Summary

  • Full coverage of day three of the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush

  • World number one Scottie Scheffler holds four-shot lead at -14

  • China's Haotong Li will partner him after closing at 10 under par

  • A level par round of 71 leaves Matt Fitzpatrick at -9

  • Rory McIlroy shoots five-under 66 to finish at -8, alongside Tyrrell Hatton

  • Defending champion Xander Schauffele of USA closes at -7

  • England's John Parry makes hole-in-one at 13th

  • Full leaderboard

  • Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live commentary

  • Highlights of round three available from 20:00 BST - UK only

  • Get involved: #bbcgolf, text 81111 or WhatsApp 03301231826

  1. Top two 'putting the pedal down'published at 17:56 BST 19 July

    Scheffler -13, Fitzpatrick -11 (9)

    Oliver Wilson
    Former Ryder Cup player on BBC Radio 5 Live at Portrush

    Scheffler and Fitzpatrick at The OpenImage source, Getty Images

    Scottie and Fitzy just go at every single flag. They back themselves. If it doesn’t come off they back themselves to get it up and down and if it results in a bogey they say ‘let’s move on’ and they make another birdie.

    The way they’re playing they’re not thinking about bogeys, it’s about moving forward and putting the pedal down.

  2. Postpublished at 17:55 BST 19 July

    Scheffler -13, Fitzpatrick -11 (9)

    Scottie Scheffler is dialled in right now. The three-time major champion is bang on line with his approach and about 15 feet short of the flag for another birdie chance.

    Matt Fitzpatrick isn't going away, though. After a fine par save at the previous hole, he's gone about 15 feet over the flag and will have a chance of a three himself.

  3. Westwood on a streakpublished at 17:53 BST 19 July

    Westwood -4 (15)

    Lee Westwood with his wife and caddy Helen Storey at The OpenImage source, Getty Images

    What a back nine Lee Westwood is putting together.

    He's just sunk his fifth birdie in six holes over at the 15th. It's been the perfect response to going out in 40 and has delighted the masses surrounding that green.

  4. Scheffler a 'model pro'published at 17:51 BST 19 July

    Scheffler -13 (9)

    Oliver Wilson
    Former Ryder Cup player on BBC Radio 5 Live at Portrush

    Scheffler absolutely has worked on (being in a bubble). He’s exactly a model pro.

    Every aspect of his game is what you would aspire to and how you would execute it, and it’s very hard to do.

    But he’s focused so hard on that, he’s mastered it.

  5. Eagle for Gotteruppublished at 17:50 BST 19 July

    Gotterup -8 (12)

    Eagles are flowing at Portrush today and Scottish Open champion Chris Gotterup is the latest to get in on the act.

    He drains a 29-foot putt on the par-five 12th to catapult himself to eight under.

  6. Watch Hatton hole 140-yard approach for eaglepublished at 17:50 BST 19 July

    Hatton -8 (11)

    A couple of uneventful pars for Tyrrell Hatton at the start of his back nine. He's three under for his round today but still five shots off the lead, where he started the day's play.

    This is the moment that got his third round kick-started.

    Media caption,

    'Mamma Mia!' - Eagle for Hatton

  7. Schauffele finishes at seven underpublished at 17:50 BST 19 July

    Schauffele -7 (66)

    Xander Schauffele looks on in a black Callaway cap at The OpenImage source, Getty Images

    Last year's champion Xander Schauffele should be pleased with his Saturday.

    Two eagles on a card with only one bogey, and he reaches the clubhouse at seven under par.

    An outside chance at retaining the Claret Jug tomorrow?

  8. Another par on 14published at 17:49 BST 19 July

    McIlroy -7 (14)

    Again Rory McIlroy is on the green in regulation but again he's miles away - 44 feet this time - and it's just so hard to make birdies from that type of range time after time.

    Yes, he nailed that eagle try from 56 feet but you don't get many of those in an average round - and he's hit his approach inside 10 feet just three times today.

  9. 'Harman just looking out of sorts'published at 17:47 BST 19 July

    Harman -5 (10)

    Catriona Matthew
    Captain of Team Europe at the 2019 & 2021 Solheim Cup on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Very unusual for Brian Harman - his game is hitting fairways and hitting greens and he's just not managed to do that yet.

    He’s just looking out of sorts and it's very odd for him.

  10. Postpublished at 17:46 BST 19 July

    Scheffler -13, Fitzpatrick -11 (9)

    Scottie Scheffler putts on the green with spectators in the backgroundImage source, Getty Images

    Scottie Scheffler only just passes the right edge of the hole so he settles for par. A bogey-free front nine of 33.

    Matt Fitzpatrick nails his par putt and he's out in 34.

    As you were.

