Saturday At The Open Championship
Brian Harman maintains five stroke lead as Jon Rahm breaks longstanding course record. Plus, two players fail driver tests, tabloids feast on Harman's hunting and FWIW, the Met Office forecast.
Typically I would avoid share my running timeline of a major championship round since they often include reminders to check in for flights or to look into magic mushrooms if Brian Harman were ever to win a major. But this is no normal night in a town where they’re used to all-time proven greats prevailing on the storied links. Not to say Harman won’t become one of those but at 36 and rich enough to buy a farm for hunting, and sharing overcompensatory photos of his kills, I don’t see it.
I also figure some Quadrilateraloolians might enjoy a little inside-The-Open-media-center color as we inch one day closer to the prospect of Harman drinking farm-raised deer blood from the Claret Jug.
3:23 p.m. - Jon Rahm birdies seven of his last nine holes en route to a 63 for a new Royal Liverpool course record. The Spanish section lets out an audible cheer, there’s hope for a double major winner in 2023 and a winner this week whose greatest career feats do not include the words “qualify”, “skin to the bone” and “FedExCup.”
3:42 - Third round leader Harman, five clear after Friday’s 65, bogeys the opening hole to cut his lead from four and then to three in a matter of 15 minutes. Golf writers are heard cancelling their Sunday morning tee times at Wallasey to be here early for one last serving of black pudding and a fun Sunday final round.
4:30 - Harman’s lead is down to two after a bogey at the short 4th. The media center buzz gets so loud I have to put on noise cancelling headphones and prepare to scrap all Todd Hamilton references from today’s newsletter.
4:38 - Food lines grow when media digestive tracts relax after it appears we might just have a proper championship. The combo of joy and hungry stomachs gets so out of control that several scribes happily go for the gruesome, pre-made “Mexican bean and avocado sandwich with sweetcorn and salsa picante on granary bread.” Life is good.
6:09 - In a short time Harman’s lead grows back to five strokes following a birdie on 12. I try to offset the news with The Best Is Yet To Come on a headphones loop as a tribute to Tony Bennett, whose passing at least ensures the legendary crooner won’t have to witness a Harman victory walk Sunday. Godspeed Mr. B.
6:38 - Cameron Young makes birdie on 18 from an awkward greenside bunker stance. This keeps the Harman lead at five, setting up a Harman-Young final grouping that should upset NBC execs except that they run so many commercials it’s clear Comcast already has lost interest. Meanwhile, a pungent odor envelopes the press tent. In order of blame: Harman’s lead, the salsa picante, the granary bread and the “avocado” that tastes more like Tofu infused with fescue.
6:58 - Note to self: look into magic mushrooms if the “wee slice mon” wins this major.
7:20 - Harman pars the difficult 16th and 17th. Several writers begin stockpiling Cadbury Double Decker bars for what could be a long night in search of inspiration while sidestepping the urge to invoke the phrase “worst nightmare since” and the names Todd Hamilton, Shaun Micheel or Ben Curtis.
7:24 - Harman drives into the 18th hole rough, avoiding the interior out-of-bounds that, not coincidentally, was taking on real architectural appeal like never before.
7:28 - Sepp Straka (70/-5) bogeys the 18th because I have £10 pounds each way on him at 200-1.
7:31 - Harman wedges out to the fairway and slaps his third shot short of the silly greenside bunkers that need to be raked flat again for Sunday’s final round. You know, to give the world hope until the very, very end.
7:33 - Harman is greeted by a half-empty 18th hole grandstand as writers draw inspiration from knowing fans are already gone and ordering dinner. The best West Kirby eateries may just greet us with open tables and stiff lagers.
7:40 - Semi-local favorite Fleetwood (71/-5) hits a three wood into the home hole grandstand and registers his 16th par of the day. He is all-but-out-of-it after Harman salvages par.
7:43 - A writer returning from media dining is armed with a gin-filled flask and reports that Harman is 100% this week on putts inside 10 feet. Cheers!
8:14 - Harman enters the interview room and discusses the accomplishment he’s most proud of (“12th straight year that I've made the FedExCup Playoffs”), whether he looks like cricket’s Ricky Ponting (“Handsome fella”), and discusses innocent animals he’s stalked all day instead of reading Dostoevsy or The Life And Dogged Times Of Vince Dooley (“some really cool elk hunts out in Colorado, really tough* hunting”). *Especially for the elk.
8:25 - An official request is submitted to media relations asking if the R&A slogan “Forged By Nature” will be forever retired if Harman wins and every tabloid headlines with, Forager Of Nature.
Rahm: Lowest Round At Hoylake By Two
In the 152 years they’ve been whapping little golf balls around Hoylake, nine players had posted 65. Self-proclaimed historian Jon Rahm had already noticed.
With a brilliant third round 63, the current Masters champion blew by that stubbornly long-standing mark and secured his place in Hoylake history.
"Today was one of those days where I felt invincible,” he said. “I've been very comfortable from the tee, so it's easier to stay aggressive. I would highlight the putt on 8, which was key. In those 20 minutes between the par on 8
and the birdie on 10 everything changed.”
Well, Brian Harman is still leading so not everything.
In 89th place following round one and looking miserable paired with Rory McIlroy and the sluggish Justin Rose during the first two rounds, Rahm posted the lowest score of his major championship career on Saturday.
“Rory has nothing to do with it,” Rahm said in reference to perceived issues he revealed to Spanish press on Friday with too many people inside the ropes. “I was playing good golf and I knew what I was capable of. I was frustrated because the shots that -- it was basically mistakes that I made. That was it.”
Rahm also joked, “To be fair, I look frustrated very often.”
Before Saturday’s round, Rahm had posted eight sub-70 scores in 24 Open rounds. The 63 surpassed a second round 64 at Royal St George’s two years ago as his lowest in the championship. It was the 14th round of 63 or better in The Open.
“It was just those early holes that were maybe the scorable holes the first few days because of the wind conditions,” Rahm said. “Today they were a little bit more difficult, and it was starting on -- maybe not 10, but it was starting on 11 when everything became downwind and it became a lot easier.”
Reminded that Seve never shot 63 in an Open, Rahm delivered a quick comeback.
“I'd rather win three times and never shoot 63,” he said to laughter in the interview area. “I hope that answers your question.”
Low Rounds At Hoylake
Harman joined the Hoylake 65 club Friday and on Saturday Alex Fitzpatrick put himself on the list of 65’s shot here. Which was nice and all until Rahm beat the course record by two with his third round 63.
The progression of record rounds here in The Open: