Matt Fitzpatrick one shot behind Open leader Scottie Scheffler at halfway stage

Independent

2 days ago

Matt Fitzpatrick's impressive 66 put him in an excellent position to end a 33-year wait for an English winner of The Open, but he will have to get past the daunting figure of world number one Scottie Scheffler if he is to end the drought.
Just minutes after the 2022 US Open champion returned to the top of a major leaderboard, having posted a nine-under-par total at Royal Portrush, his American rival reeled off back-to-back birdies at 16 and 17 to snatch the lead from the Sheffield golfer's grasp.
May's US PGA winner looked in ominous form in getting to 10 under – his round of 64 included eight birdies, a missed putt at the last for another and just one bogey – and he looked as unruffled as ever, even as the heaviest rain of the week drenched the links for a good 45 minutes.
The last world number one to lead or share the lead after 36 holes of an Open was Tiger Woods in 2006.
He went on to win and on this evidence you would not back against the bookies' favourite to claim his first Claret Jug and the third leg of a career Grand Slam.
But, if Fitzpatrick can maintain his rediscovered form, he may just have a chance.
Starting at four under, as one of the first-day co-leaders, he was the first to reach double figures following four successive birdies, having turned in a two-under 34.
His round exploded into life on the back nine and, when he hit a brilliant approach at the short 13th to six feet for a fourth birdie in a row, he was 10 under and two clear.
He gave a shot back at the 14th and missed the chance to restore his two-shot cushion with an inexplicable miss from three feet at the 17th but redeemed himself with a superb 23ft par save on the last, only for Scheffler to come charging past him.
'I'm giving myself an opportunity to win the golf tournament, but there's still a hell of a long way to go,' said the 30-year-old Yorkshireman, who will play alongside Scheffler in Saturday's final group.
'Obviously the aim of the game is to stay in it for as long as possible and hopefully you can pull away right at the death. I'm 50 per cent there.
'I wouldn't say I necessarily feel as much pressure (as Scheffler). He's going to have the expectation to go out and dominate.
'He's an exceptional player. He's world number one and we're seeing Tiger-like stuff. I think the pressure is for him to win the golf tournament.'