Through all that links chaos, through the madness of a final-round sprint for the line, stepped the magisterial sanity of Xander Schauffele, the Champion Golfer of 2024.

The American did not simply destroy the rest down the stretch to lift the Open Championship – his second major title of the year – he took a few destructive drivers and impeccable irons to the reputation of the feared Troon back nine.

Schauffele came back in 31 strokes to post a remarkable, bogeyless 65 to reach nine-under and deny countryman Billy Horshel (68) and the gallant Justin Rose (65) by two strokes.

That gap might seem like a whisker in 72 holes of strokeplay, but in truth it was an awfully long whisker as Schauffele birdied three out of four holes from the 11th to drain the tension out of what had been a feverish atmosphere and transform the expectancy into awe.

“That was the best round of my life,” Schauffele said. “Hearing your name called with ‘Open champion’ after it is something I’ve dreamt of for a very long time.”

Schauffele is the first player this decade to succeed in multiple majors in a season and after this, there can be no doubt that he and Scottie Scheffler are head and shoulders above their peers, with Rory McIlroy – who missed the cut here – in a distant third in the world rankings.

What is also clear is that the starred-and-striped domination is restored. US golfers have collected all four majors this year – and that has not happened since 1982 – and their winning streak has increased to seven.

One has to go back 47 years for the last time the US have compiled such a run. With 2025 a Ryder Cup year – and a Ryder Cup in America, at that – the urgency will be for Europe to halt the Uncle Sam march as soon as possible.

Rose: ‘I’m disappointed but proud’

Certainly, Rose will feel rejuvenated after this performance, perhaps his best ever in his home major. Until his playing partner pulled away, Rose looked destined to follow up his 2013 US Open breakthrough and at last to complete the storyline he began with that tie for fourth as a skinny, teenaged amateur at the 1998 Open at Royal Birkdale.

When the 43-year-old went out in the third-last group, in a six-man tie for second with a dozen golfers within four shots of the lead, he would have taken a 67 – the second lowest score of the day – and see where it placed him on the conclusive leaderboard. Yet although he led at times in the early stages, as he caught and then passed Horschel, there was simply no answer to the cool and clinical Californian alongside.

“I saw glimpses of my name at the top of the leaderboard at times, but Xander grabbed the momentum and didn’t look back,” Rose said. “I’m disappointed, but proud.”

Schauffele is the reigning Olympic champion, and will defend his crown in Paris in a fortnight, but if anything was ever worthy of a gold medal then it was the charge he launched after a stunning approach on the 11th.

It is the second hardest hole on the course – and the most difficult driving hole in the game – but Schauffele tamed the 493-yarder with a wedge from 171 yards to two feet. It was the only birdie of the day on that hole and brought him level with Rose and one behind Thriston Lawrence, the world No 98 from South Africa who threatened to cause a seismic shock until finishing fourth on six-under, but it was the platform to raise himself to the definitive levels.

Schauffele converted from 16 feet on the 13th, from 12 feet on the 14th and when he chipped his third to four feet on the par-five 16th, it was a case of the engraver locating the “X” and marking the spot.

‘Xander is learning that winning is easy’

Against the wind, Troon does not give up four-under back nines lightly and although Schauffele’s 21-under waltz at Valhalla in May was record-breaking – the lowest total to par in the history of the majors – this was just as impressive.  Schauffele put his foot down when he felt his time, leading the tournament for the first time with five holes to go, and even Scheffler could not live with the pressure.

No doubt, the world No1 has enjoyed a spectacular 2024, with six victories including the Masters. Yet he was on the same mark as Schauffele when he double-bogeyed the sixth, after three-putting from 10 feet. He and we expected better from that position, but all he could produce in way of response was a birdie on the 16th, before another double on the 18th, following a squirty pull-drive thoroughly unbefitting of his ball-striking prowess.

