Shane Lowry offers hope to chasing pack at Open with final-round 66
In reality Scheffler's rivals are going to have to shoot lower than that if they are to challenge the world number one, who did not have a bogey on Saturday in extending his lead to four strokes.
Matt Fitzpatrick, five back, and McIlroy and Tyrrell Hatton, six behind, represent the biggest threat, albeit a small one.
Be ready for the spectacular.
It's Sunday at The Open. pic.twitter.com/9hkHCtI0z9
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 20, 2025
Lowry recovered from a bogey at the par-five second to dial in his seven-iron with a birdie at the short next and a hole-out from the fairway at the fourth.
Four more birdies followed and he almost finished in style but his attempted chip-in did not drop.
'The course is gettable today – but then that gives Scottie the chance to shoot three or four under and if he shoots three of four under he won't be caught I don't think,' said the Irishman.
England's Justin Rose was two under through three holes despite missing a seven-footer for birdie at the first but his move up to seven under still left him seven off the top.
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Scotsman
9 hours ago
- Scotsman
Cross or shot? Hibs Euro goal hero reveals all about wonder strike
Second qualifying round tie finely balanced at 1-1 ahead of Easter Road return leg Sign up to our Hibs football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Hibs Europa League goal hero Jamie McGrath insists he was DEFINITELY aiming for goal with his wonder free-kick that earned David Gray's men a battling 1-1 draw away to Midtjylland. And the Irishman has warned his team-mates that their European fates can turn in the blink of an eye, as they prepare to welcome the dangerous Danes to Easter Road for the second leg next week. McGrath's early opener caught Midtjylland keeper Jonas Lossl napping, the veteran goalie left out of position and unable to prevent the attacking midfielder's delivery – from way, way out on the left wing – swinging in and over the line at the near post. The home side at the MCH Arena equalised with a late free-kick of their own, with the help of a minor deflection. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Keeper caught out by audacious effort McGrath, part of the Aberdeen team who saw a 2-2 away draw with BK Hacken blown away by a 3-1 home loss to the Swedes at precisely this stage of Europa League qualifying two seasons ago, laughed in response to gaffer Gray joking that his strike on goal had been intended as a cross, saying: 'Me and Jordan Obita stood over the ball, and we just had a brief chat. We kind of spotted the keeper cheating a little bit. 'I was like: 'Yes, I'll whip it in to the near post.' Worst case scenario, keeper catches it, but best case, we obviously scored.' David Gray's men seek improvement in return leg Insisting that Hibs will have to up their performance levels to progress to the third qualifying round at Midtjylland's expense with a home win next Thursday night, McGrath said: 'Yes, of course. It's only halfway, both teams feeling each other out as well. 'It's going to be a completely different game next week as well. We know that. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We can't get too high or too low. We have to address it the same way as we addressed it this week. 'But we have that little edge with the home fans on our side next week. A quick mention to the travelling fans, they were unbelievable. 'We sensed it on the drive to the stadium; you see them all outside the window. They got here early, and that buzz in the warm-up kind of spurred us on as well. 'We know they spent a lot of money and time coming over here. It was nice to give them a bit of a result to go back to Scotland next week. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Early alarm call from travelling Hibs fans 'Yeah, there were a few in the hotel waking us up! You could hear them outside the window all day. 'I don't know if there's much to do around here, but they've been brilliant. Hopefully they'll have a good night tonight and get back safe tomorrow. 'Like I said, Easter Road will be jammed next week. I'm really looking forward to it now.' Aberdeen experience shows danger of Euro foes Referencing his own experience with the Dons against Hacken, McGrath cautioned: 'That's the thing, Europe can change in the flick of a switch. We know we have to address it like we have done this week. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We know in Europe if you switch off for a minute you get punished. We're going to have to be on our A game next week to give ourselves a chance to get through. 'But I think overall we defended the box really well. We kind of limited them to a moment of magic that obviously equalised the game. 'I think if we were a little bit tidier on transitions, we could have maybe capitalised on that a bit better, especially in the second half. Martin Boyle was very close to being onside as well. I didn't see it back, but he obviously was offside if VAR gave it. 'But, of course there's positives to be taken from the first leg. We're going back to a home game next week. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I think that's what we aim to do, is bring it back there. But it's only halfway, we can't get too excited.' As a dead-ball expert himself, you might imagine McGrath to have recognised a fellow connoisseur in Midtjylland scorer Amil Simir. Maybe in time, he'll find something to admire about the opponent's equaliser … 'No, I never admire it,' he said with a grin. 'You're just thinking: 'Oh no!' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'There wasn't much we could have done about it. Maybe foul the player a bit earlier in that attack. It's always when you look back, you can change different things. 