  11. Birdie for Hojgaardpublished at 17:45 BST 19 July

    N. Hojgaard -6 (12)

    Nicolai Hojgaard picks up another shot on the 12th to improve to six under and into a tie for eighth place at the Open Championship.

    He's now two shots ahead of his brother Rasmus in their personal battle for family honours.

  12. Postpublished at 17:43 BST 19 July

    Scheffler -13, Fitzpatrick -11 (8)

    Might Scottie Scheffler be about to extend his two-shot lead even further?

    The world number one has 15-20 feet left for birdie on the ninth, while Matt Fitzpatrick has left his chip from the left side of the green about seven feet short of the hole.

  13. MacIntyre birdies 11published at 17:43 BST 19 July

    English -6, MacIntyre -7 (11)

    Not quite at Rory McIlroy decibels but there are some serious roars of appreciation for Bob MacIntyre as he drills in that birdie at 11.

    Kudos to Harris English too as he has managed to keep it to just one shot dropped.

  14. Postpublished at 17:41 BST 19 July

    Harman -6, Li -9 (9)

    A one-under front nine 35 for Li Haotong but he's had birdie chances that he'll be kicking himself about missing, as he could be closer than he is right now.

    An unexpected round from Brian Harman so far, as he's three over after two bogeys and that double at the first, which maybe knocked the stuffing out of him right out of the gate and he's still struggling to recover.

  15. Postpublished at 17:40 BST 19 July

    English -7, MacIntyre -6 (10)

    Might be about to remove Harris English's name from my key points as he's having a nightmare down the 11th.

    He has to take a drop after blundering his drive into the jungle down the right hand side and he's calling "Fore" again with his next shot

    We'll check back shortly for the damage, especially as playing partner Bob MacIntyre is eyeing up 15 feet for birdie.

  16. McIlroy's mojo is backpublished at 17:35 BST 19 July

    McIlroy -7 (13)

    That eagle couldn't have come at a better time, as Rory McIlroy's shoulders were just starting to slump a bit after his second shot to 12 as he was disappointed not to stick his approach closer.

    He's played some great stuff today, make no mistake, but he's not been hitting the ball close enough on those approaches, with just two birdie chances inside 10 feet today.

    And after that start he knew something special could happen. It hasn't as yet, but he's made a par on 13 and a couple more coming home will do nicely.

  17. You've got to see this - Rory's course recordpublished at 17:32 BST 19 July

    McIlroy -7 (12)

    Peter Scrivener
    BBC Sport senior journalist at Royal Portrush

    Seems an apt time to bring you this again...

    As let's not forget that 20 years and one week (exactly) ago, a 16-year-old Rory McIlroy was ripping up Royal Portrush, posting a course-record 61.

    Back then, word got out that the teenager was on one of those rounds and people flocked to the links to watch him.

    His playing partner that day, Aaron O'Callaghan, told BBC NI about how the round unfolded.

    A new seventh and eighth holes were added to replace the 17th and 18th before the 2019 Open held here so his record will remain in place for eternity.

    Media caption,

    Rory reflects on his Royal Portrush record

  18. The eagle has landed...literallypublished at 17:31 BST 19 July

    Andy Gray
    BBC Sport NI at Royal Portrush

    Pilgrim the American bald eagle

    Eagles have been flying in left, right and centre today - and Pilgrim approves.

    He's an American Bald Eagle, has a wing span of six feet and he's so impressive that players were even stopping on the walkway to the first tee to get a glimpse of him.

    He's here at Royal Portrush with David and Joanna to help keep those pesky chip-eating seagulls at bay in the spectator villages and around the 18th.

    And yes, he does have his own accreditation (it's everything you hope it will be and more).

    Rory McIlroy is the local favourite, but does Pilgrim want an American to win?

    "We're looking at Scheffler and he's looking pretty good. He'll maybe tip his wing to him on the 18th green," said David.

    Pilgrim the American bald eagle
    Pilgrim's accreditation
  19. A wall of noisepublished at 17:30 BST 19 July

    McIroy -7 (12)

    Rory McIlroy somehow finds the 13th green despite what must be a surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins after that eagle at the last - and the wall of noise that greeted him on the tee box.

    This area here has grandstands surrounding the hole, with the 17th green also just off the back of the 13th - and he's also getting a wildly noisy reception as he strides off down to attempt his birdie putt.

    Media caption,

    Feather Bed: The thirteenth hole at Royal Portrush is a 199-yard par three.

  20. Scheffler birdie extends leadpublished at 17:30 BST 19 July

    Scheffler -13, Fitzpatrick -11 (7)

    While Rory McIlroy was sinking that massive eagle putt on the 12th, Scottie Scheffler was hitting another super approach to the eighth. He's got 15 feet left for birdie.

    Matt Fitzpatrick cosies his birdie attempt to the cup from 50 feet and it's a safe par.

    Now to Scottie... holes it! Unflappable. Now two shots clear.