Rose and Brown one back as Horschel leads The Open

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, while world number one Scottie Scheffler is at two under.

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.

World number 272 Brown has defied odds and expectation since leading on day one. And he looked poised to lead into the final round when he birdied the par-five 16th to get to six under.

However, he bogeyed the par-three 17th after finding a bunker off the tee and then hit a six at the par-four last after again finding sand.

His two-over-par 73 was the same as that of Rose and they will start Sunday just one back as they look to become the first Englishman since Sir Nick Faldo in 1992 to win The Open.

Rose, who had three bogeys and one birdie in a typically gutsy round, gave a huge fist pump after holing a six-footer for par at the last.

South African Thriston Lawrence and Americans Sam Burns and Russell Henley are also one shot off the lead after making 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.

There are six major champions in the top 10 with Adam Scott and Justin Thomas at level par after they too enjoyed easier early conditions to post 66 and 67 respectively.

More to follow.