Gotterup shoots 65
The second round of the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush saw world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler grab the lead with Matt Fitzpatrick one shot back.
Scheffler finished Friday at 10-under after he added a brilliant round of 64 to his opening 68, while Fitzpatrick has now shot scores of 67 and 66.
Former champion Brian Harman and Haotong Li are two shots back, with Harman going round in 65 today, while Li shot a 67.
Local favorite Rory McIlroy (-3) is still in the mix after shooting a 2-under 69, with 33 players under par heading into the weekend. Share your views: live@theathletic.com
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Open Championship 2025 Round 2: What to know as Scottie Scheffler takes the lead Getty Images
Gotterup -5, Westwood -3, Detry +1 (F)
Chris Gotterup continues to play stellar links golf across the pond. After a 1-over 72 first round, the American responded with a stellar 65 today. It matches the low round of the day set earlier by Brian Harman.
Gotterup had two eagles, three birdies and one bogey on his card. He is currently five off the lead.
Lee Westwood, who had to qualify for this year's Open (his 92nd major appearance), sank a 27-footer from off the green to save par, shooting a second-round 70. Thomas Detry is in the clubhouse at even, currently 1 over for the tournament. Getty Images
The rain has arrived at Royal Portrush. And it's pouring in droves at the moment.
Golfers are wearing full rain gear. They are constantly cleaning the grips of their clubs so they don't slip. The umbrellas are trying to protect the clubs, players and caddies but they can only do so much.
Challenging conditions right now. This is links golf! Getty Images
You aren't dreaming if you are watching the NBC/Golf Channel broadcast right now. The camera went to the lead broadcast booth of Dan Hicks and Kevin Kisner.
Mike Tirico described that a bat flew into the booth. Yes, a bat. Hicks and Kisner were seen trying to protect themselves, waving the bat away.
While the bat did not make its way onto the screen, it did provide a moment of levity as the rain is POURING at Royal Portrush right now. Getty Images
Scheffler -8, Lowry -2, Morikawa +7 (10)
No surprise here, Scottie Scheffler's iron play has been stellar. He's looking at another 10-footer for birdie to start the back 9. He converts and his progression up the leaderboard continues.
Shane Lowry has earned himself a long birdie look but ends up two-putting for par, and Collin Morikawa continues to struggle, needing to make a long putt here to save par. He does not. Getty Images
Fitzpatrick -10, Matsuyama +1, Fox +3 (13)
Matt Fitzpatrick cannot be stopped. That's FOUR straight birdies to start the back nine.
Since his bogey at No. 8, the Englishman is 4 under through his last five holes. At the tricky par-3 13th, Fitzpatrick landed his 196-yard tee shot 6 feet from the pin. He sank the birdie putt and now leads by two.
What a stretch of golf! Getty Images
Herbert +4, Clarke +6, Riley +9 (F)
What scenes at the 18th hole at Royal Portrush as Northern Irishman Darren Clarke walks up to a raucous applause from the gallery. Clarke won the Open Championship at Royal St. George's in 2011, becoming the first Northern Irishman to win the Claret Jug.
He shot a second-round 73, which means he will miss the cut. But for golf fans, especially those from Northern Ireland, they were treated to Clarke's arsenal of shots and charming personality. Even on the 18th, he showcased his finesse short game with a 24-yard chip, a proper links golf shot.
At 56, Clarke likely won't play the Open the next time it is staged at Portrush. The Open was by far his best major, with three top 10s (including a T2) in addition to his victory at Royal St. George's.
Scheffler -7, Lowry -2, Morikawa +6 (9)
Scottie Scheffler follows up a pristine drive with a respectable iron shot that might leave a bit to be desired. He has 11 feet for birdie, but he's on the fringe.
It turns out he did leave a bit too much there, two-putting for par. Getty Images
Haotong Li finishes up his second straight 4-under-par 67, this one with just one bogey (his only bogey of the tournament. He is tied for the clubhouse lead with Brian Harman.
