The Open 2026 Live Updates: McIlroy Takes Aim at DeChambeau

It’s moving day at the Open Championship as the third round plays out today at Royal Birkdale Golf Club.

Ryan Fox had the best round of the day, with a record-tying 62, matching the best round ever in a major.

Follow our writers for news, updates and analysis as the players try to position themselves for a Sunday charge at the Claret Jug.

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It has been two days of missed birdie putts for Scottie Scheffler, and the 16th is no different, except for the fact that this time, it turned into his first bogey of the round.

To be fair, it was a long birdie attempt, but he missed a 4-footer on the way back and could not believe what he just did. He falls to 4-under with two to play.

Jackson Suber goes for a sneaky leak behind the tee box on No 12, and as he walks down the fairway, a couple of fans say: ‘I hope you washed your hands’

He then gets a can of water and follows the orders!

Still, such a small crowd following the final pair. Those who have selected this slot are getting to see some great golf, though.

Cameron Young is now four shots off the lead after logging another bogey, this time on the par-3 12th. His tee shot was short, and the ensuing chip left him around 8 feet from a par, but he could not sink the putt, instead tapping in for the bogey to drop to 5-under.

Three holes to play for Scottie Scheffler now.

He is coming off a par on the par-3 15th, leaving his tee shot short before getting up and down to remain at 5-under. This feels like a round of missed opportunities for the American star.

After a par on the 10th, Cameron Young drops a critical stroke on the 11th thanks to a poor approach shot.

He left his second shot short of the green, forcing him to get up and down for par, but he was unable to roll in a 9-footer. Instead, it's a bogey, dropping him to 6-under and three shots off the lead.

Marlene and Glenn came from Canada for Corey Conners. Now they're here for the champagne.

This is the sight of the small following checking out the final pairing as it goes down No 10.

Incredible that so few people are out here with Herbert and Suber. One of these two could win The Open. Herbert is still leading!

The par-5 14th is a great scoring opportunity on the back nine, but it was almost a problem for Scottie Scheffler after his third shot found the bunker; he was somehow able to get up and down to remain at 5-under.

Aside from his birdie on the fifth, it's been a par on every hole for Scheffler.

Underrated part of why today has felt so good: incredibly sick pin locations. Some of these pins on No. 12, 14 and 17 are so fun, tucked right in the corner with runoffs on the edge that roll right into bunkers. But what makes it weirdly work is that players feel like they can attack them. It's not like the PGA at Aronimink, where the slopes meant nobody even contemplated going near a pin. They can score, but they can fail, and in turn we're getting an excellent day.

Trouble averted for Sam Burns and Bryson DeChambeau at No. 11.

We told you both were in the rough off the tee. Well, both found the green with their second shots and two-putted for par.

Burns stays 8-under, one off the lead, with DeChambeau three shots further back.

Tommy Fleetwood suffers his first bogey of the day on No. 15. He drops to 6-under and is three shots off the lead.

Impressive stuff from Lucas Herbert, who had an early bogey to drop to 7-under and out of the lead. But he responds with birdies on Nos. 7 and 9 and has made the turn with the lead.

Sam Burns and Bryson DeChambeau both collect pars at the par-4 10th but are in potential trouble at the next, also a par-4.

Both have driven into rough on the left and will be hoping for favourable lies.

Cameron Young is halfway through his third round as he continues to hang just one shot off the lead at 7-under. He did well on the ninth to turn a long birdie putt into a par.

As for Ryan Gerard, he sits at 6-under after nine holes, with his bogey on three looming large at the moment. A lot of golf to be played for both competitors, though.

Scottie Scheffler leads the entire tournament in strokes gained tee to green this week, with 3.07 through 49 holes. Yet he's three back of the lead. It can get old discussing, "Scottie would win if he just made putts," so forgive me, but man, he's dominated this course except for that one crucial part of golf. He's losing -0.81 strokes on the green, the most of anyone in the top 13 by far. His putting has improved drastically during the last two years, so it's unfair to knock it too much, but at majors this year he's seemed to leave a lot out there.

Time for Scottie Scheffler to make a run today is running out, recording another par on the 13th. He was looking at a 24-footer for birdie but that did not go and he cleaned up the rest. He remains at 5-under with five holes to play.

There is one undeniable storyline being the most ignored. Si Woo Kim, in my opinion, the most entertaining golfer in the world, is 3-under through 11 and tied for the lead. It's not just that Si Woo is genuinely one of the funniest people out here; it's that he's likely the most aggressive player too.

Not in the boring bomb-and-gouge way. He hits creative, aggressive approaches and daring chips and pitches from awful lies. He quietly was a perfect course fit this week due to his accuracy and excellent short game. I just didn't expect him to putt as well as he has.

Bryson DeChambeau is about Bryson DeChambeau. I think we all know that. Well, the Bryson DeChambeau Show was on full display again yesterday at Royal Birkdale. Our Brody Miller wrote about the entire experience here.

Welcome to The Bryson DeChambeau Show, reality not included

SOUTHPORT, England — Rory McIlroy did not mince words for his competitor and long-time rival Bryson DeChambeau on Saturday, calling DeChambeau “performative” and accusing him of holding The Open Championship “hostage” on Friday evening.

“Late night for everyone,” McIlroy said after his round. “Yeah, look, I won’t pretend to be up here and defend Bryson. I’m not particularly fond of him. I think a lot of it’s performative. I think a lot of it’s for attention.

“To hold the tournament hostage like that, and to have all of us, players, volunteers, everyone waiting on him to depart, I didn’t feel like it was a great look.”