For years, there has been talk of the NFL entering an era of 'positionless' football and, looking back on the 2021 season, there is a case to be made that it's finally here.
With the league dominated by dual-threat quarterbacks and defenses increasingly reliant on secondary defenders who can move around the field, the phrase 'the more you can do' has never more definitively applied to the NFL – at least not since the bygone era of the two-way player.
Indeed, players who can excel in several positions and fulfil a multitude of different roles are more valuable than ever, with three of the teams that made last season's final four dependent on players who are among the league's most versatile.
Using advanced data, Stats Perform can break down the league's multi-faceted stars and look at some of the more versatile players who have flown somewhat under the radar.
The NFC West Unicorns
Aaron Donald - Los Angeles Rams
We would be remiss to mention the most versatile players in the league and not start it with Donald.
Donald is the NFL's pre-eminent defensive player and the most remarkable aspect of his dominance is that he maintains it irrespective of where he lines up on the defensive line.
His pressure rate of 28.1 per cent last year led all interior defensive linemen and it only dipped to 27.7 per cent when he moved out to the edge, though he did so for just 94 pass-rush snaps in 2021 compared to 448 from his defensive tackle position.
And 108 of his 127 pressures on the inside involved him beating a pass protector. That was the case for 23 of his 26 edge pressures, which illustrates his ability to confound offensive linemen regardless of whether he's working within tight confines or from wide-open space.
Jalen Ramsey - Los Angeles Rams
Donald is the engine of the Los Angeles defense, but a unit that has leaned on its top-end talent would not have remained among the league's elite if not for the presence of arguably the NFL's top secondary defender.
Ramsey still played the vast majority of his snaps as an outside corner in 2021, playing 784 in that position. However, as the 'star' player on the Los Angeles defense, Ramsey spends most of his time locked on an opponent's top receiver, which frequently means playing in the slot.
Indeed, Ramsey played 366 snaps in the slot and was outstanding when lined up there. Targeted 31 times from the slot, Ramsey allowed a burn, which is when a receiver wins a matchup on a play in which they're targeted, 38.7 per cent of the time. The league average for slot corners with at least 50 coverage snaps was 50.7 per cent.
Ramsey posted the ninth-lowest burn yards per target average (5.84) and was the seventh-best slot by big play rate. He gave up a big play on just 6.5 per cent of targets.
His numbers as an outside corner were less impressive. Ramsey gave up a burn 48 per cent of the time and surrendered 10.32 burn yards per target. However, his big-play rate allowed of 19.4 per cent was still better than the average of 26.1 per cent (min. 50 snaps) and amounted to him giving up 15 big plays on 75 targets across 398 coverage snaps.
In other words, Ramsey allowed a big play on under four per cent of his coverage snaps as an outside corner. The 'lockdown defender' tag applies to Ramsey wherever he is on the field.
Deebo Samuel - San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers have dug in their heels and refused to indulge Samuel's trade request, with their determination to hold on to the wide receiver unsurprising given his outsized value to San Francisco's offense.
Samuel is to the 49ers' offense what Donald is to the Rams' defense. Last season, he was the reason it worked and the reason the Niners came agonisingly close to completing three wins over the Rams and claiming the NFC championship.
In a career year for Samuel, he racked up 1,405 receiving yards, leading the league with 18.2 yards per reception while his 10.1 yards after catch average was also the best among wideouts.
Yet it was the way in which the Niners utilised his ability in the open field to turn him into a de-facto running back in the second half of last season that weaponized the San Francisco offense.
When lined up in the backfield as a running back, Samuel averaged 6.58 yards per rush last season. He recorded 4.11 yards before contact per attempt, 2.67 yards after contact and averaged 4.77 yards per attempt on carries in which there was a run disruption by a defender.
No running back could match his yards per carry average or top his performance on rushes disrupted by a defender. Rashaad Penny of the Seattle Seahawks and Dontrell Hilliard of the Tennessee Titans were the only players with over 50 carries at running back to average over 4.0 yards before contact per rush. Kareem Hunt (2.84) of the Cleveland Browns was the only player to average more yards after contact per attempt than Samuel.
With the option to hand the ball off to Samuel or flare him out and get him the ball on screens, lining Deebo up in the backfield allowed the Niners to limit Donald's impact for long periods and lessen Ramsey's effectiveness when he played the 'star' role by forcing him to follow Samuel into the box.
The duplicity Samuel brings in his hybrid receiver-running back role is critical to head coach Kyle Shanahan winning the play-calling chess match. Despite his trade demands, it's why the Niners will ensure he remains on their board.
Cooper Kupp - Los Angeles Rams
While Kupp may not do the damage Samuel does out of the backfield, it is impossible to leave the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year off this list.
Kupp was the only receiver in the NFL last season to finish in the top five in burn yards per route as an outside receiver (fourth, 3.9) and from the slot (third, 4.0).
On top of that, he was fifth in big-play rate among outside receivers with at least 50 targets, registering an explosive on 39.7 per cent of targets. Only two wideouts, Christian Kirk (36.7) of the Arizona Cardinals and Cedrick Wilson (36.5) of the Dallas Cowboys produced a higher rate of big plays from the slot than Kupp's 36.4 per cent.
Lined up for 24 snaps as a running back, Kupp was also utilised as a safety net for Matthew Stafford out of the backfield on occasion. His proficiency in contributing to pass protection by blocking defenders before getting out into his route perfectly encapsulated just how well-rounded of a player he has become.
