️Updates from the final day’s play at Royal Birkdale
️Official leaderboard | Mail Scott with your thoughts
Rory McIlroy’s front nine has been his 2026 Open in microcosm. A plethora of birdie chances, a lot of putts steadfastly refusing to drop, momentum a pipe dream. He birdied 2 and 6, bogeyed 7, and on the short par-four 9th – birdie, birdie, eagle on the first three days – he sends a chip long and has to settle for par. Out in 33, and he’ll not be troubling the engraver this week. He’s already etched his name onto this particular Open’s story, to be fair.
Russell Henley finished in the top ten in 2024 and 2025, and the hat-trick isn’t out of the question yet. The 37-year-old from Georgia, who is something of a late bloomer in the majors – he tied for third at this year’s Masters, and for fourth at Augusta in 2023 – started the day at -1, but has made a big move thanks to birdies at 2, 3, 9 and now 10. The latest a dainty chip-in over the bunker at the front of the green, his ball landing gently on the shoulder and rolling into the cup. He’s zoomed up the standings to -5.
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