logo
#

Latest news with #Dunluce

Open Championship: Rory McIlroy launches his pursuit but Scottie Scheffler a cut above the rest on day three
Open Championship: Rory McIlroy launches his pursuit but Scottie Scheffler a cut above the rest on day three

Irish Times

time15 hours ago

  • Sport
  • Irish Times

Open Championship: Rory McIlroy launches his pursuit but Scottie Scheffler a cut above the rest on day three

Rory McIlroy , cast in the role of pursuer, could hardly have a tougher assignment in golf than that of trying to chase down Scottie Scheffler , the world number one who was a cut above everyone in tightening his hold on this 153rd Open Championship on the sun-kissed Dunluce links. 'I've got more than half a chance. I've got a chance,' insisted McIlroy, even though trailing Scheffler by six strokes through 54 holes. Scheffler, looking for a breakthrough Claret Jug to add to his Masters and US PGA career Major wins, strode around the famed north Antrim links as if it were his own, signing for a 67 for a total of 14-under-par 199, four shots clear of China's Haotong Li. For McIlroy, a brilliant start – birdies in three of his opening four holes – had electricity charging through the air, from the packed grandstands to the sand hills and in the large spectator villages where giant jumbotron screens created its own atmosphere, so that he signed for a 66 for 205 to move to tied-fourth. McIlroy's round featured so much that was good – an eagle on the 12th to go with four birdies – but also the weirdest incident that had probably ever came his way on a course, which led to his only bogey on the 11th. There, his approach from the rough saw not one ball but two emerge, discovering only after he hit the shot that his ball was over another embedded ball. [ Shane Lowry suffers stomach virus to compound Open woes Opens in new window ] 'That is the most weird, ridiculous thing I've ever seen. Then my ball came out really weird and spinny, just so strange ... making bogey on 11 is not the end of the world. It's a tough hole. 'The eagle on 12 was one of the coolest moments, it's one of the largest roars I've ever heard on a golf course. To get those shots back straight away was nice,' said McIlroy, who'd spent the morning watching the Lions match and with plans to view the movie Oppenheimer ahead of the final round. Yet, he, more than anyone as the occupier of the world number two ranking, was aware of what chasing down Scheffler would require. 'I need to get off to a great start like I did today, and if I can do that, anything can happen. I've come from a few shots behind before at big tournaments and was able to win. If I can get off to one of those hot starts again, maybe Scottie feels a little bit of that a couple of groups behind, and you never know. 'Scottie is the best player in the world right now. I think it's clear for everyone to see. He's just consistently so good each and every week he tees it up, so it's going to be a tall order to be able to catch him tomorrow. But I'm going to look forward to the challenge,' said McIlroy, so appreciative too of the huge galleries who roared every one of those 66 shots in the third round as if adding fuel to his desire. This was an ideal day for links golf, with only sunshine and none of the heavy downpours of Friday, while the breeze was consistent. Scheffler had a slow start, six straight pars, but once he clicked into gear with a birdie on the Par 5 seventh there was an ominous move further and further away from everyone so that he had those four shots over Li when his round finally ended in the giant horseshoe of a grandstand looped around the 18th green and down the fairway. 'I feel good and I did some good stuff. I was pretty patient most of the day but felt like I was hitting it really nice, just sometimes in championships it can be tough to make birdies, and today was one of those days where I just had to give myself some looks and was able to hole a few, ' said Scheffler. 'I'm just trying to execute, not overthinking things. I feel like I've been doing the right thing so far, and I'm looking forward to the challenge of tomorrow.'

Marc Leishman leads Australian contingent at British Open as Adam Scott suffers after worst round in over two decades
Marc Leishman leads Australian contingent at British Open as Adam Scott suffers after worst round in over two decades

ABC News

time2 days ago

  • Sport
  • ABC News

Marc Leishman leads Australian contingent at British Open as Adam Scott suffers after worst round in over two decades

