​Matt Fitzpatrick closed his third round with a 30-foot birdie putt to grab a share of the Genesis Scottish Open lead as he readies for a brisk Sunday turnaround in North Berwick. On Saturday night, play had to pause due to darkness after a lengthy fog delay had already limited the field, leaving Fitzpatrick with only eight holes completed. He picked up where he left off early Sunday morning, joining Michael Thorbjornsen as co-leaders and remaining among 15 players within three shots of the pace. Fitzpatrick then rattled off nine straight pars before signing for a 4-under 66 that cemented his spot in the final group at 12 under.
Joining him in Sunday afternoon’s head-to-head session are two former Scottish champions, Robert MacIntyre and Min Woo Lee, who won the event in 2024 and 2021 respectively. The three-ball is set to begin their final rounds at 9:50 a.m. ET on Sunday. Thorbjornsen, who shot a 65, sits one stroke back at 11 under, tied with Chris Gotterup and Tom Kim. Wyndham Clark, Johnny Keefer, Keita Nakajima, and Kevin Roy are all at 10 under, closely bunched for a late push on moving day.
Rory McIlroy also birdied the closing hole, mirroring Fitzpatrick’s late surge, but a challenging front nine that included four bogeys left him with a third-round 73 and knocked him out of contention. Fitzpatrick, meanwhile, is aiming for a fourth PGA Tour victory of the season after already winning the Valspar Championship, RBC Heritage, and the Zurich Classic earlier in the year, as he seeks to capitalize on another strong run in this international stop.
The dynamic trio in Sunday’s final grouping carries big momentum, with Fitzpatrick playing for a potential Sunday surge that could extend his already impressive 2024-25 campaign. His round on Sunday could be pivotal not only for securing his fourth PGA Tour win of the year but also for positioning himself higher in the FedExCup standings and the global rankings as the season progresses. The North Berwick course figures to offer a stern test, especially with the crowd gathered to witness a high-stakes finish featuring Fitzpatrick, MacIntyre, and Lee, all hungry to add another prestigious title to their résumés. Fans and bettors alike will be watching closely to see if Fitzpatrick can convert his closing-birdie momentum into a championship performance on Sunday.