Shane Lowry appeared as though he’d been subjected to a gruelling ordeal on a harshly damp and dismal day on the golf course during his pursuit for victory in the 152nd Open Championship beside the Firth of Clyde. Billy Horschel of America, choosing to do without rain gear and wearing his baseball cap backwards to counter the relentless rain, incredibly fired a 69 under such conditions to secure the 54-hole lead with four-under-par 209, one stroke ahead of six other players, as Lowry sank to ninth position on the scoreboard with a 77 for 212, trailing by three shots.
It was a day of capricious weather; the players with early tee-times got to enjoy ideal conditions with practically no wind to speak of, whilst those teeing off later, including Lowry in the last group, were obligated to battle with ceaseless rain and intensifying winds that hindered players from reaching greens with drivers on Par 3s on the return route.
Smacking drivers on a par-3 is certainly not enjoyable. Maybe it’s time to reintroduce the ball, he half-joked without needing to further detail.
Following one of his most challenging days on the golf course, a physically spent and emotionally bruised Lowry endeavoured to rationalise the proceedings. However, he remained optimistic, maintaining that the competition wasn’t a lost hope for him and he still had a fighting chance going into the final round.
“There is absolutely no denying that tomorrow, when I step on the course, I will have the mindset of a prospective champion. But it’s tough at the moment, and you need to cut me some slack. Just 10 minutes ago, I was putting for par on the 18th green and now here I am, conversing with you all, trying to work out how I ended up with a 77,” he said in an impassioned manner. “This sport is just brutal and it almost feels unfair playing so well in the first couple of days, only to end up with these weather conditions. It was truly ruthless”, he defiantly affirmed.
With only three holes behind, Lowry was still holding strong in the competition. However, coming to terms with the day’s outcome was proving to take some time. Distraught, Lowry came to realise he still had a role to fulfill in the forthcoming challenge, with a possible triumph at stake.
Lowry initially had an excellent start to the competition, showcasing his talent for the first seven holes, albeit the results didn’t echo his efforts quite accurately. Disaster hit at the golf tournament’s shortest hole, called the ‘Postage Stamp’, being the eighth par 3. Here, Lowry found himself up against the Coffin bunker, having to navigate an ominously rectangular sand trap that would pose a challenge to any player skilled in the art of escape man oeuvres. He managed to exit the bunker yet the ball seemed to have a mind of its own, continuing its route until it ended in a double-bogey five. This, Lowry confessed, acted as a catalyst for the downfall that was to follow.
Despite this mishap, Lowry still managed to hold his position at the summit, equal footing with Horschel and Brown at six-under. Yet, he soon found himself descending steadily. On the 11th hole, Lowry’s second swing veered to the low left, accidentally hitting an on-course commentator resulting in a bogey. As the weather took a turn for the worse, he had another bogey on holes 12, 13, and 14.
Once he made it to the 18th tee, Lowry appeared weary from the homeward stretch filled with difficulty primarily due to the escalating severity of the wind and continuous showers. His drive on the final 18th strayed right, and his subsequent 3-wood swing followed suit, veering into the grandstand’s gantry. Despite getting a drop, he failed to bounce back, his ball persistently suspending just shy of the hole, concluding with a finishing bogey.
Lowry expressed a deep urge to sink the last putt. Being aware that both Billy and Dan had conceded to bogey and double respectively, the possibility of him trailing just two behind was evident. The day was particularly hard on him, for he believed he performed extraordinarily, missing his first fairway only on the 16th and delivering exceptional iron shots. The early holes offered chances to retrieve but the putts didn’t make it and he missed a few par putts, a factor that played a significant role in the day’s outcome.
In the third round of the tournament, early risers notably outperformed the frontrunners. Particularly Sam Burns, Thriston Lawrence, and Russell Henley, who posted scores of 65 and 66 respectively, to secure a position in the half dozen dead heat for second place alongside Dan Brown, Justin Rose, and Xander Schauffele.
Despite the challenge, Horschel demonstrated various impressive recoveries, repeatedly succeeding in recoveries from bunkers and swales. He overcame the trying conditions to score 69 for 209 to clinch the leading spot at the 54-hole mark, placing him in prime position for the final round.
Interestingly, the last six major victories were achieved by players in the lead at the 54-hole mark, suggesting Horschel might have an edge. However, with a determined group of six—including heavy hitter Brown—only a stroke away, and world number one Scottie Scheffler trailing by two, and Lowry by three, there’s no telling who will emerge the winner yet.