Scheffler – who came in a tie for seventh on one-under, three behind long-time pacesetter Shane Lowry in fifth, with Russell Henley on five-under in fifth – will have plenty more battles with Schauffele, but as he hugged his family behind the 18th – including his teary father, Stefan, who is also his coach and his mentor – there was only one hero on the pedestal.

“Xander is a guy at the top of his game, a guy that has all the attributes that make him a great player and a great champion,” Rose said. “He’s obviously now learning that the winning is easy. He has a lot of horsepower. He’s good with a wedge, brilliant with all the irons, he’s great with a putter, he hits the ball a long way, so he’s got all the weapons.

“But his most unappreciated attribute is his mentality. He’s so calm and plays with a freedom which tells you he is not feeling a tonne of the bad stuff. Xander’s got a lot of runway ahead.”

Wheels up. Next stop, Le Golf National.

Xander Schauffele wins 2024 Open: As it happened

07:22 PM BST

Horschel on Schauffele

07:19 PM BST

We do it all again in 12 months

07:14 PM BST

The Claret Jug engraver at work

07:01 PM BST

More from Schauffele on Sky

06:58 PM BST

The Claret Jug is lifted

06:50 PM BST

Schauffele’s victory speech

06:45 PM BST

Schauffele’s final round in context

06:42 PM BST

More from Lowry on Schauffele

06:38 PM BST

Shane Lowry on his week

06:36 PM BST

Schauffele greeted by his father Stefan

06:34 PM BST

Great finish from Horschel, and a gutsy par from Lawrence

Horschel finishes with three consecutive birdies, and if you told him he would do that this morning he would have imagined the Claret Jug on his breakfast table tomorrow. The excellence of Schauffele stopped him. Horschel finishes in a share of second with Rose.

Lawrence found a pot bunker off the tee, but gathered himself to save par. The South African finished fourth on his own at six-under.

06:31 PM BST

That’s good company to keep

06:23 PM BST

No birdie for Lawrence on 17; Schauffele wins the 2024 Open

Bar any scorecard hitches, that surely confirms it: Xander Schauffele has won the Open. Lawrence cannot reach nine-under.

06:20 PM BST

Rose sinks his birdie putt!

On most other final days, Rose’s four-under 67 would have been good enough to lift the Claret Jug.

A courteous Rose embraces Schauffele, and congratulates him on his imminent victory. Rose is currently second on his own.

06:18 PM BST

Schauffele goes oh so close to a closing birdie

He secures his par though, for a bogey-free round of 65 to surely close out the Open. Schauffele has been in a class of his own this afternoon. He just needs to wait for Lawrence to finish - and sign his card properly - before he can properly celebrate.

06:16 PM BST

Cracking tee shots from Horschel and Lawrence on the 17th

Two good looks at birdie coming up on the tough par three. If Lawrence birdies, Schauffele three-putts on the last then maybe just maybe?

06:14 PM BST

Schauffele surely bolts the door shut...

Unless Lawrence finds a hole in one or an eagle two at the last, Schauffele will surely be our Open winner. He will have a birdie putt for a bogey-free 64.

Finds the heart of the 18th green with another rock solid iron shot. Rose also played a nice approach, he could not have played any better. He has just run into a rival in the form of his life.

06:12 PM BST

Back at the 16th...

No birdie on the par five for Lawrence, which surely ends any chance of him reaching nine-under. He is currently three behind Schauffele with just two holes to play.

06:09 PM BST

Schauffele safe as houses off the 18th...

Sensible from the American, just a long iron to keep him well short of all the bunkers.

Up at the green, Dan Brown has tapped in for bogey to finish at level par. That ought to be enough for a top 10 finish that will see him qualify for next year’s Open at Royal Portrush.

06:04 PM BST

A stress-free par from Schauffele

He taps in to remain at nine-under and three clear of the field as he walks to the 18th tee. Dare I say the words Jean van de Velde? Royal Troon’s closing hole is not quite fraught with the same danger as Carnoustie. Even so, I imagine Schauffele will keep the driver in the bag.

05:57 PM BST

What a final round this is from Schauffele

If he finishes par-par it will be a blemish-free, six-under round of 65. A worthy champion he would be, no question.