'The pleasing thing was how we defended the box. From the front, I thought we defended really well. The two boys up top worked their socks off and the boys that came in as well carried on the trend. 'I think probably a draw was a fair result. But yeah, they're used to being in the Champions League - so we probably would take a draw going into next week.' McGrath, whose last European goal was a free-kick against PAOK for Aberdeen just under two years ago, had joked on the eve of the Midtjylland game that he needed to contribute something in Denmark – if only to counter the good-natured stick he's taken from team-mates since joining Hibs. Having signed a pre-contract agreement midway through last season, McGrath was then part of the Dons squad who pulled off a shock Scottish Cup win over Celtic – 'stealing' the guaranteed European group stage football prize that would otherwise have gone to Hibs, as third-placed finishers in the Scottish Premiership. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I had to make it up to them some way!' said the former St Mirren star. 'It was obviously a nice start, nice to get my first competitive goal.' 'Yes, my last goal in Europe was a free kick as well. It is a nice trend. Hopefully we get a free kick next week! 'It's obviously nice to help the boys out. Like I said, we started the game brilliantly. 'From the kick-off, we looked threatening. I think they took over a bit towards the end of the first half, but we defended our box brilliantly. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The boys at the back were immense. Smudger (Jordan Smith) in goal as well, he was brilliant all night coming for crosses. 'He tie is still alive. We'll bring it back next week and give ourselves a chance.'
Daily Mail
11 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Donald Trump is here for more than a friendly round of golf... he wants to see The Open back at Turnberry
After touching down at Prestwick Airport last night, Donald Trump disembarked from Air Force One, took some questions and then headed south to his luxurious resort at Turnberry. Among some rather more serious issues, he was also asked about his golf course in Ayrshire hosting The Open. And he was unequivocal... he wants the Championship back there. After spending some time at Turnberry, he will head north to officially open a new golf course at his other resort near Aberdeen, before meeting Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to hold talks over trade deals. Trump arrives to a very mixed backdrop of protests, petitions and political unrest, as well as enjoying support in some quarters. His golf course at Turnberry has been back in the headlines after the idea of hosting the Open Championship was raised again. R&A chief executive Mark Darbon stated that talks remain ongoing with the Trump family, and said of Turnberry: 'We love the golf course but we have some big logistical issues there.' Here, Mail Sport's Calum Crowe puts Turnberry under the microscope and assesses the likelihood of it hosting The Open once again, as well as looking at some of the changes Trump has made. What is Turnberry's history with The Open and how did we get to this point? With its stunning scenery and spectacular layout, the Ailsa Course has hosted The Open on four occasions. Its first staging of the championship in 1977 saw the famous Duel in the Sun between Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson. Greg Norman then won his first major at the venue in 1986, before Nick Price prevailed in 1994. In 2009, we nearly witnessed the greatest sports story ever told when Watson, aged 59, came agonisingly close to what would have been a sixth Claret Jug, losing in a play-off to Stewart Cink. Turnberry hasn't hosted the tournament since then, with Trump buying the resort for around £40million in 2014. Peter Dawson, who was the outgoing chief executive of the R&A at the time, had initially been positive about Trump's involvement and the plans to invest £200m in upgrading the golf course and wider facilities on the 800-acre site. But, by the time Trump had been elected as President for the first time in 2017, relations had soured. He was viewed as politically toxic and the R&A wanted nothing to do with him. Although Turnberry has never officially been taken off the rota, it was widely accepted that The Open would never return there while it was under Trump's ownership. Martin Slumbers, who replaced Dawson as R&A chief executive, said last year: 'The position at the moment, in respect of Turnberry, is that we will not be taking events there until we're comfortable that the whole dialogue will be about golf.' Slumbers has since moved on and been replaced by Darbon. How does Turnberry compare to other Open venues in terms of logistics and transport? It's often said that Turnberry lacks the infrastructure and travel network to host an event like The Open. There's certainly an element of truth in that. For instance, for anyone travelling south from Ayr or Glasgow, there are only really two roads. There is the A77, which is essentially the main road and would be the most popular route for anyone travelling by car. There is now a new bypass which means you no longer have to drive through the tight and twisty streets of Maybole. That is undoubtedly a huge help, with the other road being the coastal route which takes you past Maidens and Culzean Castle. But the closest train stations to Turnberry are Girvan and Maybole, both of which would then require a shuttle bus to reach the golf course. It's not ideal, but St Andrews suffers from similar problems. The road network around the