The Open: Rory McIlroy paired with English star as third round tee times released
The Holywood man shot a two-under 69 in Friday's second round to secure an afternoon tee time on Saturday as he put himself in a share of 12th, seven shots behind overnight leader Scottie Scheffler.
World No.1 Scheffler leads the way at 10-under-par after a dazzling second round 64 and he will be the last man on the course at 3:35pm, with England's Matthew Fitzpatrick his playing partner one shot behind him at nine-under-par.
Offaly's Shane Lowry, who took a controversial penalty in his second round, will get his third round under way at 11:30am as he is in a blockbuster early group with Spain's Jon Rahm, while the enigmatic Bryson DeChambeau is due on the first tee at 10:25am where he will be accompanied by England's Nathan Kimsey.
Germany's Matti Schmid, who has Castledawson man Chris Selfridge on his bag, will get the action under way at 9:35am when he tees off alongside Corey Conners in the opening group.
The tee times have been moved forward by 15 minutes in order to avoid clashing with a loyalist band parade in Portrush town centre, which is due to begin at 8:30pm and will feature over 70 bands.
The Open at Royal Portrush: What happened in 2019
Open Championship third round tee times
09:35: Matti Schmid (+1), Corey Conners (+1)
09:45: Sepp Straka (+1), Hideki Matsuyama (+1)
09:55: Takumi Kanaya (+1), Adrien Saddier (+1)
10:05: Sebastian Soderberg (+1), Henrik Stenson (+1)
10:15: Thomas Detry (+1), Jacob Skov Olesen (+1)
10:25: Nathan Kimsey (+1), Bryson DeChambeau (+1)
10:35: Maverick McNealy (+1), Thriston Lawrence (+1)
10:45: Justin Leonard (+1), John Parry (+1)
11:00: Andrew Novak (+1), Sergio Garcia (+1)
11:10: Jesper Svensson (+1), Francesco Molinari (+1)
11:20: Riki Kawamoto (E), Wyndham Clark (E)
11:30: Shane Lowry (E), Jon Rahm (E)
11:40: JJ Spaun (E), Dustin Johnson (E)
11:50: Phil Mickelson (E), Jhonattan Vegas (E)
12:00: Viktor Hovland (E), Jordan Spieth (E)
12:15: Russell Henley (E), Antoine Rozner (E)
12:25: Romain Langasque (E), Daniel Berger (E)
12:35: Sungjae Im (E), Dean Burmester (E)
12:45: Matt Wallace (E), Akshay Bhatia (-1)
12:55: Jason Kokrak (-1), Lucas Glover (-1)
13:05: Tommy Fleetwood (-1), Justin Thomas (-1)
13:15: Aaron Rai (-1), Rickie Fowler (-1)
13:30: Marc Leishman (-1), Oliver Lindell (-2)
13:40: Ryggs Johnston (-2), Xander Schauffele (-2)
13:50: Kristoffer Reitan (-2), Matthew Jordan (-2)
14:00: Ludvig Aberg (-2), Justin Rose (-2)
14:10: Harry Hall (-2), Christiaan Bezuidenhout (-2)
14:20: Sam Burns (-3), Lee Westwood (-3)
14:30: Jordan Smith (-3), Rory McIlroy (-3)
14:45: Keegan Bradley (-3), Nicolai Hojgaard (-4)
14:55: Tony Finau (-4), Chris Gotterup (-5)
15:05: Harris English (-5), Robert MacIntyre (-5)
15:15: Tyrrell Hatton (-5), Rasmus Hojgaard (-5)
15:25: Haotong Li (-8), Brian Harman (-8)
15:35: Matt Fitzpatrick (-9), Scottie Scheffler (-10)
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Belfast Telegraph
12 minutes ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Rory McIlroy turns Portrush electric with stunning start at The Open as Scottie Scheffler is reeled in at the top
7 minutes ago 33 That's how many strokes it's taken Rory McIlroy to play the front nine as he two-putts for his par and turns at -6, four back. Needs to get something going on the back nine. Jordan Smith took 37 for his outward nine, he's back at -2. 9 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Big bird for Bob? The Scotsman is on the par five seventh in two - and he's inside seven feet for eagle. roll that and he catapults his way to -7 alongside his national champion Chris Gotterup. Edit: It's in! Robert MacIntyre is just three back. 9 minutes ago Another long putt Rory tried to use the slope behind the ninth green to bring the ball back down to the hole, chopping it out of the rough and onto the fringe, but it doesn't come back as he'd like and he's left with 35 feet down the hill for the birdie. The hot start has very much cooled down now. 11 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Double eagle for Xander No, dear Americans, I don't mean an albatross. Because that's called an albatross. I mean that Xander has two eagles today! He did it at the par five seventh and he's added another at the par five 12th to hit four-under for the day and -6 overall. The Open on Twitter / X It's called moving day for a Schauffele moves up to 5th with his second eagle of the day. The Open (@TheOpen) July 19, 2025 External contentWhen displaying external content, data is transferred to third parties. 14 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Shane Lowry (+3) on a Saturday 74: 'I should have enjoyed it more' The 2019 champ was 11 shots worse off today than R3 six years ago, when he hit his course record 63. However, he explained afterwards that he's fallen victim to a virus that's rampaged through his house. Add that to last night's two-shot penalty and it's been a rough 24-hours. He said:"I didn't enjoy today as much as I would have liked. Saturday at The Open in your home country, I should enjoy it a lot more than I did, just because of how I felt. Hopefully I get out tomorrow morning and try and enjoy it as best I can, try to shoot the best score I can, and then have a couple weeks off before the playoffs. For me, my big mindset for the next few months is about the Ryder Cup and trying to win that. That's where all my work is going to go towards over the next while." On the two-shot penalty: "I'm not too keen to talk on it too much. I think we said enough about it last night. Quite supportive, I would say, from the other players. They all feel bad for me that two shots is a lot to give up. Yeah, I don't really have much else to say actually." On the afternoon outlook:"There's a score out there. Tough pins, but there's a score. You can see there's a few good scores. You see Rory is off to a hot start. This golf course isn't playing easier than it is today. Firm fairways, the greens are receptive." 