Scheffler in complete command at the Portrush Open
The masterful American world No.1 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 nine under.
Calamity is not in Scottie's dictionary.A birdie every day for the world number one on 16. pic.twitter.com/Ut6HK1YMk8
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 19, 2025
Still, though, it may be the thought of the continuing magic that McIlroy could yet again produce at eight under, inspired by his home army of fans, which may preoccupy the PGA champ.
For Masters champ McIlroy might just as well have been playing in his green jacket, so inspired did he seem at times on Saturday, what with his three birdies to start in just four holes, kicked off by a 36ft curler at the first, then an amazing 56ft 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 - hey presto! - 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 five-under 66.
At six shots behind, he's not given up hope of catching the seemingly uncatchable. "Scottie Scheffler is inevitable," sighed McIlroy. "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 kid.
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 foot of the pin for eagle at the seventh. The inevitability of three 10-footers holed to save par. Crushingly for his pursuers, he didn't drop a shot all round.
Who can stop a man who's won his last nine tournaments whenever he's held the lead after 54 holes?
Li 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.
Alongside McIlroy are Chris Gotterup, winner of the Scottish Open last week, Tyrrell Hatton, who'll need an explosion of the right kind, and Harris English, all of whom shot 68s.
Defending champion Xander Schauffele also shot a 66 to keep his hopes flickering at seven under.
Lee Westwood made it through Final Qualifying to book his place in The 153rd Open. Today, he carded a back-nine 29 at Royal Portrush and currently sits in the top 20. pic.twitter.com/wX8c8CN0a6
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 19, 2025
What, ultimately, may be needed is the sort of incredible charge 52-year-old Lee Westwood produced over the final nine holes. Having gone round the first nine in 40, the English veteran than covered the rest in 29 shots, equalling the record for the lowest back-nine in Open history.
The highlight of Yorkshireman John Parry's day was holing a 199-yard eight-iron for an ace at the 13th in a round of 67, which helped him finish at three under.
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