Queens on the Chessboard
Cordarrelle Patterson - Atlanta Falcons
Patterson was overdrafted by the Minnesota Vikings back in 2013, but he carved out a hybrid role last season in the Atlanta offense in which he, like Samuel, spent time in the backfield and lined up as a receiver.
Designated as a running back, Patterson averaged 4.07 yards per carry, racking up 2.0 yards after contact per attempt and 3.06 yards per attempt on rushes in which there was a disruption by a defender.
Among running backs who registered 100 carries and were targeted 50 times, Patterson's 22.6 per cent big-play rate on passing targets was the highest in the NFL. Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints was second at 21.3.
With the Falcons transitioning to a new era at quarterback as Marcus Mariota and Desmond Ridder compete for the job, Patterson's ability to create yards after contact as a runner and explosive plays on routes out of the backfield will again be extremely valuable in 2022.
Between Patterson, Kyle Pitts and first-round pick Drake London, the Falcons have a trio of malleable playmakers who can ensure the offense is still explosive as they move away from the Matt Ryan era.
Travis Kelce - Kansas City Chiefs
In terms of value to his team, Kelce rivals Samuel with the multiple roles he plays for the Chiefs and the importance of him excelling from several spots will likely increase in 2022 following the Chiefs' trade of Tyreek Hill.
One of the league's most effective 'power slots' who uses his size and route running to his advantage when lined up as a de-facto slot receiver, Kelce played 333 snaps in that position in 2021.
He played 184 as an outside receiver and 136 from his traditional in-line tight end spot in an encapsulation of the evolution of a position that has grown ever more multi-faceted.
Kelce's burn rate from all three spots was over 70 per cent. He won his matchup with a defender on 79.1 per cent of targets as an in-line tight end. That ratio dipped to 76.3 per cent as an outside receiver and 74.4 per cent from the slot.
The majority of his big plays, however, came when he lined up outside. Kelce produced a big play on 34.8 per cent of his targets as an outside receiver and 32.3 per cent from the slot. He was not as explosive as an in-line tight end, a spot from where he delivered a big play 25.8 per cent of the time.
Though the numbers at each alignment may differ, they all paint the same picture: a playmaker who gets open regardless of where he is on the field. Combined with his underrated blocking, Kelce's remarkable versatility makes him one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the NFL.
Elgton Jenkins - Green Bay Packers
Jenkins has played every position in the trenches apart from right guard during his three seasons in the NFL, and in that time he has established himself as one of the best young offensive linemen in the NFL and an integral part of the Packers' attack.
Last season, Jenkins played the entirety of his snaps at left tackle before injury curtailed his campaign after eight games. He allowed only 11 pressures on 163 pass protection snaps, with his pressure rate of 6.7 per cent superior to the average of 9.2 per cent among left tackles.
Prior to that in 2020, Jenkins played most of his snaps at left guard, but also filled in at center and made cameos at both tackle spots. His pressure rate of 4.7 per cent was fifth among left guards that year. At center, he gave up a pressure on just 2.1 per cent of snaps – the third-best rate among players at the position.
Essentially, Jenkins is a rare breed of offensive lineman who can hold up in pass protection at every position on the offensive front. He appears set to slot in at right tackle for 2022, but Jenkins will likely be the first person the Packers call upon if they have an injury at another spot up front.
Ambidextrous Defenders
Micah Parsons - Dallas Cowboys
Parsons claimed NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2021 thanks to an exceptional first-year campaign that saw him make an unexpectedly outsized impact as a pass rusher.
On 220 pass-rush snaps, Parsons generated 69 pressures for a pressure rate of 31.4 per cent that was tops among linebackers with at least 50 pass rushes.
Parsons spent 153 of those snaps on the edge but also proved extremely effective in coverage. Allowing a burn on 41.9 per cent of targets last season, Parsons gave up only 6.86 yards per target – the fourth-fewest among linebackers targeted at least 25 times.
Also second for his position with a run disruption rate of 16.4 per cent, Parsons swiftly proved his ability to influence every facet of the game and his multiplicity will make him somebody opposing play-callers will constantly have to think about when game planning for the Cowboys.
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah - Cleveland Browns
Though Parsons was the standout defensive rookie in the league last season, he was not the best first-year linebacker in coverage. That distinction went to Owusu-Koramoah, who slid to the second round of the 2021 draft and went on to lead all linebackers with 5.83 burn yards per target allowed and give up a big-play rate of 4.5 per cent that was also the best for the position.
Owusu-Koramoah played most of his snaps (414) at inside linebacker but also spent time at outside linebacker, on the edge and in the slot on top of a handful of snaps at outside corner.
He did not pass rush often, logging just 27 snaps in that regard, but gained nine pressures for a pressure rate of 33.0 per cent. Against the run, he registered a disruption rate of 15.3 per cent.
Owusu-Koramoah is a player the Browns can trust to hold up in man and zone coverage and has the flexibility to operate in almost every position in the back seven. He can play the run extremely well and has produced encouraging flashes as a pass rusher to suggest he can grow in that area.
Any success the Browns enjoy on defense in 2022 will likely in part be a product of Owusu-Koramoah's malleability.
Chuck Clark - Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens added Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams to their safety room this offseason but have, to this point, kept hold of Clark.
