Bob MacIntyre's bid for Open glory suffered a significant setback on Saturday, as the Scottish golfer carded a one-over-par 71 to leave himself with a mountain to climb heading into the final round. The Oban native began the third day of the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale just four shots off the lead, but failed to make inroads on the leaders, slipping further down the leaderboard.
MacIntyre's Struggles Continue
MacIntyre, who has recorded three top-10 finishes in his six previous Open appearances, could not replicate his earlier form. His round of 71 left him at one-over for the tournament, well adrift of the pacesetters. The 29-year-old will need a spectacular final round to have any chance of contending for the Claret Jug.
Fellow Ryder Cup teammates also face an uphill battle. Ludvig Aberg, however, gave himself a fighting chance with a superb 67 on Saturday, propelling him up the standings. The Swede is now in contention for his first major title.
Lowry and Fleetwood in the Mix
Shane Lowry, the 2019 Open champion at Portrush, sits at four-under par after a third-round 69. Playing alongside Aberg, Lowry acknowledged the challenge ahead. “We’re going to need one of our best days, but at least we have a chance,” Lowry said. “There’s a few of them [low scores] out there. A few of them doing it this week. So it might be my turn. One thing’s for certain, I’ll go out there and give it a go and, hopefully, it’s a great day.”
Tommy Fleetwood, a local lad from Southport, received a heroes' reception as he made his way around Royal Birkdale. The Englishman spent much of Saturday just one shot off the lead, with the crowd roaring him on at every hole. However, bogeys on two of his last four holes saw him slip back to five-under par.
Rahm Praises Fleetwood and the Crowd
Fleetwood's playing partner, Jon Rahm, marvelled at the atmosphere. “It was so intense that, without meaning any disrespect to England, I’m glad England didn’t win that [semi-final] game because I would have been having a heck of a three days with the fans if they played Spain in the Final!” Rahm said. “You can hear it constantly no matter where he goes. It’s constant unconditional support. The best part is they cheer him on, but they’re respectful to everybody else playing. That’s what makes it so fun for all of us.”
Rahm added: “No matter how late in the round, how bad things get, everybody is almost cheering for everybody in the group. I felt plenty of support even playing with Tommy and it’s been a lot of fun. I can’t imagine what it’s like to play what’s most likely his favourite event of the year at home because I get a small pinch of what it feels like to play when I play in the Spanish Open. If it was a major in Spain, I can only imagine what it feels like.”
Final Round Prospects
With several players within striking distance, the final round promises to be a thrilling contest. Lowry, Aberg, and Fleetwood all have realistic chances, while MacIntyre will need a career-best round to climb the leaderboard. The Open Championship concludes on Sunday, with the winner taking home the Claret Jug.