Li will make the cut at the Open Championship for the third time in his sixth appearance. Getty Images
Scheffler -7, Lowry -2, Morikawa +6 (8)
Quite the drive from Scottie Scheffler on 9, hitting his drive nearly 350 yards to leave just 87 yards to the pin. Getty Images
Scheffler -7, Lowry -2, Morikawa +6 (8)
Another birdie opportunity has presented itself for Scottie Scheffler here, this time from about 22 feet away. He's unable to make it four straight birdies, but he takes the par.
Shane Lowry again misses another birdie putt. That one was not his best, but he taps in for par. Collin Morikawa struggles on 8, recording a brutal double-bogey that he really could not afford. Getty Images
Scheffler -7, Lowry -2, Morikawa +4 (7)
Scottie Scheffler had an uneven lie there, which may have impacted the result of that chip. He still has a good look for birdie, but he'll need to earn it.
Collin Morikawa gets a hard-earned par, Scheffler drills his birdie putt, and Shane Lowry misses a 7-footer for birdie before tapping in for par. Getty Images
Scheffler -6, Lowry -2, Morikawa +4 (6)
Strong effort from Scottie Scheffler there. He does not quite find the green, but he is 15 yards from the pin, where a relatively straightforward up and down would secure a birdie. Getty Images
Rahm -3, Schauffele -1, Spaun E (7)
Jon Rahm isn't going away in this Open Championship. One of the favorites entering the tournament, the Spaniard holed a 5-footer for birdie at the par-5 7th. It was a perfectly played hole for Rahm, who found the fairway after his 335-yard tee shot and found the putting surface on his 251-yard approach.
Rahm is currently five off the lead. Meanwhile, Rahm's playing partners, Xander Schauffele and J.J. Spaun, also carded birdies at the seventh.
Scheffler -6, Lowry -2, Morikawa +4 (6)
Scottie Scheffler's drive finds the rough along the right side of the fairway, Collin Morikawa lands in the rough on the right too, and Shane Lowry smacks a shot right down the middle. Getty Images
Nicolai Højgaard -4, McKibbin +3, Harrington +9 (F)
A solid round for Nicolai Højgaard, shooting a 2-under 69. The Danish golfer had five birdies to three bogeys on his card.
Nicolai is one back of his twin brother Rasmus, who shot a 3-under 68 to move to 5-under-par for the tournament. Perhaps a Højgaard pairing at some point this weekend? One can dream.
Meanwhile, three-time major winner Padraig Harrington got a roaring applause walking up the 18th, before shooting a second-round 76. Getty Images
Li -8, Dustin Johnson +2 (14)
Haotong Li records the first bogey of his Open Championship. Landing in the rough off the tee did not help Li whatsoever.
His third shot, which was short of the green, didn't even get to the hole, staying on the fringe. He missed the lengthy par putt, resulting in a bogey.
Li moves back to 8 under, now tied with Brian Harman for the lead.
Scheffler -6, Lowry -2, Morikawa +4 (6)
Thirty-four feet? No worries for Scottie Scheffler. His putt catches the lip but still drops, and the world No. 1 is now moving up the leaderboard in a hurry.
Shane Lowry does well to two-putt for par, and Collin Morikawa matches Scheffler with a strong birdie putt of his own.
Scheffler -5, Lowry -2, Morikawa +5 (5)
That is a tough pin placement on the sixth. Scottie Scheffler plays it safe and lands well beyond the pin, as does Shane Lowry.
Collin Morikawa took a similar path but ended up with the best shot of the three, still requiring almost 30 feet for birdie. Getty Images
Li -9, Dustin Johnson +2 (13)
Haotong Li in trouble on a hole? Never thought I'd see it in this round, given the level he's playing at.
But the solo leader landed his 277-yard tee shot in the deep rough on the right at the par-4 14th. After hacking it out of the rough, Li's approach landed short of the green. He used a lofted club to try to get the ball out of the rough.
He did that, but now faces a tricky up and down to save par.
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