Three rounds are complete, and three players are tied on top of the leaderboard at the 2018 Open Championship at Carnoustie.
Defending champion Jordan Spieth, Xander Schauffele and Kevin Kisner all made it to nine under on Saturday, and are in prime position for Sunday’s windy final round. But plenty of accomplished pros like Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and Justin Rose are lurking close behind.
Can Spieth come out on top and secure his second consecutive British Open title and fourth career major? Or will Tiger Woods make a comeback for the ages and capture his first major in 10 years?
We are live blogging Sunday’s entire final round at Carnoustie. Follow along below to see who lifts the claret jug.
FULL FINAL ROUND LEADERBOARD | WHO WILL WIN THE OPEN?
13:59. Final results: Molinari -8, Rose, McIlroy, Kisner, Schauffele -6 (T2), Pepperell, Woods, Chappell -5 (T6), Finau, Kuchar, Spieth -4 (T9). Thanks for reading! We’ll see you again soon.
13:57. Schauffele lips out for birdie and solo second. After a final-round 74, he ends up with the pack at -6 for the tournament.
13:53. Here comes the last gasp. 135 yards left for Schauffele. Wow, it was right on line, but checked up short of the hole. Francesco Molinari is the Champion Golfer of the Year!
13:48. Well this thing isn’t over til it’s over. Molinari is on the putting green. Schauffele is in the fairway. There’s a chance — albeit a very, very small one — that we’ll have a playoff. Schauffele needs to hole out.
13:44. This is a must-make if Schauffele wants to have a chnace to catching Molinari with a birdie on 18. He leave it short. Now, he’ll need an eagle on 18 to tie Molinari.
13:41. Very tough — and important — up and down now for Schauffele. He’s really taking his time. Understandably. He hits a great shot to about 20 feet, but now has to convert the putt.
13:35. All eyes now on young Xander Schauffele. He has 238 yards to the pin on 17. And…he’s into the gallery on the right, behind the gorse bushes. Commentators are saying he’ll be okay.
13:32. Molinari drains his birdie, and he’s at -8! New outright and clubhouse leader. Would be the first Italian EVER to etch his name on the claret jug.
13:31. A birdie finish would be nice for Tiger. But oh, what could have been. had it not been for that double bogey-bogey stint on 11 and 12. He misses the birdie to finish at even par on the day, -5 for the tournament.
13:28. Molinari hits a magnificent shot to six feet for birdie. This could be the tournament, folks.
13:27. Schauffele misses his birdie attempt on 16 on the low side. Man, what a missed opportinity! Meanwhile, Tiger stuffs it on 18, giving himself a great chance for birdie and to finish at -6.
13:23. Someone yells in Tiger’s backswing, and he loses the drive to the right. Doesn’t kill him, but the gallery boos the offender.
13:21. Molinari is going with driver on 18. The ball squeezes past the bunker on the right and ends up in the short rough. Time is running out for the chasers!
13:19. WOW. Schauffele just hit a magnificent shot on 16 to about five feet. He’ll have that putt for the outright lead.
13:16. Schauffele makes a great par save on 15 to stay at -7.
13:15. Jordan Spieth misses a par save on the high side on 15 to drop a shot. He’s now two shots back with three holes to play.
13:14. A nice par save for Kisner on 16 keeps him within one shot of the lead.
13:12. Molinari is facing a 226-yard approach straight into a 26 mph wind on No. 17. He uses a 2 iron and expertly feeds the ball onto the green, leaving himself a 15-foot putt for birdie.
13:09. Rory misses his birdie attempt on 18, so he joins Justin Rose as co-clubhouse leader at -6.
13:07. Our leaders have four holes to play. Tiger and Molinari are on 17. Molinari and Schauffele are the current co-leaders at -7. Five players trail them at -5.
13:03. Jordan misses the short birdie that would have tied him for the lead at -7. He remains -6. A brutal three-putt par.
13:00. Rory knocks his approach to about 15 feet from the hole. He’ll have that putt to become the new clubhouse leader at -7.
12:59. Now Schauffele has a chance for eagle and the outright lead…and it burns the edge! But he’s now tied at the top with Molinari.
12:58. Jordan Spieth has a lengthy eagle putt on 14. He’s taking his time with it. Still ends up about five feet short.
12:54. Rory goes with 3-wood on 18 and pummels it down the left side of the fairway. The ball rolls seemingly forever. Should set up a great approach opportunity.
12:52. Both Tiger and Molinari makes shorties for par on 15.
12:51. Rory drains a huge save for par on 17, so he’ll head to 18 with a chance to best Justin Rose’s clubhouse lead.
