English pair Justin Rose and Dan Brown are one shot behind leader American Billy Horschel after a dramatic third round of The Open at rain-lashed Royal Troon.
Horschel, playing in the worst of the conditions, somehow fashioned a two-under-par 69 to improve to four under.
Rose and Brown are among six players, including US PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele, on three under,
South African Thriston Lawrence and Americans Sam Burns and Russell Henley are also one off the lead, having made their scores before the rain set in.
Lawrence played the front nine in six under par as the high winds of the opening two days abated. He signed for a 65, as did Burns, while Henley shot a 66.
World number one Scottie Scheffler is at two under after a 71.
“It turned into an absolute survival test,” said Rose, who along with Brown is looking to become the first Englishman since Sir Nick Faldo in 1992 to win the Claret Jug.
“I did a good job of surviving. I’m delighted to look at that leaderboard and say I’m one back.”
Horschel, who was playing with Rose, summed up the brutal conditions on the closing stretch, where the wind had turned from the opening two days from helping to hindering, by saying “we played five par-fives on the back side, not including the par-five 16th”.
He had four birdies in his opening nine holes to get to six under and then hung on over the back nine.
“This is by far my best round in really tough conditions in an Open Championship,” he added.
“I enjoy hitting little bunt shots. I get tired of golf where you’re making full swings and you lean into a certain number and it stops.
“I like when you have to be creative and find a way to get around the golf course.”
Ireland’s Shane Lowry, who led on seven under after two rounds, collapsed to a six-over 77, his troubles starting with a double-bogey five on the notoriously difficult Postage Stamp eighth.
He then had five bogeys on the back nine, his final one coming after he hit his second shot into the grandstand down the right of the 18th.
But at one under par and with more rain forecast to disrupt the final round, the 2019 champion is still in contention.
