Scheffler's magisterial march to British Open triumph
The American had confessed at the start of the week, amid some rather startling soul-searching at a news conference, how winning golf championships didn't give him a lasting feeling of fulfilment.
So it's to be hoped that even the world's top golfer may find more than fleeting satisfaction from this consummate display which again showcased the 29-year-old as a supreme generational talent.
Scottie powers on.A birdie on 12 and this approach on 13 has him at 17-under. pic.twitter.com/mQJc8PtJmk
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 20, 2025
Scheffler, starting off four shots ahead, effectively sucked all the drama out of an eagerly anticipated final day as his lordly control on the Dunluce links ensured no-one else could even land a blow on him.
From the moment he put his glorious approach from 143 yards to within 16 inches of the hole at the first for a tap-in birdie in lovely, unthreatening conditions at the storied Northern Ireland course, this most brilliant of front-runners made it feel like a Sunday afternoon seaside stroll.
How good is he when he holds a 54-hole lead? Well, Scheffler won the PGA Championship by five shots earlier this year, last year's Masters by four shots and the 2022 Masters by three. In the history of the game, no-one else has ever won each of their first four major titles by three or more.
His mastery, at 17 under for the Championships (68, 64, 67, 68) made it a one-man show. Fellow American Harris English recorded a superb five-under 66 to grab the runner's up spot behind Scheffler, just as he did at Quail Hollow in the PGA.
Chris Gotterup, the surprise American winner of the Scottish Open seven days earlier, completed his amazing week with a 67 to finish third on 12 under, while Wyndham Clark's final 65, Matt Fitzpatrick's 69 and Li Haotong's 70 got them to tied-fourth on 11 under.
Even Rory McIlroy, cheered on by his fabulous armada of fans, simply ran out of magic, trying to conjure up some cheers just to try to rattle the stoic figure in the group behind as he finished with a 69 for joint-seventh, alongside defending champion Xander Schauffele (68).
There was just one blip amid Scheffler's majestic progress. After birdieing three of the first five holes to move seven clear, he got too greedy when finding a fairway bunker at the eighth hole and left the ball in the sand after trying to blast out.
It led to a double-bogey six and his first dropped shot in 33 holes. But any alarm? Not a chance, as he responded immediately to hit back with an approach to five foot at the ninth and another birdie at the long 12th. From there it was simply cruise control as he eased to victory with six straight pars.
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I think Tiger stands alone in the game of golf. He was inspirational for me growing up. He was a very, very talented guy, and he was a special person to be able to be as good as he was at the game of golf. 'I don't focus on that kind of stuff. That's not what motivates me. I'm not motivated by winning championships. I feel like what motivates me is just getting out and getting to live out my dream. I get to play professional golf, and I feel like I'm called to do it to the best of my ability.'' 6 Scottie Scheffler and son Bennett celebrate his British Open win with the Claret Jug on July 20, 2025. AFP via Getty Images His ability, though, allowed him to make that walk up 18 with a four-shot lead that he could not lose, even if he played the hole blindfolded. Advertisement 'Being able to walk up 18 with the tournament in hand is a really tough thing to describe,'' Scheffler said. 'It's a really cool feeling. 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