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Moving Day at The Open was wild as players like Adam Scott jumped up the leaderboard, and others became victims of the carnage.
Moving Day at The Open Championship saw how easy and difficult Royal Troon can play.
The players who played in the morning took advantage of the lack of conditions, while the afternoon saw a completely different golf course come to life.
Shane Lowry struggled down the stretch and fell to ninth on the leaderboard after signing for a 6-over 77. He led by three ahead of Saturday’s round. Daniel Brown continues to be in contention. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and the reigning PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele sit in good positions to win their second major.
However, which players took the most advantage of Moving Day?
Let’s look at the five players who will help make Championship Sunday more interesting because of their impressive rounds on Saturday.
5 Players that took advantage of Moving Day at the Open
Justin Thomas
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Justin Thomas made a complete 180-degree change from Friday to Saturday. He went out in 45 in Round 2. However, in Round 3, the former Alabama Crimson Tide player shot a 31 on the front nine.
He got to 6-under on the day before dropping shots at 13 and 15, but he signed for a 4-under 67, a 10-stroke difference in less than 24 hours. That score pushed him 38 spots up the leaderboard, and he now sits four shots off the leader.
Thomas played well enough to be one of 12 people at par or better through three rounds of play.
Sam Burns
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Sam Burns is another player that found some rhythm on Saturday at Royal Troon. He jumped 36 places up the leaderboard after he signed for a 6-under 65 to sit at 3-under overall.
The former LSU Tiger is one stroke off the lead and in contention. He opened the day with a bogey on the first, but from there, he made five birdies in his next eight holes. Burns dropped another shot at 10, but made back-to-back birdies at 11 and 12. His eighth birdie of the day came at the par-5 16th, which put him in a prime position ahead of the final 18.
Adam Scott
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Adam Scott moved a mind-blowing 50 spots up the scoreboard on Saturday after he shot a 5-under 67. He sits at even par ahead of the final round, putting him in the hunt.
Scott finished second last week to Robert MacIntyre at the Genesis Scottish Open. Can he find a way to close the deal this week? The 44-year-old took advantage of his early tee time and made the most of it.
He made six birdies and one bogey on the day at 15. If he can come into the final round with this momentum, Scott could shock the world and win his second major championship.
Thriston Lawrence
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Thriston Lawrence went low Saturday at The Open Championship. He shot a 5-under 65 and moved up the leaderboard by 34 spots.
Lawrence went out in 30 strokes, making six birdies in the first eight holes. He picked up his seventh birdie at the 11th before his lone hiccup came at 13 when he made a bogey on the par-4 13th.
His 65 helped get the South African into the final group alongside Billy Horschel, but will it be enough to win his first major?
Billy Horschel
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Billy Horschel is the 54-hole leader at the Open. He may lead, but the former Florida Gator overcame the conditions and battled hard to avoid too many costly mistakes.
Horschel moved up the leaderboard for the second straight day, but his focus landed him in the driver’s seat.
He signed for a 2-under 69, a superb score for the conditions they played in on Saturday. His phenomenal short game helped him move into the lead and keep it.
Horschel went 8-of-8 from the tricky pot bunkers. He made countless par saves that kept him right where he needed to be. While he did make bogeys on the 11th and 18th holes, it was not detrimental to his day because everyone dropped a shot at some point.
He tied for eighth at the PGA Championship earlier this year and tied for 41st at the U.S. Open, but now he has the opportunity to do something special. If he wins, it will change his career forever and add to his legacy.
