The Open notes, Rd. 3: DJ makes run, Garcia goes bogey-free

Jul 19, 2025 - 5:10 PMWritten by: Mike McAllister

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland – News and notes from Saturday’s Rd. 3 of The Open Championship at Royal Portrush, where Legion XIII's Tyrrell Hatton (T4) is the closest pursuer to leader Scottie Scheffler:

DJ MAKES A MOVE

Dustin Johnson finally had the opportunity to play on the weekend at a major this season – and he turned in a productive day, a bogey-free 4-under 67 that gives him a fighting chance of a top-10 finish.

The 4Aces GC captain had missed the cut in the first three majors in 2025, but his form has improved recently, and it showed in his stress-free third round in which he hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation. The 67 – his lowest score in a major since a 66 in the final round of last year’s PGA Championship – leaves him at 4 under for the tournament and tied for 22nd.

Still, he said it could’ve been even more spectacular.

“Today was a day it could have been really low,” Johnson said. “Missed a couple of short ones for birdie and really didn't hole anything other than the putt on the first hole.

“It was still a really nice, solid day. I struck it well. I controlled the ball really well. I'm happy with the game. The game is starting to finally come back into form. I've got some confidence in it. Hitting a lot of good shots.”

He’s been hitting a lot of good shots lately on LIV Golf; his tie for seventh last week at Andalucía was his fourth top 10 in his last seven starts. But he appeared headed for a missed cut late on Friday – until making three birdies in his final four holes to move above the cutline.

Asked about the majors this season, Johnson said: “I obviously didn't play my best but didn't play as bad as my scores reflected. Even in the first two – Masters was the putter. PGA, I think I had more putts there in the first round than I ever have in the first two rounds of golf in my life. But I hit it well. Obviously, Oakmont's tough. Played OK, just again didn't really hole any putts. Every time I missed one, I was severely penalized.

“Yeah, it was nice, obviously sitting on the cut line yesterday knowing I have to play well the last few holes and did, and then come out today and play really solid. I'm happy with the game. It's trending in the right direction.”

GARCIA ALSO BOGEY-FREE

Fireballs GC Captain Sergio Garcia shot a bogey-free 70 that moved him to even par on the tournament and tied for 51st. Garcia’s birdie at the par-5 12th was the only birdie that his twosome had Saturday, as American Andrew Novak failed to make a birdie.

“The conditions were as good as you're going to get them,” Garcia said. “The course was there to shoot 6-, 7-, 8-under if you play well and get going with the putter. Like you said, at least bogey-free, almost birdie-free between the two of us. That was amazing.”

Garcia is playing this week’s Open after earning the LIV Golf exemption this season. It’s his 26th career Open start and first since 2022. “The experience has been amazing,” he said. “Obviously I love this championship, and I love coming back. I wish that I would have played a little bit better and scored a little bit better.”

BRYSON’S SOLID 68

After his thrilling bounce-back 6-under 65 on Friday to make the cut, Bryson DeChambeau was 3 under through his first seven holes and had visions of a supercharged back nine that might put him in the mix.

But he parred his next five holes, then suffered a bogey at the 13th.

“I was trying to go 4 or 5 on the back nine,” said the Crushers GC captain. “Could have birdied 11, should have birdied 12. Par 13, birdie 14, birdie 17, right there. I mean, that's 6 under, and I'm four back of the lead. … Man, what could have been.”

Still, his 3-under 68 leaves him at 2 under (T34) and with an outside shot at his best-career result in The Open, which seemed unlikely after his opening 7-over 78 in which he failed to make a birdie.

“A little disappointing, but my game's in a great place,” DeChambeau said. “I'm still proud of the resilience that I had. Wish I could have done more today to give myself a better chance for tomorrow, but that's golf. I should have played better the first day.”

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STENSON SHOOTS 69

2016 Open champion Henrik Stenson, much like Bryson DeChambeau, was trying to build on his performance the previous day, his 3-under 68 moving him above the cut line. The Majesticks GC co-captain was on a good pace – he was 5 under in his first 12 holes, including an eagle at the par-5 seventh – but suffered three bogeys down the stretch to finish with a 69. Stenson is tied for 44th heading into Sunday.

“Yesterday, striking was better. Today wasn't as good,” Stenson said. “Still good enough, obviously, with a couple of good breaks early on to get the round going. Unfortunately, you always kind of feel there's a bit of a wet blanket on top of you when you finish with three dropped shots in the last five holes.”

SCORES FOR LIV GOLF PLAYERS

LIV Golf player

Rds. 1-3 scores

Position

Tyrrell Hatton

68-69-68 (8 under)

T4

Lee Westwood

69-70-69 (5 under)

T14

Dustin Johnson

73-69-67 (4 under)

T22

Marc Leishman

73-68-68 (4 under)

T22

Bryson DeChambeau

78-65-68 (2 under)

T34

Jon Rahm

70-72-69 (2 under)

T34

Henrik Stenson

75-68-69 (1 under)

T44

Jason Kokrak

71-70-71 (1 under)

T44

Sergio Garcia

70-73-70 (even)

T51

Phil Mickelson

70-72-76 (5 over)

T66

Dean Burmester

71-71-76 (5 over)

T66

TEE TIMES FOR LIV GOLF PLAYERS, RD. 4

Players

Tee times local (ET)

Tyrrell Hatton, Xander Schauffele

2 p.m. (9 a.m. ET)

Lee Westwood, Corey Conners

12:45 p.m. (7:45 a.m. ET)

Dustin Johnson, Sungjae Im

12:35 p.m. (7:35 a.m. ET)

Marc Leishman, Lucas Glover

12:25 p.m. (7:25 a.m. ET)

Bryson DeChambeau, Nathan Kimsey

11:30 a.m. (6:30 a.m. ET)

Jon Rahm, Akshay Bhatia

11:10 a.m. (6:10 a.m. ET)

Henrik Stenson, Maverick McNealy

10:35 a.m. (5:35 a.m. ET)

Jason Kokrak, Aaron Rai

10:15 a.m. (5:15 a.m. ET)

Sergio Garcia, Justin Leonard

9:55 a.m. (4:55 a.m. ET)

Dean Burmester, Phil Mickelson

8:40 a.m. (3:40 a.m. ET)

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