The Open: Stunning Rory McIlroy eagle fires him back into contention at Portrush as Scottie Scheffler storms clear

Irish Independent

4 days ago

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We'll bring you live updates here across the week
Gareth Hanna and Adam McKendry
It's a massive week in Royal Portrush as the 153rd Open Championship takes place.
We will bring you all the action from the course all week as Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry lead the Irish challenge.
5 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
Spending time with the natives
Rory McIlroy's drive on the par-four 14th is into the 'native area' down the right-hand side - we await to see exactly what that means. It's not the right side of the fairway to be on, either, as the green cambers away from you towards the big, deep bunker.
But he navigates it well, chopping it out of a thick lie and into the centre of the green, which should be a safe two-putt if he can't convert from around 30-feet.
12 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
Not enough break
As soon as he hits it McIlroy knows he hasn't given the putt on 13 enough break and it dives low quickly, staying up and out. It's a par, though, which doesn't kill the momentum and keeps him safely at -7.
15 minutes ago
Gareth Hanna
Amid the mania - one man stays calm
As eruptions are going off around him - and he'll have heard every bit of it - Scottie Scheffler is in for birdie at eight to go to -13, and three under par for the day.
Cool as ice.
17 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
And now a chance on 13
Given what he just did on the 12th, a 22-footer for birdie on the 13th should be a piece of cake, no? That's what Rory has left himself on the downhill par-three and if he could put this one in, too, then there would be bedlam in the two stands that flank the 13th and 17th greens.
19 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
I've been fortunate enough to witness a fair few of Rory McIlroy's magic moments in person, but that eagle putt might rival them all. It might not have been to win a tournament but the crowd knew how important that was. What a roar.
Belfast Telegraph sports reporter Adam McKendry
19 minutes ago
Gareth Hanna
That's the roar of the week so far
That shuddered across the whole golf course. It could only be Rory - as it was seen on screens around Royal Portrush and more after-shock cheers went up, every single person knew exactly who it was and how good it was.
Fever pitch.
24 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
Watch: Eagle for Rory McIlroy delivers crowd's roar of the week
HE DRAINED IT.
56 FEET.
RORY McILROY EAGLE ON 12.
And the crowd go absolutely bananas. That's the loudest roar of the day by a country mile and McIlroy salutes the fans with a hearty fist pump as he gets the shot back from 11 and adds another for good measure.
That's surely got to light the touch paper. What a moment.
McIlroy up to -7.
The Open on Twitter / X
It's ridiculous. It's Rory.Royal Portrush will remember this one. pic.twitter.com/VKSnyvBsse— The Open (@TheOpen) July 19, 2025
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26 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
Eagle chance coming up
But he's not happy with it. McIlroy with a floated approach into the par-five 12th with a short-iron and he's got 56 feet for the eagle, but he knows he should have put that a lot closer from there.
Should be a surefire birdie at worst, but if he could roll this in then that would reignite things in a big way.
27 minutes ago
Gareth Hanna
Top two getting going
It was bound to happen eventually and there's no surprise that it happens at the par five seventh.
Scottie Scheffler is under par for the day - and in some style. A super second puts him just 10 feet out for eagle and he duly converts to set the new pace at -12. Matt Fitzpatrick gets a birdie to at least stay within one.
The Open on Twitter / X
Biding his time.After six pars, Scottie has an eagle in round three. pic.twitter.com/y8JK4KwhjX— The Open (@TheOpen) July 19, 2025
32 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
Venom in the drive on 12
That one is plastered by McIlroy and you feel like he put some of his 11 frustration into that.
362 off the tee, 159 to the flag.
36 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
First dropped shot
That's a first bogey of the day for Rory on 11 as he plays for a right to left break that never comes, the putt holding straight the whole way and missing right, prompting an exasperated groan from the crowd.
An unlucky bogey, yes, but a bogey nonetheless and he falls back to -5.
39 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
Some real anger
The embedded ball situation has really frustrated Rory and he takes his anger out on the fairway after chipping up onto the green but leaving himself well short for par, giving himself a 24-footer.
Harry Diamond won't have been expecting to have to repair a divot there but Rory took a fair chunk out of the fairway with an angry swipe following the chip. He is not happy.
43 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
Freak incident for Rory McIlroy on 11
There was an unseen, old, embedded ball right beside Rory's ball in the rough. It popped up as Rory hit his shot, and it means his approach shot has come up short of the green. How about that for a bad break!?
Kyle Porter on Twitter / X
This looks like a magic trick. pic.twitter.com/NbSzE8Nzig— Kyle Porter (@KylePorterNS) July 19, 2025
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46 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
Count your lucky stars Rory
His ball has landed on the spectator walkway so not only is the lie fine but he has a line to the green and all. The pin is tucked in on the right so it will be tough to set up a birdie chance but par is back on the cards.
Now why can't I get a big crowd to follow me during my rounds and trample down the areas I usually hit it into?
50 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
That's not right
But it is right off the 11th tee for Rory McIlroy. It's a tee shot he's struggled with all week and it's another pushed into the fescue that might just be a hack out and try to get up and down for par. Either way, putting a four on the card would be a good outcome from here.
50 minutes ago
Tough finish
The crowd gathered on 18 haven't been given much to cheer today. Of 36 players now in the clubhouse, only two have made birdie. They were Corey Conners in the first group out and Thriston Lawrence soon after.
Add to that Calamity showing its teeth - allowing just three birdies (for Francesco Molinari, Jon Rahm and Dean Burmester), and ther final three holes are sorting the men from the boys today.
53 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
The putter has gone ice cold
Rory hasn't had a birdie since the fourth but he's had plenty of looks, he just can't find the putt to drop. The latest one, on 10, looks like it might have a little bit more turn on it at the last second but McIlroy's hung it out too far and it stays above ground.
He's not hurting himself with these pars but he's not helping himself either. Still -6, which is unthinkable after that start.
57 minutes ago
Gareth Hanna
Knock-out blow from Hatton!
He's only gone and holed it from 139-yards at the par five seventh for eagle! And all of a sudden the Englishman is at -8 and solo fourth, three under for the day.
60 minutes ago
Adam McKendry
Different crowd reactions
The crowd behind Rory love his approach into 10, the crowd by the green not quite so much, and it's they who are probably more accurate as he's 20 feet away for the birdie. The approach game hasn't been as sharp as it was in the opening few holes.
Today 11:45 AM
Gareth Hanna
It's tough at the top
Are there some nerves in the final three groups? I mean, you'd understand. The final six players out have made just three birdies between them - and Fitzpatrick's eagle. They're combined scores are level par for the day, allowing the chasing back - such as Rory McIlroy - to make some ground.
It doesn't look like there will be birdies for Fitzpatrick or Scheffler at five, either. Both short-side themselves off the tee, meaning they have to aim their chips well left and both are over 20 feet out.
Today 11:37 AM
Adam McKendry
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.
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