And on the 17th, another iron shot is hoisted high into the sky before coming to rest pin high. That might well be curtains for everyone else. Schauffele has been too good.

05:54 PM BST

Schauffele makes his birdie...he has a three-shot lead now

His pitch over the bunker was delightful and his birdie putt from five feet nerveless. Rose also made his birdie, fair reward for that corking second with driver. Rose is now tied with Lawrence in second, but he is three behind Schauffele with two to play.

Schauffele just needs to keep the ball in play. There is no water or out of bounds on these closing holes.

05:53 PM BST

Lowry cleans up on the 18th

Not quite the finish it promised to be for Lowry, but he reaches the clubhouse at four-under after a final round 68. That should be good enough for a top five finish.

05:51 PM BST

A strange tee shot from Scheffler on the 18th

That is not far off a stone-cold top from the World No 1. Scheffler’s drive barely travelled 150 yards, and fails to reach the fairway. Not sure that has cleared the ladies’ tee.

05:48 PM BST

Rose hits the green with driver off the deck

That was a magnificent shot from Rose, finding the green in two on the par five by hitting driver off the fairway. That naturally encourages a fade, allowing him to ride the left-to-right breeze. Rose’s ball feeds off the corner of the bunker and he will have 40 feet or so for eagle.

05:46 PM BST

Schauffele in the middle of the 16th fairway...

He took a long iron for position off the tee on this par five, so is still 298 yards from home. He is trying to work a three-wood into the front bunker. It’s another very good swing from Schauffle but he comes up 15 yards or so shy of his target. Tricky with the bunker between he and the hole, but should be no problem for someone with his short game skills.

05:39 PM BST

Lawrence leaves his birdie putt woefully short

The less said about that the better. Lawrence leaves his birdie putt around three feet short, a real whiff. That was the first time some tension has been evident in his game. Alongside Lawrence, Horschel also spurs a birdie chance to stay at four-under.

One hole in front on the 15th, Schauffele lags his birdie putt up to the holeside and he remains two clear at eight-under. Another par on the card.

05:38 PM BST

More frustration for Rose on the greens

His birdie try from 25 feet or so on the 15th is well-paced but does not break from the left as he anticipated. Rose has played wonderfully from tee to green, but not much as dropped since that birdie on the Postage Stamp.

05:36 PM BST

Lowry holes another long-range birdie putt

Three twos on the short holes from Lowry today, which is some going. He punches the air after his birdie putt across the 17th green drops. That moves Lowry to four-under as he walks to the 18th tee.

05:35 PM BST

A stroke of luck for Lawrence...

On the par three 14th, his tee shot was always hugging the left edge of the green, but kicked forward off the shoulder of the bunker towards the back-right pin. Will have a birdie putt from around 15 feet to reach seven-under.

05:34 PM BST

Schauffele finds the middle of the 15th green

Only had a hair more than 150 yards in on a hole that was unreachable in two yesterday. Only an outside chance of a birdie, but it is another testing hole ticked off.

05:31 PM BST

A chance goes for Lawrence

Another two strong shots down the 13th, but he dragged his birdie putt left. He now needs a couple of birdies because it is difficult to see Schauffele backing up in this kind of form. The leader has just crushed a drive straight down the middle of the 15th fairway, and has the par five coming up on 16.

05:29 PM BST

A Schauffele win would update this stat

05:26 PM BST

Schauffele makes a second successive birdie

Xander Schauffele is the player who has broken clear of the pack: all parts of his game are on song. After another iron shot finishes pin high on the 14th, he pours in the left-to-righter to reach eight-under par.

Rose left his birdie try short and is now three behind Schauffele, who leads the field by two.

This now looks Schauffele’s tournament to lose.

05:17 PM BST

Lawrence makes bogey; Schauffele new leader

Lawrence par attempt on the 12th is missed, and Schauffele is now the sole leader at seven-under. Lawrence six, Rose five, Henley and Horschel at four.

