The Open 2019: What you need to know for Saturday’s third round at Royal Portrush

The 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush is already halfway over, and it hasn’t disappointed one bit. With the field slimmed down after the 36-hole cut on Friday, we should be in for a great weekend in Northern Ireland. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Saturday’s third round of The Open, including key storylines, tee times, how to watch, and more.

Key Storylines

Two unlikely leaders

Through 36 holes at the fourth and final major of the year, two unlikely golfers top the leaderboard: J.B. Holmes and Shane Lowry. Both golfers will enter Saturday’s third round with a one-stroke lead at eight under. The 37-year-old Holmes entered Friday’s second round with a one-stroke lead over none other than Lowry himself. The Kentucky-native Holmes shot a three-under 68 on Friday, which included five birdies. Meanwhile, Lowry shot a four-under 67 and notched six birdies on his scorecard.

Holmes’ best finish in a major came at the 2016 Open Championship when he finished third. He only has five PGA Tour wins on his resume, including the Genesis Open this past February. Lowry’s best result in a major was a runner-up finish at the 2016 U.S. Open, and his best result in The Open came in 2014 when he finished T9. Ireland’s Lowry only has four professional wins in his career, with his most recent victory coming on the European Tour this past January.

Now, both golfers are seeking career-defining milestones this weekend. The duo will tee off at 10:50 a.m. ET on Saturday morning.

A loaded leaderboard

Holmes and Lowry might be in the lead, but this tournament is wide open. With 36 holes to go, the Claret Jug is well up for grabs and within reach of anyone who wants to come take it. Holmes and Lowry have 15 players within four shots of the lead nipping at their ankles heading into Saturday’s third round. Given how tight the leaderboard is, Holmes and Lowry are going to receive a lot of pressure from the guys lurking behind them, as any are more than capable of making a big move if they get hot.

The English duo of Tommy Fleetwood and Lee Westwood sit just one shot back at seven under. Three golfers, including Justin Rose, are perched at six under. Brooks Koepka highlights a group of four golfers at five under and six golfers, including Jon Rahm, sit at four under. This tournament is far from over, and the golfers currently in contention are going to have a say about it on Saturday.

Weather Forecast

The beauty of an Open Championship is that it can be sunny and warm one minute, then rainy and cool the next minute. Not mention lots of wind. Golfers have gotten a steady dose of everything from Mother Nature through the first two rounds, and that won’t change on Saturday at Royal Portrush.

Temperatures will start near 55-degrees (F) when the first groups tee off on Saturday morning and will rise to a high of 62-degrees (F) in the evening. There will be a 15-20% chance of precipitation all day, which is a bit lower than it has been through the first two rounds. The wind is predicted to stay steady at 15 mph on Saturday.

How to watch Saturday’s third round

TV schedule (ET)
5-7 a.m. (Golf Channel)
7 a.m.-3 p.m. (NBC)

Streaming Schedule (ET)
All feeds can be viewed via GolfChannel.com, the Golf Channel App, NBC Sports App, NBC Sports connected devices, and TheOpen.com.

Third Round TV Broadcast (Golf Channel): 5-7 a.m.
Early Featured Group: 5-9:30 a.m.
3 Hole Channel: 5 a.m.-1 p.m.
Third Round TV Broadcast (NBC): 7 a.m.-3 p.m.
Late Featured Group: 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Open Championship Tee Times: Saturday’s Third Round (ET)

a) Denotes amateur
4:35 a.m.-Paul Waring
4:45 a.m.-Francesco Molinari, Jason Kokrak
4:55 a.m.-Graeme McDowell, Bubba Watson
5:05 a.m.-Charley Hoffman, Ashton Turner
5:15 a.m.-Yosuke Asaji, Andrew Wilson
5:25 a.m.-Yuki Inamori, Matt Wallace
5:35 a.m.-Nino Bertasio, Tom Lewis
5:45 a.m.-Adam Hadwin, Ryan Fox
6:00 a.m.-Innchoon Hwang, Benjamin Hebert
6:10 a.m.-Paul Casey, Kyle Stanley
6:20 a.m.-Eddie Pepperell, Doc Redman
6:30 a.m.-Kevin Streelman, Joost Luiten
6:40 a.m.-Shubhankar Sharma, Louis Oosthuizen
6:50 a.m.-Stewart Cink, Callum Shinkwin
7:00 a.m.-Jim Furyk, Kevin Kisner
7:10 a.m.-Bernd Wiesberger, Russell Knox
7:20 a.m.-Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Mikko Korhonen
7:35 a.m.-Sergio Garcia, Branden Grace
7:45 a.m.-Romain Langasque, Sang Hyun Park
7:55 a.m.-Patrick Cantlay, Lucas Glover
8:05 a.m.-Danny Willett, Aaron Wise
8:15 a.m.-Justin Thomas, Robert Macintyre
8:25 a.m.-Matthew Fitzpatrick, Ernie Els
8:35 a.m.-Thorbjorn Olesen, Thomas Pieters
8:45 a.m.-Rory Sabbatini, Byeong Hun An
8:55 a.m.-Rickie Fowler, Xander Schauffele
9:10 a.m.-Henrik Stenson, Webb Simpson
9:20 a.m.-Alex Noren, Dustin Johnson
9:30 a.m.-Tyrrell Hatton, Matt Kuchar
9:40 a.m.-Jon Rahm, Patrick Reed
9:50 a.m.-Lucas Bjerregaard, Tony Finau
10:00 a.m.-Erik van Rooyen, Dylan Frittelli
10:10 a.m.-Andrew Putnam, Jordan Spieth
10:20 a.m.-Brooks Koepka, Justin Rose
10:30 a.m.-Justin Harding, Cameron Smith
10:40 a.m.-Lee Westwood, Tommy Fleetwood
10:50 a.m.-Shane Lowry, J.B. Holmes

To receive GOLF’s all-new newsletters, subscribe for free here.