On the surface, that may be something of a surprise. However, a deeper dive into the numbers illustrates the value he has to Baltimore's defense.
Though Clark operated at free safety for 526 snaps in 2021, he also played 108 at strong safety, 97 in the slot, 81 on the edge and over 100 at linebacker.
He defended double-digit targets from free safety, strong safety and in the slot. Only at free safety did he allow more 10 burn yards per target.
His average of 8.01 burn yards allowed per target when lined up as a deep safety was 12th in the NFL. In the slot, he gave up 9.25 per target – better than the average of 9.53 for slots with at least 50 snaps.
With Williams set to slide in at free safety, Hamilton and Clark will have the freedom to roam around the field in three-safety looks and their proficiency in playing the slot should offer the Ravens more answers in defending tight ends and the bigger wideouts that are spending an increasing amount of time on the inside.
Under the Radar Rovers
Kamren Curl - Washington Commanders
Sticking at the safety position and with teams that play their football in Maryland, Curl has quietly emerged as a stud who can fulfil a variety of roles in the defensive backfield.
Last season, Curl played 342 snaps as a free safety, 211 in the slot, 90 as a strong safety, 56 as an inside linebacker, 53 as an outside linebacker and 45 as an outside corner. To say the Commanders have confidence in him all over the field is putting it mildly.
Lined up as a deep safety, Curl allowed 6.02 burn yards per target – the best ratio in the NFL. He allowed a big play on 14.8 per cent of targets, which was the fourth-best rate among deep safeties.
In the slot, he surrendered only 6.15 burn yards per target and a big play on two of his 21 targets. Though Curl was not asked to do as much in coverage when he played closer to the line of scrimmage, he influenced the game with his play against the run. His run disruption rate of 10.0 per cent from the inside linebacker spot was equal to that of Derwin James of the Los Angeles Chargers.
Defensive centrepieces are rarely found in the seventh round, but the Commanders have clearly unearthed one who has the multiplicity to rival defenders of a much higher profile.
Elijah Moore - New York Jets
If former 49ers defensive coordinator and now Jets head coach Robert Saleh is hoping to develop his version of Deebo Samuel, then Moore may be his best candidate.
Moore thrived playing as both an outside receiver and in the slot in his rookie season after being picked in the second round last year. He was tied for 16th in burn yards per route (3.0) among receivers with at least 50 targets. Moore also finished 16th in that group in big-play rate, delivering a burn or a burn for a touchdown on 35.7 per cent of targets.
Though the explosive plays (25.7 per cent) dropped off when he was in the slot, Moore excelled at maximizing his separation as an inside receiver, finishing tied for 10th (min. 25 slot targets) with 3.1 burn yards per route.
Moore carried the ball only five times as a rookie, but he averaged over 10 yards per attempt, with one of those attempts going for a touchdown. Though it is an extremely small sample size, that's the kind of efficiency to suggest he should be given increased opportunities on designed touches out of the backfield in his second season.
Asking Moore to replicate Samuel would be ambitious. However, if he can succeed in a more varied role while continuing to produce from several receiver spots, it would be a substantial boost to Zach Wilson's hopes of a second-year leap.
Primoz Roglic has withdrawn from the Tour de France due to injury, dealing a blow to Jumbo-Visma team-mate Jonas Vingegaard's hopes of winning the competition.
Roglic played an integral role as Vingegaard claimed the yellow jersey at stage 11, with Jumbo-Visma executing their game plan in perfect fashion to displace Tadej Pogacar.
Le Tour heads through Rodez and finishes in Carcassonne as part of stage 15 on Sunday, but Slovenian Roglic will play no further part in the event.
The 32-year-old, who is a three-time stage winner on Le Tour, is unable to continue after battling back problems following a fall that saw him collide with a hay bale at stage 5 between Lille and Arenberg.
"To allow my injuries to heal properly, we have decided that I won't start today [Stage 15]," said Roglic, who occupied 21st position in the standings.
"I'm proud of my contribution to the current standings and I trust that the team will realise our yellow and green [jersey] ambitions. Thanks to everybody for your great support."
Roglic will hope to recover for the upcoming Vuelta a Espana, which begins on August 19, while Magnus Cort (EF Education–EasyPost) and Simon Clarke (Israel-Premier Tech) have both also withdrawn from Le Tour due to COVID-19.
Jumbo-Visma team-mate Wout van Aert will remain in the race, though, and will aim to again support Vingegaard, who held a 2:22 second advantage over Pogacar in the general classification standings heading into stage 15.
Charles Oliveira will face Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title in the headline event of UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi.
Oliveira has long been viewed as the defending lightweight champion, though the fight will be for the vacant 155-pound belt at the Etihad Arena on October 22.
The Brazilian secured the title last year after knocking out Michael Chandler before defending his title against Dustin Poirier in December.
But Oliveira surrendered his belt after he failed to make the weight for his next defence in May against Justin Gaethje, who he then defeated by submission in a non-title fight at UFC 274.
Retired former champion Khabib Nurmagomedov will be backing team-mate and long-time friend Makhachev in the United Arab Emirates, with the former winning his last 10 UFC fights in a row.
Oliveira has also triumphed in his last 11 consecutive bouts, including 10 finishes, setting up a highly anticipated fight between two of the most talented fighters in the world at present.