16 minutes ago Adam McKendry "You're my hero!" Some of the cries from the fans out here are hilarious as Rory looks tentatively after his drive on the par-four ninth, but the claps further down the fairway suggest that he's okay - although once he gets there he discovers the lie is a little choppy. It's not going to be an easy birdie here, the pin is tucked into the back right of this green, but he's in a good position to attack if he wants to try. 20 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Scheffler not making ground At risk of jinxing this (from a Rory perspective), Scheffler is a long way away for birdie on the fourth. Providing he doesn't railroad that into the cup, McIlroy will have made up three shots on the overnight leader across the opening four holes as Scheffler starts with level pars. Fitzpatrick is a little closer but again it's only an outside chance to make it to -11. Edit: Correct. Pars for both. Very impressive I don't want to keep harping on about the crowds but the people following Rory are about ten deep around the eighth green. The pull he has us simply unparalleled, especially on home soil. His putts aren't bad either as he gives the birdie attempt on the eighth from 40-feet a chance, just missing low, and then cleans up for the par to stay at -6. He could really do with a birdie soon, though. The longer he keeps parring, the more difficult it will be to put a red number on the card again. 28 minutes ago There she blows The wind, I mean. Rory teed off in benign conditions but up on the par-four eighth fairway, which he has found the middle of with a fine tee shot, it's starting to get quite strong, it must be said. That might be a factor in the late afternoon scores. It wasn't a factor on his approach, though. Not a great swing and he's left himself 40 feet for birdie. 32 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Knee-knocker for Scottie His approach to the par three third is off the back and he opts to putt back onto the green, but it's too heavy and rolls the best part of 10 feet past. After a three-putt at two, that'll cause more than a few nerves for par. It hasn't exactly been a rock solid start with the flat-stick, considering he raced his birdie attempt past on one, as well. In the side door. If that had slipped out, it would certainly have livened things up. Stays -10 alongside Fitzpatrick, who taps in for par. 35 minutes ago Adam McKendry "F**k" It's very loud and fortunately it's from the crowd and not from Rory McIlroy, which draws a few laughs. There are none from McIlroy, though. His birdie putt on the seventh slides inches wide on the low side and the putter slams against his leg in frustration. He knows that's a big chance gone and it does feel like parring both the fifth and seventh has killed his momentum. 35 minutes ago Gareth Hanna All rise Moves are being made. Haotog Li gets a two at the second to climb to within one of the lead. Up to -6 are playing partners Tony Finau and Chris Gotterup after they both birdied the driveable par four fifth. Further on in the course, Justin Rose birdied five of six holes from 2-7 but his progress was stunted by bogeys either side. He's at -5 on the ninth. 38 minutes ago Heavy metal After a stunning drive, Rory McIlroy has made a bit of mess of the seventh as he left his second shot 24 yards short and has been very heavy on the chip shot, running it a good 20 feet past. Still a chance for a birdie but not the tap-in he would have been expecting. 44 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Par five battle While Rory booms one down the middle on seven, Scheffler is on the green in two back at the second. He has over 50 feet to the pin, so he's only looking at the remotest chance of eagle, but it looks like the world number one is going to -11 and maybe even three clear. Ominous. Eagle for Fitzy! Errrr... scratch that! Just as Fitzpatrick short-sides himself into two and looks like it'll be an impressive up-and-down just for birdie, he's only gone and canned it for eagle! Bounce-back big bird and the Englishman goes to -10. Game on. And Scheffler three-putts And Scheffler three-rolls! What a swing. Now it's all tied at the top at 10 under. And it means, comparing their opening two holes, Rory has officially got one of the seven back on the overnight leader. 47 minutes ago Recoil on Rory That actually look like it could have hurt as Rory McIlroy absolutely unloads into his drive on the par-five seventh and the club snaps back on his shoulder - he has corked one 370-yards down there, to the extent that from where I'm standing I can't actually see it. All we know is it is on the fairway and he will absolutely be going for this in two. I don't want to speak too soon but an eagle would lift the metaphorical roof off this place and then some. 53 minutes ago No dramas Brilliant lag putt from Rory and that's a safe par on the sixth. Now he will set his sights on picking up at least one shot on the downwind, very gettable par-five seventh. Jordan Smith, meanwhile, has seemingly gotten stuck in the Shane Lowry mould of just not being able to get anything going. He bogeyed the second and now just dropped another at the sixth, so he's back to -1. 