The third round of the 2026 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England delivered an action-packed moving day. Sam Burns surged to the top with a 5-under 65, reaching 10-under overall and claiming sole possession of the lead heading into Sunday's final round.

Bryson De Chambeau remains in contention despite a two-stroke penalty assessed Friday for improving his lie in tall grass on the 5th hole. He carded a 69 Saturday to sit at 6-under, four strokes back. The penalty stemmed from stomping down grass before his second shot, though De Chambeau recovered with birdies on 15 and 17.

History was made Friday when Lucas Herbert and Ryan Fox both fired 8-under 62 rounds, tying the lowest score ever recorded in a men's major. Fox nearly broke the record outright but settled for par on 18. The leaderboard remains tightly packed with Ryan Fox and Si Woo Kim at 8-under, while Scottie Scheffler (4-under) and Rory McIlroy (2-under) face steep climbs on Sunday.