Portrush (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Scottie Scheffler closed in on a maiden British Open title on Saturday, opening up a four-shot lead ahead of the final round at Royal Portrush with another imperious display. The world number one was unflappable despite some Rory McIlroy fireworks in front of him, easing to a bogey-free, four-under par third round of 67 to reach 14-under for the tournament.
Scheffler, who is targeting a fourth major title and the third leg of a possible career Grand Slam, strengthened his grip on the Claret Jug by stretching his one-stroke overnight advantage. The American has continued his brilliant recent form in Northern Ireland after arriving this week on a run of 10 successive top-10 finishes, including three wins. He is now on the brink of becoming the first world number one to win the British Open since Tiger Woods clinched his third title in 2006.
Related news
“I’m just trying to execute, not overthinking things,” said Scheffler, who has won his last nine tournaments when holding the 54-hole lead. “I feel like I’ve been doing the right thing so far, and I’m looking forward to the challenge of tomorrow.”
China’s Li Haotong battled hard to stay in touch, finishing the day alone in second place on 10-under overall after a 69. Matthew Fitzpatrick sits third, five shots behind Scheffler, as his challenge faltered during an up-and-down 71. Home favourite McIlroy delighted the crowd with a five-under 66 to reach minus eight but will need some unlikely help from Scheffler on Sunday to win a second British Open after his triumph in 2014.
Fitzpatrick drew level with Scheffler early in the round by chipping in for an eagle on the par-five second, as the leader three-putted for par. But Scheffler, the PGA champion, cruised back in front with an eagle on the seventh hole, backed up by a birdie on the eighth. He stayed bogey-free courtesy of a gusty par save after finding thick rough to the left of the 11th green, before getting up and down again on 14. The 29-year-old dealt another blow to the chasing pack with a birdie on the difficult 16th, dubbed “calamity corner”, before closing out his round with two solid pars.
Li, hoping to become the first Chinese man to win a major title, hung in to reach the turn at nine-under overall, four shots adrift. He emerged as Scheffler’s closest challenger while others slipped back, making three birdies on the second nine before a closing bogey. Fitzpatrick was only two behind Scheffler at the halfway point of the third round as he tried to boost his bid to become the first English winner since Nick Faldo in 1992. But three bogeys on the way in left him with a mountain to climb.
– McIlroy keeps slim hopes alive –
Home favourite McIlroy, starting the day seven strokes off the pace, quickly made his move with three birdies in his first four holes. A huge roar greeted a curling, 36-foot birdie putt on the first green, before the Northern Irishman tapped in for another birdie on the second. A towering iron shot into the fourth continued the momentum, dragging the Masters champion to within four shots of Scheffler before the leader had even teed off.
His putter went cold for the rest of the front nine, before a bogey on the 11th, when an old ball jumped out of the ground as he hit his approach shot, threatened to derail his round. But the 36-year-old responded in style by tickling home a downhill, 56-foot eagle putt on the 12th, bringing deafening cheers from the thousands of fans around the green. One more birdie at the 15th, after a wonderful shot from the rough, gave the crowd extra belief before Scheffler’s strong finish.
“Scottie Scheffler is inevitable, even when he doesn’t have his best stuff, he’s the complete player,” McIlroy told Sky Sports. “But if I can get out tomorrow, get off to a similar start to today, get the crowd going, hopefully he feels that a couple of groups behind me.”
McIlroy is level on eight-under with England’s Tyrrell Hatton, American Harris English and last weekend’s Scottish Open champion Chris Gotterup. Other movers on Saturday included reigning champion Xander Schauffele, who made two eagles in a 66 to reach seven-under for the tournament. Lee Westwood tied the British Open record for the lowest back nine with a 29, recovering from being four-over on the outward half.
© 2024 AFP
