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Rory McIlroy ‘has half a chance' of winning The Open as he bounces back from freak incident to send Portrush wild… while ice-man Scheffler is unmoved

Rory McIlroy ‘has half a chance' of winning The Open as he bounces back from freak incident to send Portrush wild… while ice-man Scheffler is unmoved

His round:"It was incredible. It was so much fun. I got off to the perfect start, three-under thru four. The par on seven felt like a bogey, and then the bogey on 11. But to play the last seven holes in three-under was a good effort. I rode my luck at times but it was an incredible atmosphere out there and I've given myself half a chance tomorrow."
His unlucky break on 11:"What happened on 11 was my ball came out so strange, I felt I was going to get a flier and I could see it spinning up against the wind. I had no idea there was a ball close to my ball. it's never happened to me before. It couldn't happen anywhere but another links course as well. it was really strange. I could have done better with the chip there. Making bogey on 11 isn't the end of the world, tough hole. The eagle on 12 was so cool, it's one of the loudest moments I've ever heard on the golf course."
Plan between now and tomorrow:"Grab some dinner, try to sleep as much as I can. Don't have any rugby to distract me tomorrow morning, watched New Zealand - France and the Lions this morning. I'll try to find something to watch, I started Opennheimer recently so I'll watch an hour tonight. I'll keep my mind off things, distract myself and keep my mind on something else."
Scottie Scheffler: "He's playing like Scottie. I don't think it's a surprise, everyone's seen the way he plays. He's solid, he doesn't make mistakes. He could have made bogey on 14 but he's turned himself into a consistent putter as well, so there doesn't seem to be any weakness. Incredibly impressive."
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