12:50. Kisner birdies 14 to join the crowd at -6.
12:48. Five players are still on the course at -6. Molinari has 174 yards left to the green on 15, PW in hand. He lands safely on, and will have a lengthy putt left for birdie.
12:45. It’s official: Justin Rose is the new clubhouse leader at -6.
12:41. Tiger Woods drains a 15-footer for birdie on 14! He’s back to -5. Molinari, meanwhile, also birdies — his first of the day— making him the outright leader at -7.
12.40. Justin Rose, who drained a 12-foot putt to make the cut on the number on Friday, now has a short putt on 18 to become the new clubhouse leader at -6.
12:37. Rory gets up and down for par on the par-3 16th to stay -6.
12:36. Tiger is so far from the pin on 14, he’s hitting a wedge from the front of the green. It doesn’t work out very well, and he will still have a lengthy putt left.
12:30. On 16, Rory hits a 6-iron, which misses the green to the left, just past pin high.
12:29. Tiger goes with driver on 14 and hits it into the gallery on the left.
12:26. Kisner drains his bogey save on 12, so he drops to -5, one shot back.
12:24. Tiger and Molinari both par the par-3 13th — Tiger with a shortie and Molinari with a lengthy putt to maintain a flawless scorecard.
12:19. Kisner is in bunker trouble again on 12. He has a little tester left to save bogey.
12:13. OMG RORY MCILROY JUST DROPPED A BOMB FOR EAGLE ON NO. 14!! He’s now in a SIX-WAY TIE FOR THE LEAD!!!
12:11. Tiger drops abother shot with a bogey on 12, so he’s now dropped three shots in two holes and falls to -4, two shots back.
12:10. Schauffele birdied the 10th hole to get into a now five-way tie for the lead at -6.
12:09. Jordan Spieth parred the 10th to stay -6 for the tournament.
12:07 It’s getting hard to keep up with all the action around here! Justin Rose is sneaking up on the leaderboard, one shot back at -5 and safely on the green in regulation on the tough 16th hole.
12:05. 257 yards left for TW. He doesn’t like it, and the ball ends up back in the fescue on the left. Molinari has 241 left with a better lie, and he hits a beautiful shot just short of the green in the middle of the fairway.
12:03. Tiger’s drive on 11 (with an iron) finds the fescue on the left.
11:59. Current leaderboard: Molinari, Chappell, Kisner, Spieth, all tied for the lead at -6. Tiger among eight golfers within one shot of the lead, and 11 within two.
11:58. Tiger’s putt from off the green runs way past the hole, leaving him a serious tester for bogey. He misses on the edge, and suffers a double. What a blow.
11:55. Tiger’s attempt at a flop shot blows up a bit, and ends up short of the green, rolling back toward him. He will be chipping for par now. Molinari hits a gorgeous lag from the front of the green and will have an easy tap-in for par.
11:52. Tiger rips his 6-iron straight left, and gets a hugely favorable bounce off the gallery. Meanwhile, Kevin Chappell AND Kevin Kisner just drained birdie putts to get to -6, just one back of Tiger’s lead.
11:50. Tiger is now calf-high in the fescue on the right side of the fairway, and Molinari is right there with him. Molinari hits first, and it’s a pretty good one to the front edge of the green. Tiger has a 6-iron. Wind is steady at 14 mph, gusting to 20-30 mph.
11:48. Just for reference on the madness of this final round so far…Spieth is currently +3 on the day, while Schauffele and Kisner are +4. Unreal developments.
11:46. Spieth, meanwhile, parred No. 8 to stay one back.
11:44. Tiger is 5/9 in fairways today, and he has an iron out on the 11th tee. Wind is gusting, and he’s taking his time with this tee shot. The drive finds the fescue on the right, but it doesn’t look too penal over there.
11:42. It’s a near miss on the high side, but still, a tap in to stay at -7 with a clean scorecard.
11:41. TW is sizing up this birdie putt on No. 10.
11:38. Thanks Dylan! What a day it’s been already. Tiger Woods, alone atop the leaderboard at -7, one shot clear of Francesco Molinari and Jordan Spieth.
11:30. With that, I’m tagging in my colleague Jessica Marksbury, who will lead you home. Thanks for following! It’s only going to get crazier.
11:28. Tiger makes it. Turns in two-under 34 and is likely about to take the solo lead after edging that putt in with dying speed.