wider area near St Andrews is awful and regularly gridlocked during The Open. The closest train station is Leuchars which, like Girvan and Maybole, is a few miles away from the main venue and requires shuttle buses. Royal St George's is another course on the current rota where the roads and travel network are far from ideal. So, while Turnberry certainly faces its challenges in terms of travel, it's really not any worse than certain other courses. What improvements has Trump made to the golf course and the property as a whole? When he bought the resort in 2014, Trump pledged to pump around £200m into the renovation of both the course and the hotel facilities to make it among the best of its kind anywhere in the world. On that front, it's been a resounding success. Already a top-class course even prior to his involvement, the Ailsa has been redeveloped to brilliant effect. The initial changes began in 2015, and all 18 holes were revamped to some degree or another. The biggest changes were from coastal holes 4 through to 11, with many of the greens and tees being redesigned. The famous lighthouse was also redesigned into a halfway house which now features catering and hospitality facilities. Further enhancements were completed earlier this year, led by renowned architect Martin Ebert. The biggest change saw the green at the par-five 7th moved more towards the cliff edge for more dramatic effect. The changes to the hotel and facilities have also been well received. All 204 guest rooms have been fully refurbished, as well as all bars and restaurant spaces. Nine new cottage suites have been built, at a cost of around £1.6m each. They are more geared towards family breaks and are dog-friendly. Turnberry is also now an increasingly popular wedding venue. What would all of this cost to the average member of the public? On the face of it, the current green fee for a round on the Ailsa Course is pretty eye-watering. If you are not staying at the hotel and want to book a tee time in peak season (May-September) before 1pm, it'll cost you £1,000. That makes it one of the most expensive in Europe. Teeing off after 1pm, it'll be £545. There is a huge difference, though, if you are staying at the hotel as a guest. If so, you will pay £425 during peak times, and £315 during off-peak season. For context, a round at Royal Troon just a little further up the road will cost you £365. If you're staying at Turnberry, a standard double room will cost £674 per night during peak season. The suites, named after the golfers who won The Open at Turnberry, start at just under £2,500 per night. The hotel sells bottles of whisky in excess of £60,000 a pop. There are 352 chandeliers in total, with the eight in the main ballroom costing £250,000 each. If you want to get married at Turnberry, the average wedding at the luxury five-star venue is believed to cost between £25,000-£30,000. If you were to go for the top-end package and hire the Donald J Trump Ballroom, you would be well in excess of £50,000. To have and to hold, to love and to cherish, but only if you happen to have a spare 50 grand lying around... What are the key reasons behind the R&A's reluctance to go back to Turnberry? Is it really all about Trump? It all boils down to two key reasons: Trump and money. The R&A viewed him as politically toxic when he was elected as President first time around. Above and beyond the logistical challenges of going back to Turnberry, it was that toxicity which became the main issue. In 2015, when Turnberry hosted the Women's Open during his election campaign, Trump arrived in a helicopter on the front lawn outside the hotel. Immediately holding a press conference, he declared: 'The world has asked me to be here.' The golf tournament was relegated to a footnote. At the recent FIFA Club World Cup in America, he was front and centre for Chelsea's trophy celebrations. The R&A shudder to think how he would behave if the Claret Jug was to be presented to the Champion Golfer of the Year at Turnberry. The financial implications of going back to Turnberry have also grown to a level where it is now money — rather than Trump — that is blocking a return. The Open Championship has grown exponentially from the last time Turnberry played host in 2009. Attendances over the week are now regularly in excess of 250,000. At Royal Portrush last week, the final figure was 278,000. At St Andrews in 2022, it was a record 290,000. In 2009, there were only around 120,000 fans in attendance at Turnberry. Given the financial hit that lower attendances would pose to their revenue streams, there's no way the R&A will take that kind of risk unless major improvements are made to Turnberry's logistics and infrastructure. While the golf course is among the best in the world, Turnberry is a fairly remote location, with limited travel and accommodation links, and no real town to speak of in the surrounding area. So, what does the future rota look like and when might we see Turnberry host The Open again? The next couple of years are already set in stone. In 2026, The Open will be held at Royal Birkdale, before going back to St Andrews in 2027. It's widely expected that Portmarnock in Ireland will be among the frontrunners to be added to the rota for 2028. That could push things as far back as 2029 before we might see The Open return to Turnberry. The R&A's stance has softened somewhat. They are not as vehemently opposed to Trump as they once were. They recognise that Turnberry is one of the most popular of all Open venues among the players. But, as Trump embarks on his tour of Scotland over these next few days, it still feels like there's a lot of boxes that need to be ticked before this sleeping beauty catches sight of the Claret Jug once more.