Yet Oliveira will pose the toughest task Makhachev has faced in UFC, given Dan Hooker and Arman Tsarukyan are the only two top-15 lightweight fighters the Russian has defeated in his 11 UFC wins.
Chile pulled off an upset by overcoming the United States 31-29 in Colorado on Saturday to qualify for the Rugby World Cup for the first time ever.
The South American nation lost last week's first leg 22-21 in Santiago, but pulled off a huge result away from home to advance by a single point on aggregate.
Not until the 75th minute of the second leg, when Santiago Videla kicked over a penalty, did Chile take the lead for the first time.
Pablo Lemoine's side, who were 19-0 down at one stage in the second leg, will now join England, Argentina, Japan and Samoa in Pool D at next year's tournament in France.
USA will have a second chance to advance when they compete in a final qualification tournament in November, where Portugal, Kenya and the loser of the Asia/Pacific play-off await.
Speaking on the back of an historic win for his side, Chile captain Martin Sigren said: "It really means so much... the sacrifices that this team has made.
"There were times when it seemed like it was uphill. I want to thank all the family who came here. They were the ones who kept us pushing."
Justin Verlander was in impressive form as he reached his MLB-leading 12th win of the season, leading the Houston Astros to a 5-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Saturday.
Verlander put in a solid shift on the mount, striking out 10 while allowing just six hits and a walk over 106 pitches in six innings, lowering his ERA to 1.89, third in the major leagues.
The 39-year-old moved past Curt Schilling (3,116) and Bob Gibson (3,117) to 3,121 career Ks with his 10 on the night, moving to a 15th-ranked 108 for the season.
Martin Maldonado also hit a grand slam in the second inning, blasting A's rookie Jared Koenig over his head past centre-field for the third four-run shot of his career.
Moving to 59-31 for the yeat, the Astros extended their lead atop the American League West to 10 games over the Seattle Mariners, while the A's hold the AL's worst record on 31-61.
Yankees smash Red Sox to build momentum
Aaron Judge and Matt Carpenter led the way for the New York Yankees as they gave the Boston Red Sox 14-1 belting in the Bronx.
The team with the MLB's best record lost five of the previous six games and it threatened to be another glum night, at home to their fierce rivals, after Rafael Devers' home run off Jameson Taillon in the first inning.
Judge and Carpenter more than steadied the ship, however. Judge scored two home runs while also Carpenter went long twice, driving in seven runs on the night as the Yankees moved to 63-28 for the year.
Dodgers beat city rivals
Julio Urias and Trea Turner propelled the Los Angeles Dodgers to their 60th win of the season, routing the Los Angeles Angels 7-1.
Trea Turner hit two home runs on the night, including a two-run shot to set up a five-run third inning for the Dodgers, who had the same amount of hits as the Angels with seven.
Julio Urias gave up five of those, but struck out eight Angels batters over 91 pitches in seven innings, moving his ERA to 2.89 for the season.
Freddie Freeman also recorded his 1,000th career RBI as the Dodgers moved to 60-30 for the year, extending their lead over the New York Mets atop the National League to three games.
Ryan Jones says he feels like his "world is falling apart" after the former Wales captain was diagnosed with early-onset dementia at the age of 41.
Jones revealed he was given a diagnosis of probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) last December.
The back row won 75 caps for Wales and three for the British and Irish Lions on the 2005 tour of New Zealand in an illustrious career.
Jones said in an interview with The Sunday Times: "I feel like my world is falling apart.
"I am really scared. I lived 15 years of my life like a superhero and I'm not. I don't know what the future holds.
"I am a product of an environment that is all about process and human performance. I'm not able to perform like I could. I just want to lead a happy, healthy, normal life.
"I feel that's been taken away and there is nothing I can do."
The ex-Ospreys skipper says he was initially diagnosed with depression after retiring seven years ago and started to have short-term memory issues, while also becoming forgetful.
He added: "I've got three children and three step-children and I want to be a fantastic dad. I can't train harder, I can't play the referee. I don't know what the rules of the game are anymore.
"We don't know where to go, where to find support. We haven't got any friends in this space. It terrifies me. That's the fear. That's the bit that never leaves. That’s the bit I can’t shake off."
Jones says more must be done to prevent an increasing number of players from suffering.
"It [rugby union] is walking headlong with its eyes closed into a catastrophic situation," he added.
Maxime Cressy will face Alexander Bublik in the final of the Hall of Fame Open after beating four-time champion John Isner on Saturday.
Cressy will play his third championship match of the year on Sunday following a 6-2 4-6 6-3 defeat of his fellow American in Newport.
The 25-year-old fired down 22 aces and won 82 per cent of points behind his first serve, breaking three times to move into the final.
Cressy had a stroke of luck for the only break of the deciding set, when he lobbed a shot just over the net and it bounced back onto his side to leave Isner 5-3 down. He then served out the match to end Isner's 10-match winning run in this event.
Bublik sealed his place in the final with a 6-3 6-2 victory over Jason Kubler.
Third seed Bublik did not face a break point and broke the Australian three times, sealing his victory in an hour and nine minutes.
There will be an all-Argentinian final at the Swedish Open between Francisco Cerundolo and Sebastian Baez.
Baez produced an upset, securing his first win against a top-10 opponent with a 6-2 6-4 defeat of second seed Andrey Rublev in Bastad.
