Winners and Losers From Third Round of British Open: Rory Says Quiet Part Out Loud About Bryson
Sam Burns leads the British Open after the third round, while Rory McIlroy publicly criticized Bryson DeChambeau's conduct regarding a penalty. The tournament continues to be marked by high-stakes competition and player friction.
Why it matters
High-profile conflicts between top athletes influence the narrative and public perception of major professional sports events.
The third round of the 2026 British Open at Royal Birkdale is in the books and what a day it was for Sam Burns, who fired a five-under 65 to take a two-shot lead.
Burns is looking to win his first major and this would be a pretty sweet one to get as he and his wife just welcomed their second child a few weeks ago. It would also come a month after he narrowly missed out on forcing a playoff at the U.S. Open.
Let’s take a look at the winners and losers from the third round.
Winner: Rory McIlroy for getting really honest about Bryson DeChambeau
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