SOUTHPORT, England — New Zealand’s Ryan Fox wasted no time making his presence felt in the third round of the British Open at Royal Birkdale on Saturday, carding an outward nine of just 29 strokes as calm, peaceful conditions set the stage for low scoring.
Fox rattled off birdies at the second, third, fifth, sixth, and eighth holes before adding two more at the 10th and 14th. His lone bogey of the round could not dampen the momentum, as Fox climbed into a share of second place at six under par overall.
Australia’s Lucas Herbert holds the top spot at eight under par, a position he earned after firing a record-equalling round of 62 on Friday.
The gentle winds on Saturday opened the door for several other players to make their move. The 2024 champion Xander Schauffele took full advantage, reaching four under for his round through 14 holes. American Justin Thomas also reached four under on the day.
Not everyone is thriving in the favorable conditions, however. Rory McIlroy stumbled with two early bogeys in his third round, leaving him eight strokes off the lead and struggling to stay in contention.
American Bryson DeChambeau, who was handed a two-stroke penalty during Friday’s play, sits at five under and was scheduled to tee off at 1430 GMT. Herbert was set to head out alongside Jackson Suber at 1450 GMT.
