Billy Horschel survives the deluge to lead after wild day at the Open

AS IT STANDS -4 Horschel; -3 Brown, Burns, Henley, Lawrence, Schauffele, Rose: -2 Scheffler, -1 Lowry SELECTED OTHERS E Scott, Thomas, Jordan

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Before the hopefuls tee off in this year’s Open, they are greeted by a banner on the first grandstand that reads “Forged by Nature”. It was Mother Nature that set up the grandstand finish here at Royal Troon.

In hellish conditions on the South Ayrshire links, Billy Horschel survived the deluge to emerge as the shock leader heading into a tantalising Open Sunday.

This was an extraordinary day of major championship golf, where the world’s best players were pushed to their absolute limits in the relentless lashing rain. And it was the gritty Horschel who braved the downpour – often without even the defence of a waterproof – to somehow muster a two-under 69 and lead by one.

Horschel has never even had a top-ten in a major before, but is suddenly dreaming of winning the most prestigious one of all.  “I’ve worked my entire life to be in this position,” the 37-year-old American told reporters, still drying off after his round. “We know what this means to everyone. I know what it means to my legacy in the game of golf and what I want to do and accomplish.”

The unheralded Yorkshireman Daniel Brown almost escaped the carnage unscathed too, traipsing up the 18th green with a one-shot lead of his own. He will rue a double-bogey six down the last, but is still right in the mix just one back.

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In stark contrast, how Russell Henley, Thriston Lawrence and Sam Burns must have enjoyed their afternoons in the warmth, sneaking into the clubhouse at three-under before a drop of rain had barely even fallen.

From nowhere, each of the majorless trio are one great round away from lifting the Claret Jug. Seldom has the luck of the draw in the game’s most unpredictable tournament had such a devastating impact.

Beware, however, of Justin Rose and Xander Schauffele, who have been here before and are also just one behind Horschel. The reaction of the large umbrella-cloaked galleries to Rose’s crucial par save on the 18th signalled their favourite for tomorrow’s race to the finish line.

“I think really that par putt on 18 has really put me in a really great spot mentally going into tomorrow,” Rose beamed. “I feel like I’ve got nothing to lose. I feel like I’m right there within touching distance.

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The pre-tournament favourite Scottie Scheffler, meanwhile, has spent the opening three days of this tournament hiding in plain sight, and is still lurking a further shot a drift after battling admirably to a level par 71.

It was a less enjoyable day, however, for the overnight leader.

Shane Lowry stepped onto the fourth tee with a three-shot lead and an impressive sense of calm. But having dropped seven strokes in his final 14 holes and signing for 77, the simmering Irishman is suddenly the rank outsider among the cavalry.

“This is going to take me a couple hours to get over today,” a drained Lowry conceded. “But I have a job to do tomorrow and a similar chance to win this tournament.”

Thankfully for the fans in attendance – and more pertinently for those poor old caddies – the weather is set a little fairer for tomorrow’s climax to the men’s major season.

So who wins this 152nd Open Championship? The answer lies somewhere on a sodden Troon postcard.

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.