Schauffele has just stepped up and found the middle of the green on the tricky par three 14th. He looks effortlessly good.

Rose hits a bold tee shot that carries the shoulder of the pot bunker...he will have a 20-foot birdie putt from the back edge.

05:16 PM BST

Schauffele makes his birdie, Rose misses at 13

Are we about to embark on the 30 minutes or so that decides this tournament. Schauffele nails his birdie putt on the 13th to reach seven-under, while Rose’s effort slips by to stay five-under.

Back at the 12th, Lawrence is up against it after missing the green in Rose territory. The South African will have 15 feet or so for par.

Schauffele could soon be the new leader.

05:09 PM BST

Super response from Justin Rose

Another fairway found followed by a towering iron shot on the 13th, and he will have the chance to get back the shot he dropped at the 12th. Rose has a birdie putt from around 10 or 12 feet upcoming.

Alongside Rose, Schauffele had 144 yards for his second, and also hits an accurate wedge shot. Will have around 15 feet for birdie from below the hole.

05:05 PM BST

Pars for Lawrence and Horschel over at the 11th

Another well-played hole from the pair. Lawrence left himself work to do after a clumsy approach putt but he held his nerve. With seven holes remaining, he leads the Open by one.

05:01 PM BST

Bogey for Rose on the 12th

He missed the green right and did not give his chip shot enough juice. It left him around 20 feet for par and it was a tremendous effort to escape with a four. Rose thought he had it, but it burned the left edge. Rose now two behind Lawrence. Alongside Rose, Schauffele makes a solid par to remain second at six-under.

04:54 PM BST

Justin Rose has one very committed fan...

04:51 PM BST

Big moment for Lawrence on the 11th tee...

But he negotiates one of the scariest drives in tournament golf with such poise. Has the confidence to work his drive from left-to-right despite the out of bounds hugging the right side. Horschel also hits a corker, finding the fairway.

04:48 PM BST

Bogey for Horschel

A pushed approach shot on the 10th scuttled down a steep run-off area, and costs Horschel a shot. Things can change quickly, but it is starting to feel like the winner will come from Lawrence, Schauffele or Rose.

04:46 PM BST

Sam Burns carves his drive over the railway tracks on the 11th

Burns’ drive is so far right it has actually missed the railway line. An instant reload, three off the tee.

Up at the green, Rose holes a gutsy par putt to stay at six-under and his playing partner Schauffele converts the short birdie putt to join him. Great playing from the pairs.

On the 18th green, Rahm has holed a par putt to sign for a three-under 68. Finishes the week at one-under after that early flurry of birdies in the final round.

04:41 PM BST

A peach from Schauffele on the 11th

Coming out of the wispy rough, Schauffele’s second was always going to release so he landed it well short of the green and allowed it to skip up. His ball comes to rest within a few feet of the pin and that will almost certainly be a birdie to join Rose at six-under. Rose’s second shot is safe near the front-edge.

04:37 PM BST

This year’s winner of the Silver Medal for low amateur

04:33 PM BST

Very solid tee shot from Rose on the 11th

He got his course management spot on by taking a three-wood, meaning he could aim away from the out of bounds right without fear of running out of fairway. Will be quite a distance in for his second shot, but he has avoided the railway line and catastrophe.

04:26 PM BST

New Open leader: Thriston Lawrence leads

The South African has reached seven-under thanks to a rare birdie at the ninth. Up ahead at the 10th, Rose’s short put for par needs all of the whole but it drops. The final group are heading to the back nine. If around two-and-a-half hours we might know the 2024 Open champion.

04:24 PM BST

Bogey for Lowry

The Railway hole, the 11th, claims another victim. Lowry’s third was 64 yards was typically artful but the putt slipped by for par. Lowry back to three-under.

04:22 PM BST

Lawrence showing all skills again

From an uphill lie on the ninth, Lawrence shows great hands again to hold the club face open and stop the ball flipping left. Stuffs his second to within six feet or so, and he will have that putt to claim the sole lead at seven-under.

