Burns birdies 14 and 17 to take two-shot lead at The Open

Sam Burns birdied the 14th and 17th holes to reach ten under par in the third round of The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, moving into a two-shot lead.

The American's back-nine gains came as the third round continued on the Southport links, with the leaderboard tightening at the top of a major championship that has traditionally punished any looseness over the closing stretch.

What happened

Burns picked up shots at two of Royal Birkdale's par fives, the 14th and 17th, to climb to ten under for the tournament. That sequence lifted him clear of the field by two strokes as the leaders worked through their third rounds.

The Open is the oldest of golf's four men's major championships and returned to Royal Birkdale, a venue on England's north-west coast that has staged the event on multiple previous occasions.

• Burns birdied both the 14th and 17th holes
• The two gains took him to ten under par
• He leads the third round at Royal Birkdale by two shots
• The Open is being played at the Southport links in 2026

Why it matters

A two-shot cushion is meaningful but far from decisive on a links course, where wind and firm turf can turn a round quickly. Burns will need to manage the remaining holes and any worsening conditions to protect his position heading into the final round.

The finish of the third round and the closing 18 holes will determine whether Burns converts the lead into a first Open title, with the chasing pack still within range at Royal Birkdale.