The Latest: Oosthuizen looking for a happier finish in major
SANDWICH, England (AP) — The Latest on the British Open (all times local):
2:45 p.m.
Louis Oosthuizen has started his final round of the British Open, his latest bid to finally get another major.
No one has played them better this year without winning.
Oosthuizen has been atop the leaderboard in six of his last 10 rounds in the majors — just never after the final round. The 38-year-old South African has been runner-up in the last two majors. His mentor, Ernie Els, is the only player in history to be runner-up in three straight majors.
Oosthuizen had a one-shot lead over Collin Morikawa, who is going after his second major at age 24. Both had 15-foot birdie chances on the opening hole and settled for pars.
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2:15 p.m.
Jon Rahm sets out to try to become the first player since Tiger Woods in 2000 to win the U.S. Open and British Open in the same year.
Recent history is not on his side.
Phil Mickelson in the 2013 British Open at Muirfield is the last player to win a major when starting the final round more than four shots out of the lead. Rahm shot a 65 on Saturday to get within five shots of the lead.
Mickelson had eight players ahead of him when he rallied from five shots behind at Muirfield. Rahm only had five players in front of him. Mickelson closed a 66, one of the great rounds in British Open history. Rahm might need something similar.
On another perfect day, there already have been been three rounds of 65 and two rounds of 66. Brooks Koepka is 5 under for his round through 12 holes.
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1:45 p.m.
Bryson DeChambeau finished a challenging week at the British Open with a 5-under 65 and a belief he can challenge for the claret jug at St. Andrews next year.
DeChambeau was bogey-free around Royal St. George’s in his final round and shot in the 60s for the first time in a week in which he got embroiled in a row with his club manufacturer and saw his beef with Brooks Koepka continue.
DeChambeau says he “understood a little bit more how to play Open Championship-style golf” and could have shot 9 under if he’d been better on the greens.
He expects to play the Scottish Open next year, a week before the British Open at the home of golf. He has never played the Old Course.
DeChambeau says “if I can drive it really well, I think there’ll be a lot of opportunities. I’ve heard that. Hey, maybe next year is the golden ticket for me.”
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12:10 p.m.
Lee Westwood soon will be setting the record for playing in the most majors without winning one.
That's not stopping the 48-year-old Englishman enjoying himself in the final round at the British Open.
Westwood rolled in a long putt from the back of the green at the par-3 seventh hole for eagle and that brought him back into the red numbers at Royal St. George's.
Still, at 1 under, he is 11 shots off the lead in his 88th major appearance.
Jay Haas previously held the men's record for most majors without a win, at 87.
Rickie Fowler shot 5-under 65 for the lowest round so far.
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10:45 a.m.
The sun is shining, the sky is blue and cloudless, and the flags are barely fluttering atop the grandstand at No. 18 that will be welcoming a British Open champion in about eight hours.
The final round is well underway at Royal St. George's and the conditions couldn't be more pleasant for the world's best golfers.
Louis Oosthuizen leads on 12-under 198 and is looking to end a run of near misses at the majors to win his second claret jug after 2010.
The South African is a shot clear of former PGA champion Collin Morikawa and they go out at 2.35 p.m. local time. Three-time major champion Jordan Spieth is a further two strokes back.
There has been some decent scoring already. Kevin Kisner went out on his own at 8 a.m. and shot 68. Brendan Steele was 4 under and bogey-free at the turn.
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