04:19 PM BST

The leaders about to reach the hardest stretch

04:16 PM BST

A shot goes for Horschel

He did the hardest part on the Postage Stamp by playing a magnificent bunker shot, only to miss the par putt from inside three feet. Horschel back to five-under, leaving Rose and Lawrence tied for the lead.

Lawrence continues with his aggressive strategy off the tee, sending a driver a long way down the ninth. A more conservative play from Horschel with a driving iron into position.

04:08 PM BST

Horschel finds bunker trouble at the Postage Stamp

His tee shot comes up short and right, and trickles back into the trap. Work cut out to save par from there.

Up ahead at the ninth, Schauffele plays a delightful chip to save his par and remain at five-under. Rose also gets up and down for par to stay at six-under.

Lowry leaves a birdie try in the jaws on the 10th to stay at four-under.

04:04 PM BST

Lawrence makes it a three-way tie for the lead

The South African has birdied the seventh, and Rose and Horschel have company. There is no sign of any of the trio backing up, they are all playing solid golf.

04:01 PM BST

Disaster strikes for Scheffler

It was not clear whether he mis-struck his second shot on the ninth or simply took the wrong club, but after finishing well short he then four-putted from less than seven feet at the cost of a double bogey. Scheffler tumbles back to two-under. An inexplicable mistake from the Masters champion.

03:53 PM BST

Birdie for Rose!

A birdie on Royal Troon’s eighth elicits a fist pump from Rose, who joins Horschel at six-under in a share of the lead. Rose has barely put a foot wrong so far, looks in total control of his game and emotions.

Alongside him, Schauffele is also playing beautifully at five-under, but his birdie putt on the Postage Stamp slides by.

03:50 PM BST

Lovely tee short from Rose on the Postage Stamp

Judges the distance on a hole that is barely playing 100 yards today. Will have a birdie putt upcoming from inside 15 feet.

Lowry made a solid par at the ninth and has just blasted his drive into good position on the 10th.

03:48 PM BST

Horschel now has the sole lead!

His wedge shot on the sixth ripped back to 20 feet or so shy of the hole but his putter did the rest. Horschel has the pace of these Troon greens down to a tee. Horschel now has the lead on his own at six-under after Lawrence’s birdie try slips past the left edge.

03:39 PM BST

Scheffler now within one

A precious birdie two from the World No 1 on the Postage Stamp, and he joins Lowry and Schauffele just behind the leading trio of Rose, Horschel and Lawrence. What odds a play-off?

Scheffler also got himself up and down from this spot to save par over at the sixth:

03:35 PM BST

Lowry on the move

The 2019 Open champion has rallied after a miserable Saturday. Four birdies in five holes, the latest of which comes on the Postage Stamp, draining a right-to-lefter from around 20-feet.

On the sixth, Schauffele has opened his birdie account for the day to reach four-under, just one of the lead.

03:33 PM BST

An update on Rahm

They found his ball in the gorse bush on the 11th so he had to take a penalty drop right of it. Rahm’s third found the green and he managed to escape with a bogey. He is one-under as walks down the 13th, perhaps running out of holes.

03:31 PM BST

Pars for Horschel and Lawrence at the fifth

Both players showing their short game skills. Horschel’s work around the greens this weekend has been tremendous. They remain at five-under.

Rose though, has a birdie try from around 20 feet on the par five six...a slow putt up the hill. He gives it a good wrap but it slips by the left edge. Fine try from Rose.

03:22 PM BST

Rose has company again

Horschel makes his birdie at the fourth and his playing partner Lawrence does likewise. They join Rose at five-under.

Ahead at the seventh, Lowry has produced a magical wedge shot to set up a certain birdie. That will take the Irishman back to three-under and within two of the lead.

Dan Brown has found some trouble over at the sixth, and that is now three bogeys in a row. The underdog is back at level par.

