Sam Burns holds a two-stroke lead heading into the final round of The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale. The 29-year-old American, seeking his first major championship, finished his third round with a 65 on Saturday to reach 10-under-par. Burns, a native of Shreveport, Louisiana, surged into contention with a blistering front nine of 31, picking up birdies on the 2nd, 4th, 7th, and 8th holes. He added further birdies on the 14th and 17th holes to solidify his position at the top of the leaderboard.
A Record-Setting Performance
The 2026 Open Championship has been defined by low scores and near-perfect conditions at Royal Birkdale. Burns currently holds the record for the lowest consecutive 36 holes in major championship history, following his second-round 62 with Saturday’s 65. He is currently two shots clear of New Zealander Ryan Fox and South Korea’s Si Woo Kim, who are tied for second at 8-under. Fox made headlines on Saturday by carding a 62, becoming the seventh man in major championship history to reach that score. The feat has been accomplished three times this week alone, as Burns and Lucas Herbert also posted 62s during the second round.
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The Chase for the Claret Jug
While Burns leads the field, a congested leaderboard remains behind him. Ryan Gerard and Lucas Herbert are both at 7-under, sitting three shots off the pace. A group of three players—Ludvig Aberg, Bryson DeChambeau, and Jackson Suber—follow at 6-under. DeChambeau, the only player in the top 10 with a previous major title, remains a central figure in the tournament. He carded a 69 on Saturday despite the lingering drama of a two-stroke penalty assessed during Friday’s second round for improving the line of his backswing. DeChambeau is currently four strokes behind Burns and will need a strong start on Sunday to challenge for the lead.
For more on this story, see Clark Enters U.S. Open’s Final Stretch With Narrow Lead.
Context and Personal Stakes
For Burns, Sunday represents an opportunity for redemption following recent close calls in major championships. He finished as the runner-up at the U.S. Open in June and held a lead during the final round of The Masters earlier this year.
His participation in this year’s Open was nearly derailed by family commitments. His wife, Caroline, was expecting their second child in mid-July. After their daughter, Belle, was born 11 days early, Burns decided to travel to England at the encouragement of his wife.
Ultimately, that's the reason I came over here,
Burns told NBC Sports. She said, 'I've got it under control over here, so you try to go over there and take care of business.'
This follows our earlier report, Ryan Fox Ties Major Championship Scoring Record at 2026 Open Championship.
Leaderboard Heading into Sunday
The top of the leaderboard as play concluded Saturday:
| Position | Player | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam Burns | -10 |
| T2 | Ryan Fox | -8 |
| T2 | Si Woo Kim | -8 |
| T4 | Ryan Gerard | -7 |
| T4 | Lucas Herbert | -7 |
| T6 | Ludvig Aberg | -6 |
| T6 | Bryson DeChambeau | -6 |
| T6 | Jackson Suber | -6 |
The Challenge of Royal Birkdale
While the course has yielded historic scores this week, players remain wary of its volatility. Ryan Fox, who matched the major record with his 62, noted that the course can bite you very quickly
if a player hits poor shots.
Other notable contenders, including Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm, remain at 4-under, six shots back of the lead. Hometown favorite Tommy Fleetwood, who challenged for the lead throughout much of Saturday, finished the day at 5-under after a difficult closing stretch, leaving him five shots behind Burns heading into the final round.
Read also: Clark’s 3-under 67 puts him 3 shots ahead at U.S. Open 2026.
