Open Championship Saturday Surprises: Who Shone and Who Faded?
Saturday at The Open. It’s supposed to be the day things get serious. The day the leaderboard starts to shake out. But this year? Man, it was a whole different kind of drama. We saw guys charging, guys stumbling, and a whole lot of talk about rules. Let’s break down who came out smelling like roses and who walked away smelling like… well, you know.
The Early Birds Who Flew High
Forget the primetime tee times. The real fireworks started early. We’re talking about Xander Schauffele and Ryan Fox. These two went out in the ninth group of the day, and they absolutely torched Royal Birkdale. Schauffele, who’s become a major weekend fixture, shot a cool 66. That’s solid. But get this: he *lost* by four shots to Fox. Yeah, you heard that right. Fox, who’s been having a hell of a week, fired a 62. That’s not just good; that’s eighth-lowest score in major championship history. Eighth!
Fox was just riding a wave. He said he was trying to keep up with whatever Schauffele was doing. Schauffele’s sitting pretty in T11, right where you’d expect him. But Fox? He’s feeling good. You’d bloody hope so.
Fleetwood’s Charge That Fizzled
Then there was Tommy Fleetwood. The local hero. The hometown prince. He was making a serious run at it. For a good chunk of the afternoon, he was three under for his round, seven under for the tournament, and just one shot off the lead. The crowd was going wild. It felt like destiny. But then… the wheels kind of came off down the stretch. He couldn’t snag a birdie on either of the par-5s coming home. Then dropped shots at 15 and 18. He’s still in it at five under, don’t get me wrong. But that charge? It’s a much, much tougher climb now. Still, you gotta admire the guy’s attitude. Always a winner in that department.
The Bryson DeChambeau Sideshow
And then there’s Bryson. Oh, Bryson. The whole Friday night penalty thing was the gift that kept on giving. All day Saturday, players and pundits were tiptoeing around it. Was he careless? Was it intentional? Max Homa thought the ruling was harsh, that Bryson was “right to be frustrated.” Shane Lowry said it was justified, “the rules of golf,” but didn’t want to get into it. Even Xander Schauffele was like, “I have no idea, to be honest.”
But Rory McIlroy? He didn’t hold back. Not one bit. He was watching it live in the players’ lounge. Saw Bryson step up, saw him move the ball. Everyone looked at each other. “That didn’t seem right.” Then, when the rules officials got involved, it was pretty obvious why. Rory was clear: Bryson improved his backswing. Careless or intentional, he said it doesn’t matter. The two-shot penalty? Absolutely justified.
And the whole late-night rules review? Rory was not impressed. “Late night for everyone.” He wasn’t defending Bryson. Said he’s “not particularly fond” of him. Thinks a lot of it is “performative,” for attention. And holding up the entire tournament, making players, volunteers, everyone wait for him to leave? Rory called it “not a great look.”
This rivalry is something else, man. LIV versus PGA Tour, future majors, all of it. They clearly like competing against each other. But it’s now crystal clear: McIlroy doesn’t exactly *like* the Big Golfer. I usually roll my eyes when people say things are “good for golf,” but honestly, this whole dynamic between these two? It’s damn good for my enjoyment of watching golf. It’s fascinating.
Bryson’s Bumpy Road Back
So, how did Bryson actually play after all that drama? It wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. He started with a bogey at the second. Missed a three-footer on the ninth, and it looked like he was stuck in mud. But then he started rolling in some crucial putts. A six-footer for par on 10. An 11-footer on 12. Another six-footer on 13. Scrambled for par on 14. Then made a seven-footer for birdie on 15 and a 10-footer on 17. Nice. Just before I finished typing this, though, he left a nine-footer for par short on 18. Classic.
He’ll start Sunday in T6 at six under. The weird part? No other past major winners are in that top 10 with him. That’s something.
Scheffler’s Putting Woes
And then there’s Scottie Scheffler. The World Number 1. He’s been hitting the ball lights out all week. Absolutely bombing it. But Saturday? He just couldn’t find the bottom of the cup. You could see it. The sarcastic fist pumps. You know things aren’t going your way when that happens. He’s still right there, but that putting display was… not ideal.
The Unsung Heroes of the Leaderboard
Okay, let’s talk about who *actually* showed up on the leaderboard. Ryan Fox, who we mentioned, went from T52 to T2. Si Woo Kim, who’s only got one top 10 in majors in nearly a decade, is also T2. And get this: two guys playing their *first* Open Championship, Ryan Gerard and Jackson Suber, are right in the mix too. Lucas Herbert and Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen round out the top 10. Look at that first page. It’s not the usual suspects. It’s a whole different crew.
The Favorites Who Stumbled
So, where were the guys everyone expected to be battling it out? Entering Saturday, you had Scheffler, DeChambeau, Fleetwood, Cameron Young, Jon Rahm, Robert MacIntyre all lurking at four or five under. Most people figured they’d filter up to the top. Well, most people were wrong. Of that group, only Sam Burns managed a score better than 69 (he shot a 65). Everyone else? They slipped down. Fleetwood and DeChambeau shot one under. Scheffler and Rahm were even par. MacIntyre one over. Young three over. It’s possible they’re just setting up a Sunday charge, but it looked more like they were just… off.
Sam Burns: The Unlikely Leader
And speaking of Sam Burns… he’s the man of the hour. We’re calling him the “Three-Quarters Open Champion.” Obviously, that’s not a real thing, but seriously, how impressive is this guy? He’s coming off that heartbreak at the U.S. Open. Then last year’s U.S. Open. Plus, his daughter was born just last week. And he didn’t even expect to be here. Now he’s 10 under, leading by two, and the guys chasing him aren’t exactly a murderers’ row of seasoned major winners. He’s in a fantastic position. But now comes the hard part.
The drama of Saturday at The Open is always something. This year delivered in spades. We saw incredible golf, unexpected heroes, and the usual dose of controversy. The stage is set for a Sunday that could be absolutely epic. You can find more about major championship golf and current standings on PGA Tour’s official site.