Marc Leishman has shrugged off his frustrations surrounding the slow pace of play at the British Open to register the best round yet by any of the nine-strong Australian contingent at Royal Portrush. While his veteran compatriot Adam Scott was doomed to an early exit after three double bogeys in his worst Open round in more than two decades, Leishman rose at 4am, local time, teed off at 6.35am and enjoyed firing a second-round, three-under-par 68. The 41-year-old Victorian had bemoaned the snail-like crawl during an interminable first round in Northern Ireland, complaining he felt like he'd been on the Dunluce links "for about 12 hours" amid constant snarl-ups through slow play. But freed up among Friday's very first group out, the LIV Golf veteran, who'd been two-over-par overnight, enjoyed a dazzling run of five birdies in the first dozen holes to move momentarily to within a shot of the lead. Two bogeys at the next two holes, including a horrid shank off the tee at 13, checked his magisterial progress, but he still became the first Australian to shoot in the red at this 153rd Open. A decade on from his 2015 St Andrews near-miss when beaten in a play-off, Leishman was one under for the tournament, up into the top 20, having shot up over 50 places from his overnight position. And he ended much cheerier than on Thursday when he'd finished with a bogey. "I was obviously pretty frustrated last night when I came in here," he told reporters. "I always say to my wife, 'If I've had a bad day on the course, just give me 10 minutes, and I'll be good' … I think you got me about the eight-minute mark!" Having got up at 4am — "I set the alarm as late as possible, I love my sleep," he sighed — Leishman could at least enjoy an afternoon treat with conditions forecast to be trickier. "Happy to be watching it on TV. I'll probably have a pint or two of Guinness and enjoy my afternoon," he smiled. But while the swiftly changeable conditions on the County Antrim coast were at their mildest with 16-24kph winds, Portrush still proved fiendish for Scott, who'll miss the cut in his 25th successive British Open and 97th straight major appearance. Having started out as joint-leading Aussie alongside Cam Smith, after a first-round 72, Scott had been hoping to celebrate his eve-of-tournament 45th birthday with another stirring crack at winning the Claret Jug. But as soon as he made double-bogey on the short third, having struggled to extricate himself from the wet rough, he was on the back foot. He dropped four more shots in three holes around the turn, including another double-bogey six at 11 after driving into some bushes. His misery was compounded with a third double at the par-3 16th and a bogey at the last as he finished with an eight-over 79 — his worst round at the British Open since his 82 at Royal St George's 22 years ago — and a tournament total of nine over. Meanwhile, World No.1 Scottie Scheffler rose to the top of the British Open leaderboard at halfway, looking every inch a champion-in-waiting at Royal Portrush with a majestic round of 64. The American superstar cruised into pole position late on Friday evening on the Dunluce links at 10-under par, one shot clear of English hope Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 US Open champion, who got to nine under with a terrific 24ft par-saving putt at the last, earning him a 66. Fitzpatrick was in turn just a shot clear of a third major champ, 2023 Claret Jug winner Brian Harman, the famed deer-hunting "Butcher of Hoylake" who is back with his "very boring" assault on a second title, and China's Li Haotong, who's quietly dropped just one shot in 36 holes. The quartet have opened up a gap over their pursuers, but they include two other on-song British hopes, Bob MacIntyre and Tyrrell Hatton, who are in a five-way tie for fifth at five under, while home superstar Rory McIlroy is an ominous presence a couple of shots further back. AAP

Supreme Scheffler being hunted by Harman at Portrush
Supreme Scheffler being hunted by Harman at Portrush

Yahoo

time2 days ago

  • Sport
  • Yahoo

Supreme Scheffler being hunted by Harman at Portrush

World No.1 Scottie Scheffler has risen inexorably to the top of the British Open leaderboard at halfway, looking every inch a British Open champion-in-waiting at Royal Portrush with a majestic round of 64. The American superstar cruised into pole position late on Friday evening on the Dunluce links at 10-under par, one shot clear of English hope Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 US Open champion, who got to nine under with a terrific 24ft par-saving putt at the last earning him a 66. Fitzpatrick was in turn just a shot clear of a third major champ, 2023 Claret Jug winner Brian Harman, the famed deer-hunting 'Butcher of Hoylake' who is back with his "very boring" assault on a second title, and China's Li Haotong, who's quietly dropped just one shot in 36 holes. Making his Scheffler is into the joint lead. — The Open (@TheOpen) July 18, 2025 The quartet have opened up a gap over their pursuers, but they include two other on-song British hopes, Bob MacIntyre and Tyrrell Hatton, who are in a five-way tie for fifth at five under, while home superstar Rory McIlroy is an ominous presence a couple of shots further back. Milder conditions on the challenging Dunluce links led to plenty of low scoring, with no-one going lower than the remarkable Scheffler, with it seeming almost inevitable in the calmer evening weather that he would take control with his seven-under-par masterclass. Scheffler teed it up in rainy conditions but once it began to ease, he looked in a serene class of his own, reeling off eight birdies while suffering just a lone bogey at the 11th. Left-hander Harman reckoned he was taking a leaf from his Hoylake book, where he raced to a six-stroke victory while entertaining the UK press with tales of his alligator-hunting prowess and Australian media with his jokes about his "handsome" lookalike Ricky Ponting. He shot a 65, and was buoyed by some happy memories of Royal Liverpool, where his steady approach with few fireworks and rock-solid putting worked wonders. Now he reckons he'll tackle the weekend in the same way. "The only thing I'm really worried about is the first tee ball tomorrow and then I'll try to hit the next one up there close to the flag," he said. "If not, go to the second hole. It's a very boring approach that I take. I'm not trying to be heroic or do anything crazy. But I know that I've got the game to do it." World No.111 Li, third in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, can't be ruled out after going 32 holes before his only dropped shot. No-one can forget McIlroy, of course, after a mixed bag of a 69 left him at three under. "I maybe could be a couple closer to the lead but overall in a decent position heading into the weekend," he said. "I didn't have this opportunity six years ago (at Portrush), so to play an extra two days in this atmosphere in front of these crowds, I'm very excited. "I feel like my game's definitely good enough to make a run. I'm excited for the weekend." Also at five under alongside Tyrrell and McIntyre are American Harris English, on-song Scottish Open winner Chris Gotterup and Denmark's Rasmus Hojgaard, whose identical twin Nicolai was also inside the top-10. Rasmus, younger by a couple of minutes, carded a 68 which was one better than his sibling, who's one back in a tie for 10th.

