Kim Si-woo trails leader Sam Burns by two strokes heading into the final round. [Photo=THE R&A]
Kim Si-woo trails leader Sam Burns by two strokes heading into the final round. [Photo=THE R&A]

Kim Si-woo is in contention for his first major title after moving into a share of second place at the 154th Open Championship, the final men's major of the season.

Kim carded four birdies and one bogey for a 3-under-par 67 on Saturday at Royal Birkdale Golf Club (par 70, 7,156 yards) in Southport, England, lifting his 54-hole total to 8-under-par 202 and placing him in a tie for second with Ryan Fox of New Zealand.

Kim sits just two strokes behind leader Sam Burns of the United States, leaving the door wide open for a final-round comeback. He tees off at 10:10 p.m. Sunday Korea time, bidding to become the first Korean to lift the Claret Jug.

"When I play aggressively, I try to do that. I'll go out there with confidence," Kim said. "Nobody knows what will happen. I feel pretty relaxed. I've been in contention a lot this year. Being two back, I don't feel any pressure."

Burns had originally planned to skip the tournament because of his wife's due date, but their daughter arrived earlier than expected, freeing him to compete. The five-time PGA Tour winner made the most of moving day, firing six birdies and one bogey for a 5-under-par 65 to reach 10-under 200 and take the outright lead.

Kim limped slightly during the third round after feeling pain near both Achilles tendons.

He opened his scoring with birdies on the second hole (par 4) from 1.3 meters and the seventh hole (par 3) from 1.65 meters, then drained a long-range putt of more than 6 meters on the 10th hole (par 4) to build momentum. He dropped a shot at the 11th (par 4) after missing a 3.3-meter par putt, but bounced back with a birdie at the 17th (par 5), sticking his third shot to within a meter of the pin to cement his share of second.

"I changed my shoe insoles last week, and I think that may have been the cause — yesterday it was my right Achilles, today my left," Kim said. "Fortunately the pain settled down after I took some painkillers. Making a few difficult putts in critical moments was what kept the good momentum going." Kim has played in the Open Championship eight times, with his best finish a tie for 15th in 2022.

Fox shot an 8-under-par 62, with nine birdies and one bogey, to match the all-time major record for the lowest 18-hole score and join Kim in second place.

Lucas Herbert of Australia, who had shot a 62 on Saturday, dropped one stroke to finish at 7-under 203, sharing fourth place with Ryan Gerard of the United States.

Bryson DeChambeau of the United States, who received a two-stroke penalty for improving his lie in the second round, carded two birdies and one bogey for a 1-under 69, moving to 6-under 204 and into a tie for sixth with Jackson Suber and Ludvig Aberg of Sweden.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler of the United States, the defending champion, managed only an even-par round to sit at 4-under 206, tied for 11th alongside Jon Rahm of Spain, Shane Lowry of Ireland and Hideki Matsuyama of Japan.

Im Sung-jae posted a 1-under 69 to reach 3-under 207 and share 20th place. Im collected three birdies on the front nine but gave back strokes on the back nine, making four bogeys against two birdies.


sports@heraldcorp.com