Scottie Scheffler builds on Open Championship lead as Rory McIlroy lights up Royal Portrush
The masterful American world number one kept his eyes firmly on the Claret Jug during Saturday's third-round moving day, heading inexorably towards his fourth major with a consummate, bogey-free round of 67, leaving him on 14-under for the Championship.
It's left the 29-year-old a prohibitive favourite, with China's Li Haotong his nearest if still distant challenger, and English hope Matt Fitzpatrick, a former US Open champ, a further shot adrift at 9-under.
Still, though, it may be the thought of the continuing magic that McIlroy could yet again produce at 8-under, inspired by his home army of fans, that may preoccupy the PGA champ.
Masters champ McIlroy was inspired at times on Saturday, what with his three birdies to start in just four holes, kicked off by a 36 foot curler at the first, then an amazing 56 foot putt for eagle at the 12th that sent the locals wild.
He was even magic when he didn't intend to be. At the 11th, he hit out of the rough and managed to dislodge a previously buried ball.
He ended up bogeying that one, but it still couldn't halt his pied piper progress as he ended with a 5-under 66.
At six shots behind, he's not given up hope of catching the seemingly uncatchable.
"Scottie Scheffler is inevitable," McIlroy said.
"Even when he doesn't have his best stuff, he's become a complete player.
"It's going to be tough to catch him tomorrow if he keeps playing the way he does.
"But if I can get off to a similar start to what I did today, get the crowd going, hopefully he feels that a couple of groups behind me, and you never know."
The way Scheffler is playing, though, McIlroy might have to dream up something as absurd as the 61 that he famously shot at Portrush as a 16-year-old.
That inevitability of Scheffler was on view throughout.
The inevitability of sheer solidity hole after hole, with the odd starburst thrown in, like the laser 206-yard approach to within 10 feet of the pin for eagle at the seventh. The inevitability of three 10-footers holed to save par. Crushingly for his pursuers, he did not drop a shot all round.
Li meanwhile has been a revelation but his third dropped shot all week at the 18th felt a fatal error as he finished with a 69. Fitzpatrick, who had begun just a shot behind, chipped in at the second for eagle but laboured to a level-par 71.
AAP
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