Cerundolo got the better of Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3 6-2, ensuring he will face his compatriot for the first time at tour-level.
Rory McIlroy said he and co-leader Viktor Hovland "fed off each other" in a thrilling third-round pairing at the Open Championship.
The duo each carded 66s on moving day at St Andrews to share the 54-hole lead on 16 under par, four shots ahead of nearest rivals Cameron Smith and Cameron Young.
McIlroy's stunning hole-out eagle from the bunker on 10 was the highlight of his round, though he gave a shot back on 17th after clattering into the wall down the right side of the notoriously tricky Road Hole.
A pair of birdies at the last ensured McIlroy and Hovland will head out on Sunday level pegging in pursuit of the Claret Jug at the landmark 150th edition of golf's oldest major.
"I thought it was really good," the Northern Irishman, who was crowned Champion Golfer of the Year in 2014, said of his round.
"I missed some opportunities early and Viktor holed a couple of long ones early on.
"But I stayed really patient, got my first birdie of the day on five, and I feel like my patience was rewarded around the turn with a couple of birdies and that hole-out on 10.
"Overall, a really good day. We sort of fed off each other, and navigated the last few holes well. It was tricky coming in there.
"When you're a couple off the lead going into the third day of The Open and you go out and shoot a six under, you're always going to be pleased with that."
McIlroy had magnificent backing from huge crowds on a glorious day on the Fife coast and he was grateful for it, but keen not to get carried away.
"The support that I've gotten this week has been absolutely incredible," said the four-time major winner.
"I appreciate it and I feel it out there, but at the same time I'm trying my hardest just to stay in my own little world because that's the best way for me to get the best out of myself.
"I try to acknowledge as much as I can, but I'm just trying to stay in my process, stay in my own little bubble and I just have to do that for one more day.
"I just have to just stick to my game plan, stick to the process. The more people bring up the result, the more I'm just going to harp on about process and sticking to my game plan, because that's the only thing I can do, and I've done that well for the last three days.
"It's put me in this position. I just need to do it for one more day."
Viktor Hovland says it feels "pretty crazy" to be heading into the final round of The Open in a share of the lead with a golden opportunity to make history at St Andrews.
Hovland and Rory McIlroy will be in the last group on what promises to be a pulsating finale in Fife on Sunday after the Ryder Cup team-mates shot sublime third rounds of 66.
The 24-year-old could become the first Norwegian to win a major if he holds his nerve to lift the Claret Jug.
Hovland was living the dream as he and McIlroy put on a show in the penultimate pairing to go 16 under on Saturday, taking a four-shot advantage over Cameron Smith and Cameron Young.
The Oslo native said: "It's pretty crazy from where I grew up and so far away from playing the PGA Tour, European Tour, for that matter major championships.
"Just to be here is very special, but to have a chance to win one is - yeah, I have to pinch myself, but that doesn't mean I'm going to hold back tomorrow."
There is nowhere Hovland would rather win at first major than the home of golf.
He said: "I don't think there's any other place that would top it. Growing up in Norway and always watched The Open Championship for way longer than I ever did, for example, the Masters. To win a major that's closest to home, that would be really cool."
McIlroy is the crowd favourite at St Andrews, but Hovland fancies his chances if he rises to the occasion.
He added: "I don't mind [the support McIlroy gets]. It doesn't take the pressure off of anything, but I feel like I had some experience with that in the Ryder Cup last year.
"And at the end of the day, there's still some shouts there for me as well. So I appreciate those. I've just got to play my game and not worry about anything else."
Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland will form Sunday's final pairing as the 150th Open Championship heads for a thrilling conclusion.
The duo played together on Saturday and both shot third-round 66s to claim a share of the lead on 16 under at St Andrews.
However, it is not quite a two-horse race at the famous Fife links, with Cameron Young and overnight leader Cameron Smith four strokes behind, while Scottie Scheffler and Kim Si-woo are within five.
The highlight of McIlroy's round was a hole-out eagle from the bunker on 10, but he and Hovland were both wayward on their approach shots to 17 as signs of nerves started to show on the notoriously tricky Road Hole.
McIlroy was close up against the stone wall to the right of the green and ended up with a bogey five, while Hovland – whose shot came to rest on the gravel path – recovered to salvage par and restore parity at the summit of the leaderboard.
A pair of birdies at the last kept it that way, setting things up for what promises to be a memorable final day at the home of golf.
Elsewhere in the field on an exciting moving day, Shane Lowry carded back-to-back eagles on the ninth and 10th before the 2019 winner faded on the back nine to sign for a 69.
Patrick Cantlay threatened to join the fun at the sharp end of things when he got to 11 under through 12, but he dropped three shots in the remaining six holes to end up eight off the pace.
SHOT OF THE DAY
McIlroy turned a threat into an opportunity after putting his tee shot into the bunker at the 10th, with rival Hovland having landed safely short of the pin.
A superb bunker shot pitched just shy of the cup and rolled in for an eagle two that piled the pressure on Hovland.
To his credit, the Norwegian got down in two for a birdie that ensured he stayed level with his playing partner.
PLAYER OF THE DAY
On moving day in Fife, it was crowd favourite McIlroy who really clicked into gear.
A pre-tournament favourite, the 33-year-old found his groove to chart a course for his fifth major and first since 2014.
On this form, he will take some stopping on Sunday, even with Hovland for company.