Open Championship: Wayward McIlroy stays in the game as he grinds it out on gruelling day
Open Championship: Wayward McIlroy stays in the game as he grinds it out on gruelling day

Irish Times

time3 days ago

  • Climate
  • Irish Times

Open Championship: Wayward McIlroy stays in the game as he grinds it out on gruelling day

The examination, as ever, was a tough one. Nothing came easy for those who set out in their quest to lift the Claret Jug at this 153rd Open on the Dunluce links and the questions that were asked, with wind ever-present and rain that came and went and came again in further complicating the task posed, left many perplexed and frustrated. This was a day to survive, which is what Rory McIlroy managed to do without anything approach his A-game: he ranked 154th of 156 players in driving accuracy, finding two of 14 fairways, which indicated the waywardness off the tee that caused most difficulty for the Masters champion who, somehow, found a way to sign for a 70, one under par. Only two players managed to navigate a route from one to 18 without incurring a bogey. One of them was Haotong Li, the other Justin Rose. Li, though, was the one who managed to share the lead as the Chinese player's four-under-par 67 enabled him to join Jacob Skov Olesen, Matt Fitzpatrick, Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Harris English in a five-way tie of the first-round lead. READ MORE Scottie Scheffler , the world number one, was almost as poor as McIlroy off the tee – finding just three fairways – but ominously shot a 68 to leave those ahead looking over their shoulders. 'Wind is something that obviously makes links golf challenging, but the rain adds a whole new element to it, especially when you're hitting the tee balls. You get a little moisture between the club face and the ball, especially with the longer clubs and the woods, and it can be pretty challenging,' said Scheffler of the main challenge that faced players on a day where rounds took six hours to complete. The pace of play was painfully slow, with long waits on tee boxes – especially the par 5s – while forecaddies were kept busy in searching for and finding balls in the rough. Bryson DeChambeau, who didn't manage a birdie in his round, was among those who paid a heavy price. His power game was insufficient to overcome the links, and he cut a sorry figure in trooping off the 18th green to sign for a 78. Jon Rahm of Spain lines up a putt on the fifth green during his first round. Photograph:As Tyrrell Hatton observed of one of the consequences of the pace, 'it was very slow, and it kind of felt like you couldn't eat enough, to be honest.' Marc Leishman remarked that it felt he'd been out on the course for 12 hours. And frustration was to be found everywhere. McIlroy's puffing of cheeks after another drive that went left on 17. Scheffler's club drop on the tee on 14. Jon Rahm's anger when distracted by someone whistling as he played his tee shot on 11. 'If I were to paint a picture, you have the hardest tee shot on the course, raining, into the wind off the left, it's enough. I know they're not doing it on purpose. It just seemed like somebody trying to get a hold of someone for whatever it is. It was bad timing. I think I just used the moment to let out any tension I had in me,' said Rahm, who opened with a 70. Back in 2019, McIlroy's fate was effectively sealed in opening with a 79 when he missed the halfway cut and this homecoming brought huge galleries and, with it, expectations, not least his own. 'I feel the support of an entire country out there, which is a wonderful position to be in, but at the same time, you don't want to let them down. So, there's that little bit of added pressure. I felt like I dealt with it really well today. Certainly dealt with it better than I did six years ago,' said McIlroy. And, to his credit, he grinded. He stuck to the task, even with a disobedient driver, and this time avoided disaster to remain within touching distance. McIlroy's round started with a three-putt bogey on the first but he managed to reach three under with birdies on the second, fifth and seventh to turn in 34, and he made another birdie on the 10th. Then, as the rain returned and combined with the wind to make for challenging conditions, the Northern Irishman suffered back-to-back bogeys on the 11th (which ranked as the most difficult hole) and 12th, and another on the 14th. An important par save came on the 15th, though. He didn't see a fairway, finding the rough off the tee again and semi-rough with his approach, but then chipping to 12 feet and sinking the putt: 'It was a big putt, especially having bogeyed three of the last four at that point. That was important. It was a huge putt to keep whatever momentum I had.' McIlroy returned to under-par on the 17th, where that drive left into heavy rough was followed by a superb approach from 148 yards – his strength an asset – that used the contours off the green for the ball to roll on to 12 feet. McIlroy rolled in the putt, his feat of escapology rewarded. 'It was a tough enough day, especially either chopping out of the rough or out of the fairway bunkers most of the time. So, to shoot under par was a good effort,' said McIlroy.