57 minutes ago Gareth Hanna Scare for Scottie The leader's birdie attempt races five foot past on the first. There's golf left in that, yet. Makes it. As if... as if he wouldn't. Stays -10. And that means he stretches his lead to two as his playing partner Matt Fitzpatrick starts with a three-putt to drop alongside Haotong Li to -8 as the only players within four. 58 minutes ago "Ah, sit" Rory immediately doesn't like his tee shot on the par-three sixth either as he tries to power it through the wind towards this back right pin position, but it holds left and releases to the back centre instead, leaving him 47-feet for birdie. The crowd again try to will him on after that swing but it's another one he's not happy with. Par here wouldn't be a terrible outcome, though. Today 02:41 PM Adam McKendry To his knees The putt doesn't drop for McIlroy and he is gutted it doesn't. It's a dramatic right to lefter down the slope for the birdie on five and he thinks he has it as it gets closer to the hole... but it dives left one more time right at the end and misses low. Stays -6. Today 02:41 PM Gareth Hanna New leaders in the clubhouse! Wyndham Clark pars the last to get in at -5, and he's soon joined by Dustin Johnson! Remember him? The man who missed the cut in all of the year's first three majors has matched Clark's impressive five-under 66. Live Blog Software
South Wales Guardian
12 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Rory McIlroy makes strong start on day three to climb The Open leaderboard
The Northern Irishman, from an hour down the road at Holyrood, promised he would be 'firing over the weekend' after making the cut on three under – which was more than he managed six years ago on his home Open here. He was true to his word with a brilliant 36-foot curling putt at the first, made possible by hitting the opening fairway for the first time this week, and his longest putt of the week produced a determined but understated clenched fist celebration. Rory's in red. He's away with a birdie on the 1st. — The Open (@TheOpen) July 19, 2025 The Masters champion has the power to reach the 575-yard second into the wind in two and duly did so with an approach to 27ft from the right rough. He could not hole his eagle attempt but settled for a birdie, with a brilliant approach to seven feet at the par-four fourth gaining him another shot to get within four of 10-under leader Scheffler, who had still to take to the course alongside England's Matt Fitzpatrick. Up ahead of him, Russell Henley was putting together a decent round with five birdies and an eagle, with only one bogey, through 12 holes to also get to six under. Magic on 13. It's a hole-in-one for John Parry. — The Open (@TheOpen) July 19, 2025 Former US Open champion Wyndham Clark shot a five-under-par 66 to get himself to five under. The highlight of Yorkshireman John Parry's day was holing a 199-yard eight iron for an ace at the 13th in a round of 67 which saw him finish three under.
The Independent
12 minutes ago
- The Independent
John Parry sinks first hole-in-one of The Open 2025 to move into contention
A hole-in-one for England's John Parry catapulted him onto the leaderboard on day three of The Open at Royal Portrush. The 38-year-old's tee shot at the 199-yard 13th took three bounces before disappearing into the hole. Parry, playing in only his second Open after a debut in 2022, started on the cut-mark at one over and was not really going anywhere in his round with just one birdie on the front nine getting him to level par. However, a birdie at the 532-yard 12th proved the spark he needed and his ace – the first of the tournament – at the next was followed by a 13-foot birdie at the 15th. That moved the Yorkshireman, a team-mate of Rory McIlroy at the 2007 Walker Cup, into the top 10 on four under. He was to drop a shot at the last but Parry was happy with his round. 'It was a great day and an experience I won't forget and making a hole in one,' he said of his sweetly-struck eight-iron. 'I think I've had about 10 (holes-in-one) but definitely the best, best one.' It came after McIlroy began his charge to reel in world number one Scottie Scheffler with three birdies in his first four holes on the third day. The Northern Irishman, from an hour down the road at Holyrood, promised he would be 'firing over the weekend' after making the cut on three under – which was more than he managed six years ago on his home Open here. He was true to his word with a brilliant 36-foot curling putt at the first, made possible by hitting the opening fairway for the first time this week, and his longest putt of the week produced a determined but understated clenched fist celebration. The Masters champion has the power to reach the 575-yard second into the wind in two and duly did so with an approach to 27ft from the right rough. He could not hole his eagle attempt but settled for a birdie, with a brilliant approach to seven feet at the par-four fourth gaining him another shot to get within four of 10-under leader Scheffler, who had still to take to the course alongside England's Matt Fitzpatrick.
