Sam Burns Leads 2026 Open Final Round at Royal Birkdale
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Sam Burns will carry a two-shot advantage into Round 4 of the 2026 Open after rounds of 62-65 (127 total) — the lowest consecutive-round score in men's major championship history, per the source.
- Three golfers have tied the men's major championship single-round low of 62 during this Open, marking a historic week of scoring at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England.
- Bryson DeChambeau and defending champion Scottie Scheffler are within striking distance of Burns entering Sunday, while Rory McIlroy is well off the pace and Matt Fitzpatrick missed the cut.
- Local favorite Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele are also among the notables who could surge up the leaderboard on the final day.
- The Champion Golfer of the Year will claim a winner's share of an enhanced $17.5 million purse, the source states.
- Round 4 begins at 2:20 a.m. ET Sunday, with Peacock streaming live from 4 a.m. to 2 p.m., USA Network airing early TV coverage from 4-7 a.m., and NBC and Fubo carrying coverage from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Why it matters: With Burns two clear after a record 127 through 36 holes — a mark never previously matched in a men's major — and a deep chasing pack that includes DeChambeau and defending champ Scheffler, Sunday's final round carries both a potential runaway and a crowded birdie-fest, with the $17.5 million winner's share as the prize. Royal Birkdale's return after a nine-year absence amplifies the stakes for England's Tommy Fleetwood and the home crowd.