CHIPPING IN
Jordan Spieth: "What's difficult about it is a lot of the pin locations are in these tiny little tucked corners where, if you hit it more than five feet by, it goes 50 feet away."
Shane Lowry: "It wouldn't take Einstein to figure out what went wrong on the back nine. My putting was horrific."
Bryson DeChambeau: "I don't think you ever know how to play this golf course fully. Every day it's different. It showcases a unique golf course each time the wind pops up or doesn't pop up. It's just different."
A LITTLE BIRDIE TOLD ME
- When McIlroy won The Open in 2014, he was 16 under after round three.
- The pairing of McIlroy and Hovland produced just one bogey between them on Saturday.
- Every winner of The Open at St Andrews has been within four shots of the lead heading into the final round.
Australia head coach Dave Rennie refused to use the Wallabies' lengthy injury list as an excuse for their series defeat to England.
Eddie Jones' side added to their tour triumph in 2016 by making it back-to-back series wins Down Under, beating Australia 21-17 in the deciding Test on Saturday.
The tourists fell behind in the series after going down 30-28 in Perth, but levelled up with a 25-17 win in Brisbane last weekend.
Australia started brightly on Saturday, moving 10-3 ahead after Tom Wright's try. England recovered as Freddie Steward and Marcus Smith went over to turn the contest firmly in their favour at 21-10, and stood firm after Folau Fainga'a powered over later on.
The hosts were without 11 players due to injury or suspension, but Rennie believes his side should still have had enough quality to overcome England.
"We had a good enough side on the field to win tonight," he told reporters. "What it highlights is we're creating really good depth and I think a lot of guys who've got an opportunity have really stood up.
"You've just got to find a way, don't you? Injury is part of the game and we did enough tonight, but you have to be clinical and take opportunities.
"We created a lot of opportunities. I think we went in with the right plan, we just weren't clinical enough.
"If we turn a couple of those opportunities early on in the game, we start applying pressure to them. It's disappointing because at this level you have you got to take your chances and we left a lot out there."
Australia captain Michael Hooper conceded the series loss hurts, and also called on his team-mates to become more clinical.
"Dave's talked about just being clinical in those situations, you want to be a team that can grind out a win," he said.
"They get to your end, they take points, pick up some scraps there, get more points, and then you have to start looking at the line, try to maul, we can't just do 3-6-9 walk on them.
"Their ability to stack points on was a credit to them across the series, and they just keep applying that pressure with their kick game.
"England did really well there. They had injuries too so they grinded out a series win.
"In terms of our learnings there's a heap for us. We've blooded some new players so that's a great thing. With injury comes opportunity.
"We were hurting last week, now we're going to be hurting even more. So it's going to be a long three weeks until we play again."
New Zealand head coach Ian Foster avoided questions over his future after the series defeat to Ireland, saying "I just want to talk about the test match."
The Irish had previously not won in 13 away games against New Zealand, but a 23-12 triumph last weekend gave them the opportunity to make even more history.
And a magnificent Ireland performance in a 32-22 victory in the decider condemned the All Blacks to their first home series defeat in 27 years.
The result also meant that New Zealand lost two games on home soil for the first time since a pair of defeats to South Africa in 1998.
In the post-match press conference Foster was quizzed about his future, to which he replied: "I just want to talk about the test match."
The 57-year-old was quick though to heap praise on Ireland, telling reporters: "New Zealanders have probably got to realise that this was a very good Irish team.
"Give them some credit. I think it would be disrespectful for us to not make that the number one item.
"They've come and achieved something pretty special here, and I think they deserve a bit of time in the sun for that."
Foster was also puzzled at New Zealand's lacklustre performance, with the 22-3 score they faced at half-time the largest 40-minute deficit in All Blacks history.
"For some reason we're just not as calm," Foster added.
"In the defence area we're getting a bit fidgety, there's a few holes.
"Ireland aren't a team you can let get behind because that is when they play an up-tempo game.”
Juan Soto has rejected a 15-year, $440million extension from the Washington Nationals, who now plan on listening to trade offers for the star outfielder, according to reports.
The deal would have made the 23-year-old the highest-paid player in Major League Baseball history, surpassing Mike Trout's 12-year, $426.5m contract with the Los Angeles Angels.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Nationals will now look to entertain trade offers for Soto ahead of the August 2 deadline.
Soto is making $17m this year and will not be an unrestricted free agent until after the 2024 season, so the Nationals have him under control until then.
General manager Mike Rizzo told a Washington D.C. radio station last month that the team had no plans to trade Soto, but the mood appears to have now changed.
"We are not trading Juan Soto," Rizzo said in early June. "We made it clear to his agent [Scott Boras] and to the player… We have every intention of building this team around Juan Soto."
Boras spoke about Soto's future at MLB's general managers meetings in November.
"Juan Soto wants to win," Boras said. "So the first thing that's going to have to happen is that he knows that he's working with an ownership that's going to annually try to compete and win.
"And then I think once he knows that, then he'll be ready to sit down and talk whenever they choose to talk."
The Nationals are struggling again this season, entering Saturday with the worst record in the majors at 30-62.
That comes on the heels of Washington's last-place finish in the National League East last season (65-97) and a 26-34 record in the 2020 pandemic-shortened season after the franchise won its first World Series title in 2019.
