Open leader Brian Harman said he was on the receiving end of “unrepeatable” comments from fans at Hoylake as he maintained his five-shot advantage.
Spectators at Royal Liverpool have been raucously expressing support for Southport player and Everton fan Tommy Fleetwood, and the American confirmed he heard disparaging comments while playing with the hometown favourite.
The crowd’s other favourite, Rory McIlroy, also endured a difficult day, trudging off the 18th and declining to talk to the media after watching his chances of winning a first Open in nine years severely fade.
When asked how it felt to face such a hostile crowd, Harman said: “Tommy and I have been friends for a long time. I knew he was from around here, so I’m not saying I was totally prepared for it, but I knew that he would have a lot of support. It’s nice to see so many fervor-ish fans for Mr Tommy.
“I’d be lying if I didn’t hear some things that weren’t super nice towards me,” Harman revealed.
“I hear them, but, at the same time I don’t try to let that influence the decision I’m about to make.” Asked specifically what he had heard, he said: “It’s unrepeatable.”
Fleetwood, meanwhile, accepts Harman is now clear favourite to lift the Claret Jug, but he is not giving up hope of landing his first major despite trailing by seven shots.
The world number 21, who carded a second successive level-par round of 71 to remain at five under in a five-way tie for fourth place, said: “Overall, it was frustrating.”
Harman dropped shots at the first and fourth, but he responded superbly with birdies on the fifth, ninth, 12th and 13th to maintain the five-shot advantage he held at halfway as he closed on 12 under.
But the American, who failed to close out victory in his only other third-round lead – albeit only by a stroke – in a major at the 2017 US Open, is taking nothing for granted.
He said, however, his hunting hobby has helped with his mental preparation. “The patience and the strategy (of hunting) for sure (has helped),” he said.
“When I go out turkey hunting I can spend all day out there. Hunting is something else that I do that makes me lose track of time.”
McIlroy had failed to make birdie at the last and finished the day on three under. Jon Rahm, in contrast, rocketed up the leaderboard to join Cameron Young as the main challengers behind Brian Harman.
Spaniard Rahm was by far the most impressive performer, with a stunning 63 which eclipsed the best Open round of countryman Seve Ballesteros – 64 at Turnberry in 1986.
Harman remains in a commanding position, however. Only two players in history have lost a five-shot lead after 54 holes of the Open, Macdonald Smith in 1925 and Jean van de Velde at Carnoustie in 1999, which will offer the 36-year-old plenty of encouragement.
