08 p.m
The Open 2023: Opening birdies for Rozner and Hojgaard
Rozner -2 (1) Hojgaard -2 (1)
The two Europeans play together and start their third round off perfectly with a series of first-round birdies. They join Rahm at -2.
Ben FlemingJuly 22, 2023 1:59 p.m
