Florida Gators star Billy Horschel tops 2024 Open Championship leaderboard entering final round

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It has been 35 years since a former Florida Gators golfer won a major championship, but on Saturday, Billy Horschel put himself in position to become the next one. Playing stellar golf for the second straight day at Royal Troon, Horschel moved to 4 under holding the solo lead at the 2024 Open Championship.

In doing so, Horschel became the first Gators golfer in 19 years to lead a major championship. Chris DiMarco topped the 2005 Masters leaderboard after 18, 36, 54 and even 72 holes but ultimately fell to Tiger Woods in a playoff at Augusta National.

Sitting in the top spot at The Open, Horschel will enter Sunday’s final round holding the best 54-hole position of his major career. He has only achieved two top 10s in 42 prior major appearances, a T4 at the 2013 U.S. Open and T8 earlier this year at the PGA Championship. This despite having won eight times on the PGA Tour from 2013-24.

“I just embraced the conditions. I love playing in these conditions,” said Horschel of the wind and rain that enveloped Royal Troon on Saturday. “It shows you who wants it the most, and you got to figure out a way to make a score. You’re not going to make full swings; you’re going to have to bunt it around. That’s something I do very well.”

Horschel was magnificent on the front nine going out in 32 with four birdies and no bogeys. The second half of the course played far more difficult throughout the day, and while he came in at 37 with nary a birdie to his name, posting just two bogeys on the second nine could be considered a fair success (though one on the 18th put a sour capper on his round).

Tremendous par saves out of greenside bunkers on the 14th and 16th aided Horschel’s clutch golf down the stretch putting him in position to become the first Florida golfer to capture a major since Mark Calcavecchia won the 1989 Open at this exact course, Royal Troon.

The Claret Jug is hardly Horschel’s to claim at this juncture. Some of the biggest names in golf will be breathing down his neck Sunday. 2024 PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele leads a group of six golfers just one stroke behind Horschel, while 2024 Masters champion Scotite Scheffler is two back and 2019 Champion Golfer of the Year Shane Lowry, who led after 18 and 36 holes, is just three behind.

Round 4 begins at 2:35 a.m. ET with Horschel set to begin his final 18 holes alongside Thirston Lawrence at 9:25 a.m.