It’s always nice to finish that way – Sam Burns ends final round with a flourish

American Sam Burns produced the finish of the week with four birdies over his final four holes to shoot 64 and give hope to the pack chasing 150th Open Championship leaders Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland.

The 25-year-old, whose round matched the best of the week from Cameron Young on Thursday and Cameron Smith on Friday, was three under to the turn but failed to birdie the par-five 14th.

But he then finished with four successive threes, including a brilliant approach to the notoriously difficult 17th, to get to six under for the tournament.

However, that did not make a dent on the first page of the leaderboard, with McIlroy and Hovland 16 under and not due to tee off until mid-afternoon.

“It’s probably the most benign conditions we have had all the week: it’s a little bit softer with the rain and not as much wind so it is definitely more gettable,” he told the PA news agency.

“That (finish) was nice. I just hit the correct shots and get it in there pretty close and make putts.

“It’s always nice to finish that way. Just unfortunate to shoot 64 in the final round and still finish 40th.”

There were plenty of opportunities to pick up shots on Sunday with the Fife links more forgiving after overnight rain and very light morning winds.

Fellow American Tony Finau registered eight birdies as his 66 lifted him to eight under, while Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana added birdies at 11 and 14 to the eagle and two birdies he had on the front nine to move to within four of the lead.

England’s Tyrrell Hatton carded two early birdies to be nine under through three holes.

McIlroy is confident he can get the job done and win his fifth major, eight years after his last success in golf’s elite events.

The Northern Irishman lifted the Claret