Ryan Fox Sets Up 10-Foot Birdie for Open Lead as Sam Burns Fades

Q: Can Ryan Fox's aggressive play upset new father Sam Burns in their duel for a maiden major title?

Yes. Fox has the game and momentum to put real pressure on Sam Burns, but Burns still deserves to be viewed as the slight favorite because he leads by two and has been the steadier player over 54 holes. Fox’s case is clear. His third-round 62 at Royal Birkdale matched the lowest round ever shot in a men’s major and showed exactly why he is dangerous: he is willing to attack. The bunker recovery on 18, followed by a wedge to 10 feet, was the kind of high-skill, high-commitment play that can flip a major on Sunday. He has also already beaten Burns this year in a playoff at the RBC Canadian Open, which gives him evidence he can win a head-to-head finish. The course setup also gives Fox a chance. Royal Birkdale has yielded unusually low scoring this week because of softer greens and limited wind, and Fox’s aggressive use of driver has been rewarded. If conditions stay manageable, a player chasing from two back can make birdies quickly. But Burns is not a vulnerable leader by default. He followed his own 62 with a composed 65, hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation on Saturday, and has spoken about adopting a more disciplined links strategy. That matters under major pressure. His recent major form is stronger than Fox’s, even if this is also Burns’ first chance to win one. So Fox can absolutely upset Burns. The aggressive style gives him the higher-volatility path to victory; Burns has the lead and the more controlled route.

Q: Has modern technology and player skill finally overpowered Royal Birkdale, or will the course have the last laugh?

Modern players have not fully overpowered Royal Birkdale, but in this Open they have clearly exposed how vulnerable it becomes when conditions soften and the wind stays down. The evidence is striking. Ryan Fox’s 62 matched the men’s major-championship record, and he became the third player this week to do it after Sam Burns and Lucas Herbert. Burns then followed his own 62 with a 65 to reach 10 under and take a two-shot lead. Royal Birkdale has now produced four rounds of 62 in majors, including Branden Grace’s in 2017, and half of all major 62s have come there. That points to a course that, under receptive greens and calmer weather, can be attacked by elite players using modern power, precision and strategy. But that does not mean Birkdale is obsolete. Its revetted bunkers, narrow angles and redesigned closing stretch still punish mistakes quickly. Fox’s recovery from the fairway bunker on 18 was exceptional precisely because the hole remains demanding; Burns, by contrast, missed left and could not save a birdie chance. Across the week, players have still been tripped up by wind shifts, firm links turf, severe green surrounds and punishing misses. So the fairest answer is that technology and skill have lowered Birkdale’s ceiling, not erased its teeth. If Sunday stays calm, the players may keep winning the scoring battle. If the wind rises, Royal Birkdale can still have the last laugh.

Q: With record scores falling, is the 62 in a major no longer a sacred number for professional golf?

Yes. A 62 in a men’s major is still elite, but it is no longer the near-mythical number it once was. The evidence is hard to ignore. Ryan Fox’s 62 at Royal Birkdale matched the lowest round ever recorded in a men’s major, but it was already the third 62 of the week after Sam Burns and Lucas Herbert. That is the first time three players have reached that mark in the same major. More broadly, seven of the eight 62s in men’s major history have come in the last three years, a sharp change from the era when 63 was the barrier and 62 had never been done before Branden Grace in 2017. The context matters. Royal Birkdale has produced four of the eight major-championship 62s, helped this week by softer greens, light wind and receptive morning conditions. Players and analysts also point to modern power, sharper wedge play and equipment gains. Fox’s round itself showed how low scoring now comes from both precision and recovery skill, including his bunker escape on 18 that set up a birdie chance. That does not make 62 ordinary. It still requires exceptional golf, and it still does not guarantee a title. Burns followed his own 62 with a 65 to lead, while Fox’s 62 only moved him into contention. But the number has clearly shifted from sacred rarity to a record benchmark that top players can realistically chase, and perhaps soon beat.

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 19

Ryan Fox hacked his ball out of a bunker while standing on the fairway, then wedged to 10 feet for a straight uphill birdie putt that could give him the outright lead.
The recovery kept his round alive after an awkward lie, turning a potential mistake into a prime scoring chance on the hole.
Sam Burns, playing alongside the moment, pulled his second shot left and failed to wedge close, leaving himself to settle for par.
That contrast left Fox with a chance to move in front while Burns looked increasingly out of contention at The Open.