At soft Royal Liverpool, players advance in the competition





England's HOYLAKE - At a soft, windless Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Moving Day is more than living up to its hype during the third round of The 151st Open Championship.

Competitors were met by a rain-soaked and generally tranquil course on Saturday after two days of play on a windblown, sun-baked course, and they are making the most of it

With his fifth PGA TOUR triumph of the year, FedExCup leader Jon Rahm made the largest move by shooting a course record 8-under 63, which was also his best score in a major tournament.


Rahm, who played the final eight holes in 5 under, stated that everything got downwind and much easier starting on hole 11. The course was somewhat altered due to the wind conditions.

Rahm started his round with four consecutive pars, finished in 2-under 33, and then exploded on the back nine, shooting a 6-under 30. As 54-hole leader Brian Harman teed off, he improved from 2 over and tied for 39th to 6 under and second, just four strokes behind.

Rahm declared, "Yes, that was the best round I've ever had on a links course. "I knew I was playing better, I knew my swing and game felt better than the scores I was shooting."

Rahm now has the most of any TOUR player with four scores of 63 or higher this year. Rahm trailed Harman by just three strokes after the par-4 opening hole bogey by Harman

Rahm who is   is essentially unprotected, as was the case on Saturday at Royal Liverpool. McIlroy could have birdied all five holes after starting the day nine strokes off the lead, but he missed putts for birdies at the second and fourth holes, dropping him to 4 under par.