“Royal Birkdale has crowned 10 champions. The 11th will be the player who solves this layout amongst the sand dunes on a golf course that has been browned by a warm and dry British summer…Royal Birkdale a fabulous place to write the final chapter of major championship golf for 2026.”– Mike Tirico
“It is a spectacular scene…this course always has the knack of identifying the premier player of the moment.” – Dan Hicks
“You know that last putt at Shinnecock is still burning into Sam…but he’s playing like a madman now.” – Smylie Kaufman on 54-Hole Leader Sam Burns, After Birdie at No. 8
“Got it! What a statement. What would this leaderboard look like if he didn’t get that 2-stroke penalty…good thing he decided to play today.” – Brad Faxon on DeChambeau’s birdie on No. 17
Sunday’s Final Round Coverage Begins at 7 a.m. ET on NBC and Peacock
STAMFORD, Conn. – July 18, 2026 – NBC Sports presented third-round coverage of the 154th Open Championship from Royal Birkdale in Southport, England, across NBC and Peacock. Sam Burns leads the field at 10-under par heading into Sunday’s final round. His second- and third-round scores of 62 and 65 are the lowest consecutive 36-hole total in major championship history. Burns will look to capture the first major championship of his career.
Mike Tirico hosted NBC Sports’ coverage, with lead play-by-play voice Dan Hicks joined by play-by-play announcers Terry Gannon and Steve Sands, and analysts Kevin Kisner, Brad Faxon, and Curt Byrum. On-course analysts Jim “Bones” Mackay, Smylie Kaufman, and John Wood contributed reporting and analysis throughout the broadcast, while Cara Banks conducted player interviews. Former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley joined the telecast for a portion of the third round, providing expert analysis on links golf strategy and the unique challenges of Royal Birkdale.
Sunday’s final-round coverage on NBC and Peacock begins tomorrow at 7 a.m. ET.
154th Open Championship – Third Round Leaderboard
| Player | Total | |
| 1. | Sam Burns | -10 |
| T2. | Ryan Fox | -8 |
| T2. | Si Woo Kim | -8 |
| T4. | Ryan Gerard | -7 |
| T4. | Lucas Herbert | -7 |
| T6. | Ludvig Aberg | -6 |
| T6. | Bryson DeChambeau | -6 |
| T6. | Jackson Suber | -6 |
ON ROYAL BIRKDALE:
Mike Tirico: “It was 1954 that this links just off the Irish sea first hosted golf’s oldest championship. Since then, Royal Birkdale has crowned 10 champions. The 11th will be the player who solves this layout amongst the sand dunes on a golf course that has been browned by a warm and dry British summer. There’s been some changes. It’s turned into a very exciting finishing stretch of holes making Royal Birkdale a fabulous place to write the final chapter of major championship golf for 2026.”
Dan Hicks: “It is a spectacular scene…this course always has the knack of identifying the premier player of the moment.”
ON STRATEGY & CONDITIONS:
Steve Sands: “The strategy is so interesting here at Birkdale. Over the years players have said this is the best course in England. Justin Leonard the ’97 Troon champion said, ‘this is a fair test which is all you want from a golf course.’”
Paul McGinley on strategy: “What’s so great is the different strategies players are taking around here and that’s what’s fun to watch…and the caddies have a big role to play. It’s great to see the yin and yang and how different players use it and different skill sets.”
Smylie Kaufman: “Over the course of the last couple of weeks with this heat wave, this fescue has dried out, and it has become very playable. You have seen strategy change, players have taken more drivers, and it’s led to more birdies and honestly this scoring average if you look over the first 36-holes, it’s the second lowest scoring average in Open history.”
Kaufman: “I’m excited about this 7th hole today. They moved the tee box up, only playing 115 yards. Should see some fireworks at that short par-3 today.”
Tirico on early afternoon weather at Royal Birkdale: “Extraordinarily atypical winds for The Open. We are not expected to see it over a dozen miles per hour sustained for the rest of the weekend, which never happens over here. Except this time.”