Daily Mirror
14 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Lee Westwood jumps 3,759 spots in golf rankings as Jon Rahm admits he won't make sacrifice
With the majors now completed and both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf seasons winding down, attention continues to slowly turn towards the Ryder Cup in the golf world The professional golf season is nearing its conclusion after Scottie Scheffler claimed the final major of the year at The Open. But there's still more action on the PGA Tour and LIV Golf this week. Scheffler and most of his closest rivals have opted to skip the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities, but LIV UK will feature all of their big hitters like Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm - who you won't be seeing competing on YouTube anytime soon. And of course, one eye is now on the Ryder Cup, which is just two months away. Here, Mirror Sport rounds up the latest golf headlines from around the world. Lee Westwood's rankings rant It was a good week for Lee Westwood at Royal Portrush. The English veteran finished T34 on three under, which shot him up a remarkable 3,579 places in the Official World Golf Ranking to No. 930. LIV stars like himself still don't earn ranking points outside of the majors, Asian Tour and DP World Tour, with the league's latest application currently under review. Rather than celebrate his climb, Westwood, who had to go through a qualifier to make The Open, took the chance to express his frustrations. "I think that just proves that without world ranking points, it makes a bit of a mockery of the system," he said. "I think mainly it relates back to wanting the best players in the major championships, not wanting this conversation where there's a few people missing out because we don't get world ranking points on LIV." Jon Rahm's take on YouTube golf DeChambeau has done a great job of raising his profile on YouTube, where he now boasts over two million subscribers. But while Rahm is happy to appear in those sort of videos, he won't be starting a channel of his own for fear of it taking away from the other priorities in his life. 'The main argument, and I can't stress this enough, against doing it is that I just don't think I would have the time to balance family, golf and YouTube," the Spaniard explained. "I have three young kids - at some point I just don't think I would have the time to do it. 'It would be too much of a sacrifice of either me practicing or family time. As of right now, that's not something I'm willing to do. As of right now I'm perfectly happy appearing on channels. "I'm perfectly happy playing with those guys and in a way getting exposed to their audience…. but I don't know if I would yet find the energy in me to try to find the time to do a channel myself.' Bryson DeChambeau forces intervention For now, both Rahm and DeChambeau will be focusing on LIV's latest stop at the JCB Golf & Country Club, whose sponsors have taken drastic action to stop the latter from wreaking too much havoc with his ridiculous drives. With the American often topping 400 yards, JCB cranes holding up temporary netting have been placed at the end of the driving range to prevent any potential problems. While it's more so a promotional stunt, it did give golf fans a chuckle. It was also confirmed LIV will be hosted by JCB in the UK again next year. Ian Poulter's Ryder Cup warning DeChambeau has already kicked off the Ryder Cup mind games, warning Team Europe they'll be facing a "tsunami" of American support at Bethpage Black and promising to "get in Rory McIlroy's ear" if they're pitted against one another. And Ian Poulter is conscious that the home advantage could be a major factor, with the five-time Ryder Cup winner issuing a warning for captain Luke Donald. He told Sky Sports: "Away Ryder Cups are notoriously difficult. "It's the same when they come to our home soil too. Home advantage is a big factor. Luke has got a venue in Bethpage Black that is going to be very loud, very raucous. We've had numerous events at that location in the past, so they certainly know what they are going to be in for." Sergio Garcia's captaincy admission As for the 2031 Ryder Cup, Spain will host for the second time in history, it was confirmed this week. That will be particularly poignant for Team Europe legend Sergio Garcia. While his current focus is on making Donald's team for this year, the LIV star admitted that taking the captaincy reins off of him in the future would be something he'd relish. Speaking just 48 hours before the Ryder Cup's return to his homeland was confirmed, Garcia said: "I don't want to think about it yet, but it's something that obviously would be a nice thing, a nice honour to have. I really don't want to think about that right now. I've got my mind on other things."
