For 2 holes on Sunday, Sam Burns looked ready to turn his overnight advantage into control of the Open Championship. Then Royal Birkdale changed the terms.
Burns began the final round at 10 under, holding a 2 shot lead over Si Woo Kim and Ryan Fox. A sharp approach into the 2nd left him a short birdie chance, and he converted it to reach 11 under. The lead was 3. His walk looked relaxed. The final group appeared settled.
That calm disappeared quickly.
Burns Surrenders His Early Advantage
Burns bogeyed the par 3 4th, then made another at the 5th after chipping through the green and racing his next putt about 20 feet past the hole.
At the 6th, he pulled his tee shot into a ditch, took a penalty drop and faced the possibility of a double bogey. A deft wedge limited the damage, but the 3rd straight bogey had already erased his advantage.
The sequence changed the tone of the final round. Burns had moved to 11 under and looked ready to pull away. Minutes later, he was chasing again.
His stumble carried extra weight because of how well he had played since Thursday. An opening 73 left him outside the early title conversation. He answered with a 62 on Friday, matching the lowest score ever recorded in a men’s major championship.
A Saturday 65 then pushed him into the final round lead. The player who had done the heavy lifting earlier in the week suddenly lost control when the pressure reached its highest point.
Kim Moves In With Consecutive Birdies
Kim was ready when the opening arrived.
The South Korean laid back from the 5th tee, fired his wedge close and tapped in for birdie. One hole later, his approach finished in a swale beside the green. Kim chose putter and rolled a curling 20 footer up the ridge and into the cup.
Just like that, Kim stood alone at 10 under. Burns had fallen to 8 under. The player who started Sunday chasing was now 2 shots clear of the overnight leader.
Kim did not force the issue early. Starting 2 behind, he knew he needed to make a move, but Royal Birkdale punished reckless decisions. Firm fairways and a strengthening wind demanded control more than aggression.
His birdie at the 5th came from a precise wedge. The putt at the 6th required touch, nerve and a clean read across the slope. Kim converted both chances while Burns struggled to keep the ball in position.
Kim still had the back 9 ahead of him, Burns remained within striking distance and the wind was becoming a larger factor. Every swing carried more weight as the leaders moved closer to the turn.
Burns Tries To Stop The Slide
Earlier in the week, Burns said his wife, Caroline, had given him a simple reminder after his difficult opening round: “You need to be where your feet are.” The advice helped him recover from Thursday’s 73 and produce one of the strongest scoring stretches in major championship history.
On Sunday, the challenge became immediate. Burns had to stop thinking about the 3 shots he had surrendered and begin rebuilding his round. The course was getting harder, and the players behind him were no longer waiting.
Kim had taken advantage. Cameron Young was about to add even more pressure.
Young Posts The Clubhouse Target
Nearly 2 hours ahead of the final pairing, Young caught fire.
He tore through the opening 9 in 29 and reached the 18th with a chance to post 10 under. His drive drifted into a fairway bunker as the wind pushed it to the right.
Young tried to clear the steep face with his 2nd shot but drove the ball into the revetted wall. After finding another bunker beside the green, he nearly holed his recovery and escaped with bogey.
The dropped shot cost him double figures. Still, his 64 established the clubhouse lead at 9 under and gave the final groups a firm target.
Young had completed his work. Kim could not protect his position with cautious pars forever. Burns could not assume the leaders would fall back toward him.
Royal Birkdale Opens The Title Race
The Sunday shift came fast.
Burns reached 11 under and seemed ready to take command. Four holes later, he had lost 3 shots. Kim stayed composed and moved past him. Young sat inside the clubhouse with 9 under posted.
The firm fairways and freshening wind had already punished loose swings, poor pace and missed landing spots. Every decision carried more weight as the leaders approached the turn.
Nobody had won anything yet. But the Open Championship no longer belonged to Burns.
Kim had taken the lead. Young had set the number. Royal Birkdale had blown the title race wide open.
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FAQs
Who took the Open lead when Sam Burns faltered?
Si Woo Kim reached 10 under and moved ahead after making consecutive birdies at the 5th and 6th holes.
What happened to Sam Burns in the final round?
Burns birdied the 2nd, then made 3 straight bogeys from the 4th through the 6th. He fell from 11 under to 8 under.
What did Cameron Young shoot at Royal Birkdale?
Young closed with a 64 and posted a 9 under clubhouse total despite making bogey at the 18th.
Why was Sam Burns’ Friday 62 historic?
Burns matched the lowest round ever recorded in a men’s major championship.
What advice did Caroline Burns give Sam Burns?
She told him, “You need to be where your feet are.” The message helped him recover after his opening 73.
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