ON SAM BURNS (-10, LEADER):
Hicks on Burns’ birdie on No. 2: “Great look for Burns…picks up the birdie! For a guy who said, ‘I have zero chance that I was going to come to this Open Championship’…he and his wife Caroline welcoming their second child just a few weeks ago on July 3rd, but here he is after the heartbreak at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock.”
Tirico: “For a two here at the fourth…and there goes Sam Burns with an ‘and one!’ With birdies at 2 and 4…it is the new pop in Sam Burns making a push.”
Kisner on Burns’ birdie putt on No. 8 for the lead: “You know that last putt at Shinnecock is still burning into Sam…but he’s playing like a madman now.”
Hicks on Burns’ 30-foot birdie putt to tie the lead on No. 14: “Got it! Burns back to 9-under! Tied at the top! Played the proper shot, didn’t get too greedy, and just filled it up from long range to the delight of the crowd behind him.”
Hicks on Burns’ walking up No. 18: “This is a walk on Saturday that feels pretty good but tomorrow is another ball game and that is what Burns wants to do. Close the deal on a major championship Sunday.”
Kaufman on Burns’ finish on 18: “It’s been an absolute stripe show from this guy today. On point from start to finish.”
ON BRYSON DECHAMBEAU (-6, T6):
Tirico on walking with Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler in round 2: “I just add awe. These guys, when you see it up close in person…it is even better than watching it on TV they are so darn good. Really is amazing.”
Tirico on DeChambeau arriving for round 3: “A lot of conversation about what happened at the 5th hole. He arrives certainly determined to get those two shots back.”
Byrum on DeChambeau’s two-stroke penalty during round 2 play: “It was when he first walked into the fescue that was the problem. He walked in pretty aggressively here, when he walks in and starts pushing down some of the fescue around the side and behind the ball, and for me, that was the real problem. When you get in that tall stuff as a player you have to be really careful.”
Tirico on Rory McIlroy’s comments on Bryson DeChambeau’s two-stroke penalty reaction after round 2 play wrapped up: “A lot of candor from McIlroy. The delay, there were several players -- Justin Thomas was one of them – who tweeted. People were waiting for the starting times, so that’s what the ‘performative’ part and ‘keeping people around’ was referencing. It is rare in sports, especially this sport, you get direct comments from one superstar about the other like that…that’s one of Rory’s charms, one of Bryson’s charms. They both say what’s on their mind and it just adds another day of life to the DeChambeau story from Friday at The Open.”
Byrum on DeChambeau before third-round play: “I think he goes out with a chip on his shoulder. He’ll use it as a motivator to go out and show the world how good he is…he is playing some great golf…concentrate on that and put yourself in a position to win this championship on Sunday.”
Kaufman on DeChambeau’s demeanor on the course: “Most of the day I’ve been trying to monitor whether this crowd was going to be behind him today and for the most part a lot of applause, some playful interactions.”
Hicks on DeChambeau’s par save on No. 12: “Can DeChambeau save it? It would be an outstanding up and down…that he handles! Drills it right in the heart.”
Faxon on DeChambeau’s birdie on No. 17: “Got it! What a statement. What would this leaderboard look like if he didn’t get that 2-stroke penalty…good thing he decided to play today.”
ON RYAN FOX (-8, T2):
Kaufman: “Heck of a start for Ryan Fox, exactly what you want to do if you’re a chaser. Flying up that leaderboard on moving day.”
John Wood: “It’s amazing how quick the buzz gets around the course, and people find their way to the hot groups.”
Byrum on Fox’s birdie on the 10th hole: “He is on fire officially, isn’t he?”
Tirico: “Story of the morning.”
Tirico on Fox’s finish on the 18th green: “He is the seventh! Seventh man to shoot 62 in a major championship!”
ON TOMMY FLEETWOOD (-5, T9):
Tirico: “True home game [for Tommy], native of Southport. Grew up ten minutes from here”
Hicks: “It’s like watching Arnold Palmer. Every green he comes to, every walk, he gets a huge round of applause. It is some scene.”