Soto is also having a bit of a down season despite recently being named an All-Star for the second time in his career, hitting .247 with 19 homers and 42 RBIs in 89 games after entering the season with a career batting average of .301.
Ian Poulter took aim at the media after his third round 70 at The Open on Saturday, saying he has been getting plenty of support from the crowd at St Andrews.
The Englishman received a frosty reception from some at the famous course when he teed off on Thursday following his defection to LIV Golf, though he said he only heard cheers.
Poulter seemed to receive more favourable crowd reactions on Saturday as he moved to five under heading into the final round in Fife.
When asked about getting a better from the huge crowds after his round, a spiky Poulter replied during a news conference: "Are we still talking about it? Did you hear one bad comment?
"It's amazing how we still talk about one person that's 100 yards down the first [hole], where there's conveniently a microphone positioned halfway down the stand and some young guy says 'boo', and it comes over on the TV. And you all assume I'm being booed on the course.
"Paul Casey [another LIV Golf competitor] walked 17 holes on day one... And the 17 holes he walked, there was not one comment. There was not one boo. If you guys continue to write that there are people and there's negative comments and there's boos, then unfortunately that's not a true reflection of exactly what happened.
"It would be really nice if people would actually write the truth, that we're getting quite a lot of support out there on the golf course because it would just be nice. It would be a fair reflection of actually what's happening, rather than this continual press of 'let's lead down the path of players being booed who have joined the LIV tour.'"
Poulter says nothing will stop him from enjoying what he says will be his last Open at such an iconic venue.
"This is my fifth Open at St Andrews. It will be my last Open at St Andrews," he told reporters. "I've got my whole family here watching. So I'm here to enjoy myself.
"The reception I've had has been remarkable, to be honest. I've enjoyed every part of it. It's been great not to read any rubbish in the press this week, which has been unusual for me to not read it.
"I've deliberately not read it, but just listening to some of the questioning is quite funny."
Handre Pollard claimed a 20-point haul as South Africa beat Wales 30-14 to win the Test series in Cape Town on Saturday.
Wales secured a historic first victory in South Africa last weekend to set up a decider at DHL Stadium, but the world champions outscored Wayne Pivac's side three tries to one to take the series 2-1.
Pollard put the Springboks in front with an early penalty and the fly-half then powered over from close range for a try following a sustained period of pressure.
Wales hit back courtesy of Tommy Reffell's first international try and Dan Biggar's penalty reduced the deficit to two points after South Africa lost Cheslin Kolbe to injury.
But the world champions were outmuscling the tourists at the set-piece and Bongi Mbonambi marked his 50th Test by charging over from the back of a ruck following a lineout late in the first half.
Another two Biggar penalties made it 17-14, but captain Siya Kolisi crossed after South Africa went through the phases just before the hour mark and Pollard added the extras.
Eben Etzebeth was then given a great ovation after he was replaced in his 100th Test, with the excellent Pollard making no mistakes with another two penalties late on as the Springboks deservedly wrapped up the series.
Michael Matthews held off a challenge from Alberto Bettiol to win stage 14 of the Tour de France, while Jonas Vingegaard kept Tadej Pogacar's challenge for the yellow jersey at arm's length.
The 192.5km race from Saint-Etienne to Mende saw a leading group of Matthews, Luis Leon Sanchez and Felix Grossschartner pull away with a few kilometres remaining, only for the chasing group to reach them inside the final 3km.
Bettiol then produced an impressive effort to not only catch Matthews, but overtake him, though the Australian came back to ultimately take the victory, his first in the Tour de France in five years.
The Team BikeExchange–Jayco rider had already finished second twice in this year's tour at Longwy and Lausanne, but showed immense grit to climb to the win on Saturday, producing a second wind to fight off the challenge of Bettiol and go one better.
Matthews achieved an average speed of 45.6km/h in the last 52km, and said after his win: "“I think it's pretty much the story of my career. I've had so many rollercoasters up and down but my wife and my daughter kept believing in me. How many times have I been smashed down but I always get back up?
"This was for my daughter today; she's four years old and I really just wanted to show her why I'm away all the time and what I do it for. And today was that day.
"Today was that day. I wanted to show everybody I'm not just a sprinter. I can ride like I rode today."
The battle for the yellow jersey saw Pogacar try to pull away from Vingegaard to make up some of the 2:22 second deficit on the General Classification leader, but the duo eventually finished with the same time, over 12 minutes behind Matthews.
The efforts of both against one another did see them pull away from Geraint Thomas, who remains in third place in the GC, though lost 17 seconds on the two ahead of him.
Mixed day for Aussie riders
It has been a bad time of late for Lotto Soudal rider Caleb Ewan, with a nightmare Giro d'Italia earlier in the year and a Tour de France to so far forget, including a crash during Friday's stage 13 leaving him injured.
The Australian did not have quite the Saturday his compatriot Matthews enjoyed, but Ewan's mission was simply to make it through within the cut-off time, which he was able to do, albeit nearly 40 minutes after Matthews had sealed victory.
