The Open Championship Golf, Day Three - Lowry leads by four shots going into final round

Shane Lowry set a new course-record at Royal Portrush, on his way to a four-shot lead after the third round.

The Irishman called it "one of the most incredible days of my life," and carded a 63 with right birdies to finish 16 under for the championship.
He hit 17 of the 18 greens in regulation - his ball was on the green twoshots ahead of par (e.g. after one shot on a par three, after two shots on a par-four) - setting a course record since the two new holes at Dunluce Links were made for this very tournament.
His round was within one of breaking Branden Grace's major record of 62, set a the 2017 Open at Royal Birkdale, but his birdie putt to equal the South African missed by an inch.
His 54 hole total of 197 is the lowest three-round score in Open history, and he shows little sign of relinquishing his lead in pursuit of his first major.
He picked up a shot on the fourth, before taking the lead with a birdie at the 12th, while three successive birdies at the 15th, 16th and 17th increased his lead to four.
But he knows more than anyone not to count his chickens before they've hatched - he let a four-shot lead slip in the final round of the 2016 US Open, carding a 76 on Sunday.

Photo from CBS Sports

The English pair of Tommy Fleetwood and Lee Westwood had to wait for the cheers to die down before playing their tee shots on the back nine, such was the support for the co-leader at the start of the day.
Lowry's playing partner for today JB Holmes couldn't keep up the pace, he sits on 10 under, while the 32-year-old's closest rival is Fleetwood on 12 under after a bogey-free round of 66.
The Southport man hit three birdies to reach the turn in three under, before another birdie at the 12th and six consecutive pars completed his round.
His compatriot Justin Rose is also in contention on nine under.
If Rose or Fleetwood lift the Claret Jug, they would be the first Brits to do so since Nick Faldo in 1992.
The world number four finished tied for second last year at Carnoustie, and hit an eagle on the 12th followed by two birdies to propel him up the leaderboard.
He bogeyed the 16th, meaning he finished three-under for the day and will start the fourth round seven shots behind Lowry.
Three successive birdies for Westwood saw him briefly at the top of the tree, but two bogeys on the back nine meant he carded a 70 to finish on eight under.
2016 Master champion Danny Willett held the clubhouse lead for a while, his round of 65 was the joint best of the championship before Lowry stepped onto the course.
The Yorkshireman hit six birdies in a bogey-free round, and will need something similar on Sunday to contend for his second major title.

American Brooks Koepka is alongside Rose on nine under, and the United States' hopes of the majors clean-sweep will surely be resting on his shoulders, given his recent form.
World number one Koepka, who hasn't finished outside of the top two at the majors this year, holed successive birdies at 17 and 18 to keep his hopes of a fifth major title alive.

Day Three Leaderboard
-16 S Lowry (IRE)
-12 T Fleetwood (ENG)
-10 JB Holmes (USA)
-9 B Koepka (USA), J Rose (ENG)
-8 R Fowler (USA), L Westwood (ENG)
-7 D Willett (ENG), J Rahm (SPN), T Finau (USA), J Spieth (USA)

-2 G McDowell (NIR), D Johnson (USA)
-1 S Garcia (SPN), E Els (SA)
+2 P Casey (ENG)

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