Golf
South Africa's Thriston Lawrence poised for Open onslaught─── ILSE SMALBERGER 08:44 Sun, 21 Jul 2024
South Africa’s Thriston Lawrence will start the fourth day of The British Open alongside the leader Billy Horschel.
The American played a masterful round in the mist, wind and rain to lead the Open by just one shot.
Terrible conditions for the leaders resulted in a battle for survival, causing Bloemfontein’s Dean Burmester to drop from two-under and a tie for fourth overall to 3 over.
However, better conditions later in the day benefited Lawrence and others. Lawrence made six birdies on the front nine, and then ended the back nine in level-par for 65 and three-under-par overall; a score shared by America’s Sam Burns, Russel Henley, Xander Schauffele and Englishman Daniel Brown.
‘His round unravelled after leading on eight under’
Brown will tee off alongside world number one Scottie Scheffler after the American shot 71 and later described the back nine as the toughest he has ever played.
Ireland’s Shane Lowry - Open champion in 2019 – also had to contend with the conditions. His round unravelled after leading on eight under following a birdie at the fourth. Five bogeys on the back nine cost him dearly and he ended the day on one under.
Today will no doubt be full of thrills with twelve players within four strokes, including two major winners and the world number one.