STAGE RESULTS
1. Michael Matthews (Team BikeExchange–Jayco) 4:30:53
2. Alberto Bettiol (EF Education–Easypost) +0:15
3. Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) +0:34
4. Marc Soler (UAE–Team Emirates) +0:50
5. Patrick Konrad (BORA–hansgrohe) +0:58
CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS
General Classification
1. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) 55:31:01
2. Tadej Pogacar (UAE-Team Emirates) +2:22
3. Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers) +2:43
Points Classification
1. Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) 333
2. Tadej Pogacar (UAE-Team Emirates) 164
3. Fabio Jakobsen (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) 155
King of the Mountains
1. Simon Geschke (Cofidis) 46
2. Louis Meintjes (Intermarche–Wanty–Gobert Materiaux) 39
3. Neilson Powless (EF Education–Easypost) 37
Tommy Fleetwood is hoping his strong finish to Saturday's round has put him in the mix to challenge for The Open Championship.
Fleetwood made gains at the 14th, 15th and 18th holes to sign for a 66 and get to nine under at St Andrews.
It put him among the chasing pack on a day when conditions on the Fife coast were conducive to low scoring.
And Fleetwood, whose best finish at golf's oldest major was the runner-up spot in 2019, is optimistic he will be among the contenders on Sunday.
"It felt important," he said of his birdie at the last. "I birdied 15, parred 17 and birdied 18, but they all felt really important just being in the position we're in.
"We just can't afford to be dropping back too much and giving away too many chances at this point when you know the leaders are a long way ahead of you and you're trying to catch up.
"I'd have taken it [a 66] at the start of the day, that's for sure. I've just got to sit back and wait and see where we end up.
"It will be nice teeing off [on Sunday] feeling like we have a chance and see if we can get some momentum going on the front nine.
"It would be very cool and very special to be able to have a go again like down the stretch on a Sunday at The Open.
"I'll just wait and see. It's not in my hands. We'll ee what those guys do and if they get too far ahead, I'll be doing my best anyway, but it will be nice to have a chance, that's for sure."
Viktor Hovland sat at the summit through seven holes, the Norwegian getting to 14 under after starting the day on 10 under.
Playing partner Rory McIlroy was two shots back, level with overnight leader Cameron Smith and Cameron Young.
The American trio of Dustin Johnson, Scottie Scheffler and Patrick Cantlay were 10 under.
Eddie Jones believes England demonstrated they are heading in the right direction following the gutsy series victory over Australia.
Jones' side added to their tour triumph in 2016 by making it back-to-back series wins Down Under, beating the Wallabies 21-17 in the deciding Test on Saturday.
The tourists fell behind in the series after going down 30-28 in Perth, but levelled up by prevailing 25-17 in Brisbane last weekend.
They made a slow start to the third Test, falling 10-3 behind after Tom Wright crossed for the hosts. Yet England recovered as Freddie Steward and Marcus Smith went over to turn the contest firmly in their favour at 21-10, and they stood firm after Folau Fainga'a powered over later on.
It meant England lifted the Ella-Mobbs Trophy, justifying the backing from Jones. Despite a disappointing Six Nations campaign, Jones maintained a constant view that his team were making significant advances, which he feels has been justified by this series victory.
The head coach hopes the progress will continue as the 2023 World Cup in France edges closer, with his side aiming to go one better after losing 32-12 to South Africa in the 2019 final.
"We weren't at our best in this Test, but we kept fighting, and we kept in the game – particularly the defence of our finishers at the end was outstanding – and that got us the result," Jones told Sky Sports.
"We were just a little bit off, but we kept fighting, and it was a great effort by the leaders. It's a really positive step. We've always felt the team is going in the right direction. Sometimes, the results don't reflect that.
"At the end of the game, we had six players with under 10 caps, so it is an inexperienced squad who will really benefit from an experience like this.
"They understand how hard they have to fight to win a Test match away from home. Some of our guys have now won two series away in Australia. I am so proud of their efforts.
"We are in a good position. We have just got to slowly, slowly keep improving. We want to be at our best by next October."
Reigning champion Yulia Putintseva's Budapest Grand Prix title defence came to a disappointing end after she was beaten in the semi-final in straight sets by Aleksandra Krunic.
The Kazakh Putintseva struggled to get going, failing to convert any of her seven break points, as the Serbian Krunic broke her serve four times en route to a 6-2 6-2 win.
Bernarda Pera will await Krunic in the final in Hungary, after her 6-3 6-4 victory over Anna Bondar.
Bondar raced out to an early 3-0 lead in the first set, but Pera rattled off six games in a row to take the opener.
The Croatian-born American then won the first three games of the second set, before overcoming a desperate late Bondar charge to break her at 5-4 and finish things off.
Sunday's final will be the third meeting between Krunic and Pera with the latter winning both of the previous contests, firstly in the quarter-finals of the Guangzhou Open in 2018 and then in Moscow in 2021.
At the Ladies Open Lausanne, qualifier Olga Danilovic cruised through to the final with a 6-3 6-2 victory over Russian Anastasia Potapova.
Danilovic won her first WTA Tour singles event in Moscow in 2018, overcoming Potapova after three sets.
And the world number 124 was victorious against Potapova once more in Switzerland to seal her place in her second WTA Tour singles final.
The Serbian 21-year-old will meet Petra Martic in the decider on Sunday after Martic overcame sixth seed Caroline Garcia 6-4 1-6 6-3.
Neither player had dropped a set on their way to the semi-finals, but things at Lausanne were tied up at one set each after two.
Garcia had won all three of her previous meetings with Martic, but the Croatian's two crucial breaks of serve in the final set were telling, as she held her nerve to reach the final against Danilovic.
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