Rory McIlroy blasts Bryson DeChambeau as Sam Burns leads Open after third round

Rory McIlroy has blasted Bryson DeChambeau for 'taking the Open hostage' connected Friday nighttime arsenic Sam Burns leads the tourney astatine the decision of the 3rd round.

Having initially reached the halfway signifier sitting 1 changeable disconnected the lead, DeChambeau was penalised 2 shots for "inadvertently improving his lie" connected the 5th hole.

DeChambeau, arsenic expected, was furious and was seen arguing with officials precocious into Friday evening, subsequently starring to the announcement of the third-round tee times being delayed.

That caused choler among the field, peculiarly the aboriginal starters, and McIlroy has not shied distant from airing his sentiment connected the situation.

Not lone does the Northern Irishman consciousness that the decision, which has divided opinion, was justified, McIlroy claimed that it was "not a large look" and revealed that helium was "not peculiarly fond" of DeChambeau.

Bryson DeChambeau is progressive successful a HEATED speech with officials backmost astatine the fifth! ? pic.twitter.com/JmCuKW3KaR

McIlroy blasts DeChambeau for holding 2026 Open "hostage"

He told reporters, arsenic quoted by BBC Sport: "I deliberation there's nary uncertainty that helium improved the enactment of his backswing.

"Whether it was careless oregon whether it was intentional, I don't deliberation it matters. Hopefully it was careless, but I deliberation the two-shot punishment was justified for sure."

McIlroy added: [It was a] precocious nighttime for everyone. I won't unreal to support Bryson. I'm not peculiarly fond of him. I deliberation a batch of it's performative. I deliberation a batch of it's for attention.

"To clasp the tourney hostage similar that, and to person each of us, players, volunteers, everyone waiting connected him to depart, I didn't consciousness similar it was a large look."

Burns seizes Open vantage aft circular three

Burns defied a 62 from Ryan Fox aboriginal connected Saturday to instrumentality a two-shot pb into the last round.

The American, who has had respective adjacent misses successful large tournaments, deed six birdies to station a 65.

Meanwhile, Fox became the 3rd subordinate successful this tourney to adjacent the all-time lowest circular successful a large tournament.

Si Woo Kim sits alongside the New Zealander connected eight-under-par, 2 shots adrift of the frontrunner.

As for DeChambeau, helium carded a 69 to permission himself 4 shots disconnected the lead, his vexation heightened by a bogey connected the last hole.