11:25. Okay folks, let’s take stock of where things stand. At -7: Tiger (6 feet for par after finding the bunker at 9) and Schauffele (just topped one in the rough at No. 7 and is in serious trouble). -6? That’s just Molinari and Spieth. -5: Eddie Pepperell (in the clubhouse and delighted), Kisner (just made a bogey) and Chappell (lurking…).
11:19. Well, it’s official: Tiger Woods is tied for the lead on Sunday afternoon of a major championship (morning still, if you’re in the States)! Holy smokes. Schauffele is in with bogey and Spieth misses his bogey putt; that’s a double for him and he’s all of a sudden back to -6.
11:15. Tiger cleans up his par putt after a neat bunker shot at 8; Spieth took his drop and hit his fourth shot to about 25 feet. Xander now with a tricky bunker shot and one foot outside the sand. He hits that to 35 feet and I think we’re about to have a three-way tie for the lead (Kisner made another bogey).
11:11. Okay, they found Spieth’s ball. But Schauffele dumps his in the bunker at 6 and Spieth is taking an unplayable…
11:08. Tiger with seven iron at the par-3 8th but it looks like he’s found the bunker. Up ahead, Rory makes his first birdie of the day to get back to -4, not technically dead yet. Meanwhile there’s a search party at Spieth’s ball! Uh oh.
11:04. Spieth from the right rough with 3 wood and it’s a “Fore Right!” into a gorse bush. Wow. Things are happening!
11:02. Tiger in full stalking mode now, paces around his putt for a while and then steps off it before his final approach. Leaves it just short and low, though, so it’ll be a kick-in par.
11:00. Everything seems to be going faster and faster now. Tiger facing a 25-footer for birdie at 7, while Molinari hit a neat little pitch and should be able to make it for par.
10:57. Hey now! Kevin Kisner just holed out from the bunker at 6 and he’s now at -7, one shot back. This is nuts.
10:56. Woods in the right edge of the fairway at No. 7. Schauffele still has a little work left for his bogey, meanwhile, but makes that.
10:54. Schauffele, plugged up against the lip of the bunker, barely made it out at all. Spieth’s got a lengthy par putt that JUST slips past the edge. Looks like Tiger’s about to be one shot back. Honestly, everyone at -6 is right in it now too…
10:50. He made it. Walked it in. Just two shots back and Spieth and Schauffele are each in a spot of bother at 5…are we doing this?
10:47. Tiger has to hit this one way out to the right as it goes up the hill, it breaks hard to the left and just sails past the hole. He’ll have 6-8 feet left coming back.
10:46. Spieth’s found the bunker at No. 5 and has to punch out sideways. There is currently one man on the course who is under par for the round: Tiger Woods. He’s got a 94-footer from the front fringe and he’s taking a long look at it.
10:43. Tiger hits a piercing 3-wood at No. 6 and runs it up just short of the green. Could be a putter from the fringe there.
10:40. Par at 4 for Spieth. Behind the leaders, it’s a logjam at -6: Molinari, Woods, Chappell and Kisner each hanging out three back. Eddie Pepperell, in the clubhouse, is the only man at -5.
10:37. Low, piercing driver finds the fairway at No. 6 for Tiger, just sneaking past the bunker in the fairway. Perfect position.
10:35. Unfortunate break for Tiger to leave him with 40 feet here, but he nearly makes it. Easy tap-in 4 and still three back.
10:30. Tiger tried to nuke a pitching wedge from 165 and just came up a foot short of the ridge he needed to clear. Challenging two-putt from the front fringe upcoming.
10:28. Good news up ahead? Let’s look to Eddie Pepperell, who has a birdie putt at No. 18 to post -6. He just misses that one but he’ll post five under after a 67; that’s a huge finish for him and may continue to creep up the leaderboard… Bad news would come from Fleetwood and Noren, who each made doubles.
10:27. Tiger stripes an iron down the 5th fairway, which is still playing under par. Should have a good look from there.
10:25. Spieth and Schauffele each safely aboard at No. 3 and Spieth nearly holes his, then Xander nearly does as well. Both still at -9.
10:20. Tiger now, from around 15 feet. And it’s in! T3 for Woods at six under and the first birdie we’ve seen from the final few pairings.
10:15. Kisner completes his reverse charge with a bogey at 3; he’s back to six under. Up ahead, Fleetwood just hit it OB at No. 6, which will likely end his chances at the claret jug. Add Rory (back to -3) to that group as well. More destruction? Noren stuck in a bunker, too. Spieth’s in the fairway at 3, though!
10:14. Now with 133 remaining, Tiger hits a punch eight-iron to just inside 15 feet. He’ll have that for his first birdie of the day…
10:12. Schauffele with a gritty two-putt par after cleaning it up from 7 or so feet. Spieth in for par, too.