03:20 PM BST

‘Cool Dad’ Horschel has some new fans

If Floridian Billy Horschel is something of an unexpected West Ham fan, the same can be said for some of those cheering him on. It would seem some of the younger female demographic had been vocal in their support for Bryson DeChambeau. The 37-year-old father of three seems something of an unlikely choice for the teen crowd but this is not about being a heartthrob. “Let’s go for Billy because he plays well, is wearing that cool cardigan, his Insta is cool and likes football so he’s not like all the American golfers and he likes Taylor Swift, he’d be a cool dad” said one teen to her three pals. That is a lot of “cool” to be channeling!

Swift also came up when DeChambeau was compared to her on Thursday in the galleries. Horschel spoke in April about wearing a friendship bracelet like those worn by Swifties made by his wife Brittiany and inspired by his daughters’ passion for the pop star bearing the word “Fearless” – one the title of one of Swift’s albums and a word that Horschel felt gave him more confidence on the course. One wonders if the bracelet had an encore at Troon?

03:16 PM BST

11 years on from Merion...

03:15 PM BST

Horschel has a chance to tie Rose

He is one hole behind Rose, and has also played a nifty wedge shot into the par five fourth. Ahead at the fifth, Rose finds another green in regulation and two-putts for a stress-free par. His ball-striking has been rock solid so far.

03:05 PM BST

Rose seizes the sole lead!

He thought his third short on the par five fourth was going to come up short but it took a nice hop forward to within six feet or so. Rose rolls in the birdie putt, and now has the sole lead at five-under. It is now 26 years since Rose’s chip-in on the 18th at Royal Birkdale as a 17-year-old amateur, is he about to win his first Claret Jug? For many years he had a rather underwhelming record in this tournament.

03:02 PM BST

Trouble for Rahm on the 11th...

Gets too much fade on his tee shot on a hole where the railway tracks and out of bounds lurks right. He seems to think that has finished in a gorse bush. His provisional finds the fairway, he might well be playing four from there.

03:00 PM BST

Horschel and Brown bogeys

Finding sand off the tee cost Horschel a shot, while bunker trouble on the fourth also saw Brown drop a shot.

Horschel’s playing partner Lawrence took on the burn with driver on the third, and a well-crafted pitch from the rough set up a birdie. Lawrence is now tied for the lead alongside Rose and Horschel.

02:56 PM BST

Lowry holes a tram-liner across the fifth green!

An unlikely birdie from Lowry, but that is now two in a row. Lowry is back to two-under and is just three behind Horschel, who is in some trouble over at the third. The American has around 15 feet to save his par.

02:53 PM BST

Horschel finds trouble on the third

Tweaked his long iron off the tee just a touch left, and his ball runs into a nasty pot bunker. He was calling for a straight bounce and didn’t get it.

02:44 PM BST

A chance goes for Rose at the third

The putter misbehaves after another impressive iron shot and Rose remains at four-under. One off the leader. Scheffler and Schauffele’s presence at three-under is looking ominous.

Back at the second, Horschel finds the middle of the green, taking advantage of a clean lie after that wayward drive. He got away with that one. Alongside Horschel, Lawrence scrambled for his par at the first and has a birdie chance coming up on the second.

02:40 PM BST

Wild tee short from Horschel on the second

Turns his drive over and it sails left on the breeze. But as the golfing adage goes: if you are going to miss, miss big. Horschel’s drive is so far left it has missed the cabbage and found the trampled grass where the fans walk.

02:36 PM BST

Billy Horschel back in front on his own!

The American sent his wedge shot on the first over the top of the flag, and it came to rest around 25 feet behind the hole. Horschel’s putter did the rest, jarring the birdie try for an opening birdie. He is still getting shouts of “Irons!” from the crowd, in a nod to his West Ham allegiances. Horschel reaches five-under.

02:32 PM BST

Justin Rose ties the lead!

He joins Horschel at four-under par after dissecting the short par four second. Justin Rose might be an Englishman playing in Scotland but the crowd are right behind him.

Another player with a birdie is Scheffler over at the third, and he is now lurking with intent at three-under, just one shot off the lead.

