Ryan Fox became the third man in 24 hours at Royal Birkdale to equal the lowest round in a men’s major with a 62 to book his place in the last group for Sunday’s Open final round.
The New Zealander capitalised on the best of the conditions when he teed off at 10.30am and posted the eight-under clubhouse lead, which was only surpassed by American Sam Burns in the third-last group of the day.
Burns, a five-time winner on the PGA Tour, has a highest Open finish of joint 31st, with two other places in the 40s, one in the 70s and one missed cut.
However, he finished second at last month’s US Open and tied seventh at the Masters and has finally transformed that form to links golf with a round of 65 to get to 10 under, having become the second man this week to shoot 62 the day before.
It was an impressive performance after teeing off at 3.30pm amid the Bryson DeChambeau circus in the wake of his compatriot’s two-shot penalty controversy of Friday night and he out-scored his playing partner by six.
“It’s obviously a difficult golf course and it’s still a work in progress, (I’m) trying to execute and accept whatever happens,” said Burns, who only decided to travel on Friday after wife Caroline gave birth early to their second child, Belle, a fortnight ago.
“All I can do tomorrow is go out and play my best and see where it puts me. Whatever happens tomorrow it doesn’t define who I am.”
DeChambeau, who was roared on by an encouraging crowd, could advance his total by only one to sit six under but still in contention.
By the time that group had finished just before 8pm Fox was comfortably ensconced at home after the round of his life.
“Being picky, I’d want a couple of drives back today maybe, but outside of that, I feel like I didn’t really miss a shot. I would have taken 62 on a Saturday, that’s for sure,” said Fox, who played alongside Xander Schauffele, the only man to post two 62s in majors.
After two record-equalling 62s on Friday the R&A tried to protect the course – running fast with no wind and relatively defenceless – with their pin positions.
“I kind of said to him (Schauffele) the R&A have got it in for us after the two 62s yesterday. Then I go and do it today.
“I think they’re going to find a few slopes and put them on top of bunkers tomorrow for us.”
DeChambeau’s crowd was undoubtedly boosted by the drama of the previous evening, when it looked like he was staging a one-man protest with a late-night range which ended at 10.30pm after being penalised for improving the area of his backswing by standing on a clump of grass.
Arriving on the first tee to a rapturous welcome, he gave a thumbs-up to all sides of the horseshoe-shaped grandstand, but he struggled to deliver on the faith the thousands had in him.
He bogeyed the second after missing the green but reclaimed the shot at the sixth to turn in a level-par 34.
An approach inside seven feet brought a birdie at the long par-three 15th and he took advantage of the par-five 17th to get to seven under but bogeyed the last after going over the back of the green.
After a short trip to the championship office, where it is understood DeChambeau’s request to R&A chief executive Mark Darbon for Friday’s scorecard was declined, he headed to the practice ground again, with the media following his every move.
Ryder Cup winner Ludvig Aberg shot a 67 to also get to six under, with his European team-mate and hometown favourite Tommy Fleetwood a shot further back after a 69.
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler struggled on the greens again and a level-par 70 left him four under but still in contention, while Masters winner Rory McIlroy’s 69 put him too far back on two under.