10:10. Tiger down the right side with driver at No. 4. In the rough but no real issue.
10:06. Tiger cleans that one up for par while Schauffele punches to the front of the green and Spieth is safely aboard the middle. No birdies yet from our final few groups and I expect they’ll remain tough to come by.
10:05. Tiger leaves his putt short and left; he’ll have a few feet remaining to think about.
10:02. Kisner, chipping for bogey, hits the flagstick at No. 2. A kick-in double and it’s now a two-horse race (for the moment). Stay tuned.
10:01. Schauffele in some rough after missing left with his tee shot at No. 2, while Spieth hits a good one down the right side of the fairway. Did I mention these guys are playing fast? It’s such different pacing than so many slower Tour events, although I suppose it may slow down as we hit the brutal back nine…
9:59. Up ahead at No. 3, Tiger has 128 left from the rough. Bit of an unforced error missing this fairway and there’s a burn guarding the front of the green. It’s a conservative play for Woods, who hits it some 30-40 feet past the pin on the center of the green.
9:57. Spieth and Schauffele each in with par at No. 1. Up ahead…oh no. Kisner leaves his second shot in the bunker at No. 2 and barely gets the third one out.
9:55. Tiger’s off the short par-4 3rd with an iron that’s just into the right rough from the looks of it. He’ll have to decide how aggressive to get from there with a short iron in hand.
9:53. Schauffele’s on the green at 1 and Spieth absolutely stuffs one just past the flag; fantastic shot. He’ll have a good look from less than 15 feet.
9:51. Woods roasts his birdie putt some four feet past the hole at No. 2, but pours in the comebacker. T7 for Woods still.
9:50. With Kevin Chappell making bogey at No. 1, there’s now a lead pack-chase pack thing going on. Kisner-Xander-Spieth now three clear of the rest of the field.
9:47. Woods’s approach comes up hole-high and just off the green on the left fringe at No. 2; he’ll have a birdie look from some 25 feet.
9:46. Xander Schauffele is off the 1st tee! He goes with iron, too, and it’s down the middle. Next up is the defending champion. He’s got hybrid and it’s going down the right side but should be just fine, though not a great angle.
9:44. The pace of play is seriously speedy out here. Molinari up first from 178; Tiger’s got 171. Hitting into a 20 mph wind to a back pin. Molinari to 20 feet.
9:41. Chappell has to chip out at No. 1. 35 guys are under par right now; what will that number be at day’s end?
9:40. At No. 2 tee, Tiger’s got his first driver of the day and hits a good one down the left side — maybe just into the rough but not like, the rough-rough. Molinari’s down the center. The wind is really whippin’ now and it’s gonna get really fascinating here.
9:37. Back at No. 1 tee, Chappell plunks an iron into the thick rough and Kisner is down the center of the fairway. Just one group left in the practice area…
9:35. Tiger from 15 feet and it’s a slight right-to-lefter. This would be a good one to get right off the bat, especially as birdies get precious in the wind. But it just breaks across the front edge of the cup and needed a couple more inches of pace to it. Even through 1.
9:32. Molinari, playing alongside Tiger Woods, just hit four-iron to the front of the 1st green. Tiger’s got five-iron from 176: It’s a real striper! Low cut through the wind to just inside 15 feet.
9:30. Tough stuff up ahead: Kuchar, McIlroy and Zach Johnson have each dropped a shot through two holes. Besides No. 2, these first six holes are supposed to be the scoring stretch of the course! Anybody looking to make a move can’t go backwards here.
9:24. Okay folks. We’re looking in at Tiger Woods on the first tee; he’s holding just an iron. Didn’t work out well for Matt Kuchar, who just hit hybrid-hybrid into No. 1. But Tiger hits his irons a bit further, I suppose. He’s off the tee down the left side of the fairway and seems to like it. Strap in for the round!
9:17. With conditions definitely more difficult than yesterday, there isn’t the same feeling that the guys already on the course are charging up the leaderboard. With that said, a couple early birdies have Thorbjorn Oleson to -5, Erik van Rooyen to -6. Tommy Fleetwood just canned his birdie putt at no. 1, too. We’ve got McIlroy and Kuchar on the first green and Noren/Simpson teeing off. The guy in red is on the tee next…
9:15. Good morning everybody!!! Dylan Dethier here to take you through the morning action from Carnoustie. The sun is out, the wind is blowing and I can’t imagine a better Sunday morning. Hit me up @dylan_dethier on Twitter if you’ve got any questions about the action as we go along.