02:30 PM BST

A rare eagle at the fourth

02:29 PM BST

Scheffler and Rose with lovely approach shots

Both players will have short birdie putts upcoming at the second and third respectively. Scott, Scheffler, Rose...the experience and proven major pedigree is starting to come to the fore.

02:25 PM BST

Birdies galore at Troon

Adam Scott has found his second birdie in three holes to move to two-under, within two shots of the leader.

A chance comes and goes for Rahm on the Postage Stamp, but he made his birdie after a crushing drive over at the seventh. Rahm four-under for his round and two-under for the tournament.

Lowry’s short game could not save him this time...he bogeys the third to drop back to level par.

The final group featuring Horschel and Lawrence are about to get going.

02:22 PM BST

Two Englishman share a moment

As Justin Rose made his way to the practice putting green with the easy confidence that comes with two successful decades in golf he stopped briefly to wish Dan Brown well as the fairytale story of the 152nd Open made his way to the first tee. It was a poignant moment and one can only imagine what was going through both players’ minds but particularly Brown.

02:21 PM BST

Dan Brown refuses to go away...

Another display of bouncebackability from Brown: he follows that opening bogey with a birdie at the second to return to three-under.

Shane Lowry has missed another green in regulation over at the third. Justin Rose with a safe par at the first.

02:12 PM BST

A sartorial nod to the past from Rose?

02:10 PM BST

Lowry working hard for another par

It has been a rather scruffy start from Lowry but he has scrambled well for a pair of par fours. He stays at one-under and has two par fives upcoming on four and six.

02:09 PM BST

An opening bogey for Dan Brown

Just like yesterday, Brown has started with a bogey five on the opener. He pulled his second into one of the greenside bunker and failed to get up and down. Brown falls back to two-under. Scheffler is on the same score after an opening par.

01:58 PM BST

Dan Brown tees off alongside Scottie Scheffler...

Scheffler sends his long iron safely down the left side of the fairway. Brown’s tee shot is fanned out to the right, but it looks like he has found a bare patch in the rough. Should be able to reach the green from there.

Up at the green, Adam Scott has rolled in an opening birdie to reach one-under. Lowry did well to save his par after finding a greenside bunker.

01:51 PM BST

Triple bogey to start for Thomas

His race is surely run. Could only play outside sideways from the bunker after sending his tee shot out of bounds. Thomas tumbles back to three-over.

01:49 PM BST

Shane Lowry starting his final round alongside Adam Scott

Scott finds the fairway with a long iron. Surprisingly, Lowry goes with driver to get his ball as far down the opener as he can, and he plays a beauty. Holds off a fade into the right-to-left wind that skips beyond the bunkers left.

01:38 PM BST

Justin Thomas sends opening tee shot out of bounds

His playing partner is Matthew Jordan, who found the semi rough left of the first fairway. Not much of an angle to the front-left pin from there.

But Thomas, inexplicably, has sliced his tee shot wildly over the out of bounds fence. Three off the tee for Thomas and his second attempt runs into one of the pot bunkers on the left. Starting double bogey or worse in the face.

Just a par for Rahm over at the par five fourth.

01:29 PM BST

Rahm has found the fairway on the par five fourth...

This could well be another birdie chance upcoming. Alex Noren has also made a sound start with two birdies in the first three holes to reach level par.

01:17 PM BST

Rahm makes it three birdies in a row!

The Spaniard is rewarded for carrying the burn with a driver on this short par four, leaving him no more than a 40 yard pitch up the green. His second was well-judged, and he duly converted with the putter. Rahm now in red figures for the week and just three off the lead. Two par fives to come in his next three holes...

01:07 PM BST

Another birdie for Jason Day

He has just made three on the ninth, and reaches the turn in four-under 32. Day now within four of the lead as he turns for home, towards Troon’s treacherous back nine.

01:04 PM BST

Rahm finds another birdie!