Gannon on Fleetwood’s long birdie putt at No. 7: “It is loud, and it’s going to get even more as we go if he keeps this up!”
Brad Faxon: “It couldn’t be a better story at Birkdale if Tommy Fleetwood wins the Claret Jug”
ON SI WOO KIM (-8, T2):
Dan Hicks on Kim’s birdie putt to get within one of the lead at No. 10: “He’s quietly having the best year of his career; he just has not won.”
Faxon on Kim’s Achilles injury and missed par putt on No. 9: “When we talk about his Achilles bothering him a little bit, when you’re static, sometimes when you’re still that’s when you notice it the most.”
ON LUCAS HERBERT (-7, T4):
Hicks on Herbert’s par save on No. 4: “Nailed it! He has been impressive in this spot.”
Jim “Bones” Mackay on Herbert’s tough bunker lie on No. 5 that led to a par save: “This is absolutely brutal up against the riveted face. I don’t think he can get it out going in this direction, but he certainly has never looked backwards here.”
McGinley on Herbert’s birdie for the lead on No. 9: “I played a bit with Lucas on TOUR…he knew what he was doing, he had loads of confidence…he was good, you can tell this guy was going places.”
Tirico on Herbert’s lucky break on No. 11 after getting through the fescue and on to the green: “So often you talk about the bounces and breaks you get to keep a day going…certainly for Herbert with that.”
ON JACKSON SUBER (-6, T6):
Hicks: “Welcome to Europe, his first trip to Europe, his first Open Championship, but the guy does have some pretty good experience in some big events.”
Hicks on Suber’s approach shot on No. 2: “Posing from 130 [yards] and super delivers! That’s a kick-in birdie for Jackson.”
Hicks on Suber’s approach shot on No. 12: “The best we have seen today by Suber coming off that birdie to get one back. This final duo I think a lot of people out there, Kis, might have thought these guys would just kind of fade away a bit.”
ON SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER (-4, T11):
Sands prior to the start of Scheffler’s third round: “He is only four back heading into the weekend with a cold putter.”
Tirico on walking with Scottie Scheffler’s group in round 2: “Got to watch every shot Scottie hit, he did not miss. Came so close on so many putts, just a little off on each one.”
Sands on Scheffler on No. 1: “Honestly, it’s getting hard to find something he can’t do really really well, or better than everybody on TOUR.”
Hicks on Scheffler chipping out of the fescue on No. 2: “He almost makes those incredible tough short shots look easy.”
Hicks on Scheffler’s struggles with the putter on No. 16: “That’s the first dropped shot today by Scheffler, only the third boegy all week.”
Hicks on Scheffler after par putt to finish on No. 18: “It’s been a week where he’s made only three putts over 10 feet in three rounds.”
ON CAMERON YOUNG (-3, T20):
Faxon on Young’s iron shot on No. 5: “How good is that! Did you see how far back he took that club? That was back to parallel like he’d hit a driver way up in the air into the wind.”
Faxon on Young’s birdie putt on No. 5: “That’s a top 10 up and down right there!”
Hicks on Cameron Young’s shot off side of bunker at No. 15: “I’m going with Terry; he knows a little bit about calling bank shots.”
Gannon (NCAA basketball champion with N.C. State in 1983): “I like swish.”
ON RORY MCILROY (-2, T29):
Kaufman before McIlroy’s round: “I expect Rory McIlroy to have a great day today. He’s driving the ball too well, just needs that putter to heat up a little bit for him and see the ball go in early.”
Sands on McIlroy’s drive on drivable par-4 9th hole: “It has been a thrill ride at 9 to watch Rory McIlroy the past 3 days.”
Sands on McIlroy’s eagle at 9th hole: “He drills it for eagle! He doesn’t drive the green today like he did on Thursday and Friday, however he takes a lot of momentum to the other side of the course with a two at [Hole] 9…Just perfection…needed something to happen and he made it happen!”
Hicks on McIlroy’s par save at No. 18: “That’s a nice way to finish it off!”
--NBC SPORTS--