Open Championship: Patience pays dividends as Shane Lowry opens with 70 at Royal Portrush
Open Championship: Patience pays dividends as Shane Lowry opens with 70 at Royal Portrush

Irish Times

time3 days ago

  • Climate
  • Irish Times

Open Championship: Patience pays dividends as Shane Lowry opens with 70 at Royal Portrush

The telltale sign that acts as confirmation that Shane Lowry is doing Shane Lowry things is when his large fist is closed so that it can punch into the air. If the gesture is met with decibel-breaking roars from the crowds, all the better. And so it was in the first round of the Open Championship on the Dunluce links, on terrain where he reigned supreme in famously claiming the Claret Jug in 2019. If the walk to the first tee had understandably been accompanied by nerves, once the driver was handed to him by caddie Darren Reynolds – the decision to use the big stick taken after a walk with coach Neil Manchip the night before – there was a lovely flow and rhythm for much a round which lasted close to six hours but from which he signed for a 70, one-under-par. 'Obviously I want so much to do well in this tournament. I want so much to give myself a chance on Sunday,' said Lowry. 'You can't do that without hitting a good first tee shot. I knew I needed to do that. We all know the dangers that first hole can throw at you, so I was happy to get under way.' READ MORE This was Lowry, comfortable in his own skin and playing his kind of golf. He'd prepared for here by playing a bucket list selection of links – Portmarnock, The Island, Baltray, Waterville, Hogs Head – but the switch from sunshine to wind and rainy weather meant an adjustment was required and applied. 'I adapted pretty well,' conceded Lowry. 'Obviously days like today, you can really play your way out of a tournament. So, it was nice to play my way into it.' Those conditions were such that the umbrella was up and down like a fairground Jumping Jack while his constant changing of tops – 'I had a good few. Darren will sleep well tonight. We had a lot, three, because it was cold and then it got warm and then it got wet' – showed how the unsettled weather front impacted play. The slow pace meant lots of looking at scoreboards, and regular chats with Scottie Scheffler and Collin Morikawa. Shane Lowry reacts after completing his one-under-par 70 on the 18th green. Photograph: Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images 'I feel like Scottie's a nice person to be around and obviously a great player. It's unbelievable how well he manages his way around the golf course and the scores he shoots. It's just incredible what he does with the ball. 'Even when you look at him and it looks like he's hitting a bad shot, it doesn't go in a bad spot. Yeah, it was a nice day out there. Obviously Collin didn't have his best stuff, but it was nice,' said Lowry afterwards. Scheffler cruised to a 68, while Morikawa crashed to a 75. Lowry kept to his task well. For the most part, he found fairways and hit greens. When he had to, on the 10th and 11th, he holed the par-saving putts from eight feet and 22 feet and got the third birdie of his round on the 17th, where he sank a 22-footer and again brought that fist pump reaction into the warm air. When he sank a five-footer for par on the 18th, the first time he'd returned to the scene of his great triumph with a scorecard in hand, the acclaim came from a packed grandstand. 'I wasn't expecting 18 to be full with Rory [McIlroy] out on the course. The grandstand was full. Nice reception walking down 18. It was pretty cool ... the crowd have been amazing all week. I won the last time here, and I'm trying to use it to my advantage,' said Lowry. He added: 'We're going to get challenging conditions over the next few days. Like today, for example, the 11th hole was like the worst hole to get the weather we got in. We all really struggled, and I fortunately made a great putt for par. 'I think there's going to be certain times in the tournament where that's going to happen, and you just need to kind of put your head down and battle through it and see where it leaves you. 'I'm happy. I've fought with this round of golf in my head for a few weeks now. I knew it wasn't going to be easy.' Right in it, from the start.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store