He holes a 24-footer across the second green and that is a birdie-birdie start for the two-time major winner. Rahm back to level par and within four.

12:59 PM BST

Birdies on the opening hole for Rahm and Noren

Two Ryder Cup players with opening threes to start their final round, and they move to one-over par for the tournament, five off the lead. Certainly within striking distance.

12:48 PM BST

When the leaders head out

13:45: Shane Lowry, Adam Scott (Aus)
13:55: Daniel Brown, Scottie Scheffler (USA)
14:05: Justin Rose, Xander Schauffele (USA)
14:15: Sam Burns (USA), Russell Henley (USA)
14:25: Billy Horschel (USA), Thriston Lawrence (Rsa)

12:47 PM BST

Phil the Thrill living up to his nickname

12:41 PM BST

Just a par for Morikawa at the first

He had a good look at birdie from just off the green, around 15 feet from the cup, but left the putt on the high side. Morikawa remains at two-over. Over at the seventh, Jason Day looks certain to add another birdie after a tasty pitch shot. That would take him to one-over for the tournament, five off the lead.

12:34 PM BST

Jason Day moving in the right direction

He has birdied both of the par fives on Royal Troon’s front nine to move to two-under. Day has been much more like his old self in 2024.

12:32 PM BST

Morikawa and Johnson start their final rounds

Dustin Johnson slices his fairway wood up into the breeze, and it plummets into some thick rough. Much better from Morikawa, who splits the fairway with a long iron. These players need a 65 or 66.

12:29 PM BST

The groups teeing off in the next hour

12:30: Dustin Johnson (USA), Collin Morikawa (USA)
12:40: Jon Rahm (Spa), Alexander Noren (Swe)
12:50: Laurie Canter, Chris Kirk (USA)
13:00: John Catlin (USA), Sean Crocker (USA)
13:15: Daniel Hillier (Nzl), Shubhankar Sharma (Ind)
13:25: Byeong-Hun An (Kor), Sung-Jae Im (Kor)
13:35: Matthew Jordan, Justin Thomas (USA)

12:25 PM BST

Take your pick from them...

12:23 PM BST

The conditions at Troon...

It is at least drier today, but there is still a stiff breeze and judging by the number of players wearing bobble hats it is none too warm. A few good scores out there among the early starters, Ryan Fox and Corey Conners shooting four and three-under respectively. But plenty of black and blue on the leaderboard too, this is going to remain a tough test.

The wind on the closing holes is into and out of the left, the most difficult direction for a right hander.

12:12 PM BST

There are 25 players within six shots of the lead

Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of what promises to be an unpredictable final day of the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon.

There are 25 players within six shots of overnight leader Billy Horschel, who finished at four-under, with Thriston Lawrence, Justin Rose, Sam Burns, Russell Henleuy, Xander Scahuffele and English underdog Dan Brown the closest challengers.

Brown played beautifully for most of his third round but was undone by a rotten piece of luck on the 18th when his tee shot came to rest on the lip of a pot bunker. He could only chip the ball down the fairway before finding sand with a pulled third shot. The double bogey would have made his dinner taste bitter but Brown, the World No 272, should have been proud of his efforts in brutal conditions. Brown’s last eight results read: seven missed cuts and a tie for 62nd, so this has been a remarkable showing. Brown is looking to follow the likes of Ben Curtis and Todd Hamilton as unlikely Open winners.

Horschel’s short game was magical en route to a superb round of two-under 69, while his playing partner Justin Rose also showed tremendous resolve to stay in the hunt. Based on the golf played yesterday, Schauffele was the most impressive player from tee to green and the reigning US PGA champion is likely to be a major player this afternoon.

Despite a disappointing six-over par round of 77 yesterday, Shane Lowry is only three shots back as he tries to win his second Claret Jug. The players at one and two-over need something special, but this does feel like a tournament that could produce a winner who comes from out of the clouds to post a winning score. Paul Lawrie, from 10 shots back at Carnoustie in 1999, and Ernie Els, from six shots back in 2012, are two such Open examples.