Leaderboard:
-17 Scheffler (F)
-13 English (F)
-12 Gotterup (F)
-11 Clark (F), Fitzpatrick (F), Li (F)
Selected Irish:
-10 McIlroy (F)
-2 Lowry (F)
“Inevitable as it all proved to be, Scottie Scheffler – the world number one – stoically took further steps to embracing greatness in his own unemotional manner; with no airs or graces, just a series of sublimely struck shots and putts as the American added the Claret Jug to an ever-growing collection of Major championships," Philip Reid writes from Royal Portrush.
“The step-by-step journey by Scheffler to this 153rd Open victory over the Dunluce links, played out in sunshine with the only the barest of breezes to the extent that flags at times stuck to the sticks, was smooth with only one speed bump – a double-bogey six on the eighth – that never truly had any element of danger."
Read Philip’s report in full below:
Stay tuned for Philip Reid’s report and McIlroy report from Johnny Watterson. That’s all from me for the week, goodbye!
More reaction from Rory:
RORY McILROY on Scottie Scheffler:
Yeah, none of us could hang with Scottie this week. He’s an incredible player. He’s been dominant this week. Honestly, he’s been dominant for the last couple years. He is the bar that we’re all trying to get to.
In a historical context, you could argue that there’s only maybe two or three players in the history of the game that have been on a run, the one that Scottie’s been on here for the last 24 to 36 months. Incredibly impressive.
Yeah, he’s a very worthy winner. Also, he’s a great person, and I think he’s a wonderful ambassador for our game as well. I’m really happy for him and Meredith and his family.
Scottie Scheffler lifts the Claret Jug to be champion golfer of the year.
“Thanks to the fans for the support today, I know I wasn’t the home favourite but thanks for the support. Played with Shane for the first few days and it was really cool to see you all support him the first few days.”
Then he thanks his family and team.
A fourth Major title for Scheffler cements him as one of the greats. A first Open, a first win on links. Three of the four Majors done and he’s won an Olympic gold too, as well as countless PGA Tour tournaments in the past few years. A phenomenon.
Par for Scheffler then.
Scottie Scheffler wins the Open Championship at Royal Portrush!
He embraces his wife Meredith and child Bennett just off the green. Family affair to great applause.
The best walk in golf, walking up the 18th at a Major with a four-shot lead. Scheffler can enjoy this. He has 22 feet for birdie for a five-shot win.
A final round of 69 where he didn’t have his A game. McIlroy won’t get a top 5, tied 7th at the minute, but he can be very proud of his performance in a high pressure week in front of the home crowds. Massive reception from the Portrush crowd. Scheffler was almost impossible to beat this week.
McIlroy (-10) at the last doesn’t love it into the green, goes off the left and would need to chip in for birdie and get in the top 5.
Scheffler (-17) is in wispy rough but as good as always and right in the middle of the green.
Good par for McIlroy (-10) in the end at 17 as he gets it to the bunker and then gets a sand save. One hole left for Rory then. English looks set for second with a superb 66 for 13 under.
McIlroy (-10) hits it way right into the crowd at the 17th, not what the doctor ordered there.
Just misses it Scheffler (-17), shame on the 16th. Harris English (-13) makes a late charge for second with birdies at 16 and 17.
Good par for McIlroy at the 16th in the end, stays at -10 and in tied 5th position.
The final group plays up Calamity Corner, where Scheffler is looking to birdie it four straight days, which would be quite the achievement. Hits another peach to 11 feet. Unreal.
Birdie for McIlroy! Back into the top 5 after holing from 13 feet. He’s -10.
Big birdie putt from Harris English (-12) from distance at the 16th, the Americans are taking over.
Showing how benign the conditions have been this week. Barely any wind and a sunny day in Portrush. Great for fans, but not so great for challenging the world’s best players:
A round of 65 for Wyndham Clark today gets him in the clubhouse at 11 under, a return to form for the American.
McIlroy (-9) at the 15th from 128 yards doesn’t love his wedge but it’s another chance for birdie.
Double bogey for Li knocks him back to -9 and could be very costly.
Scheffler (-17) on the 14th goes for the middle of the green, safe approach. Gotterup (-12) can’t get it much closer on 15 despite chasing.
A rare birdie miss for Scheffler (-17) on the 13th, as McIlroy (-9) hits it close on the 14th. That’s more like it.
McIlroy (-9) misses for birdie! Pushes it right, that’s a shame, only from seven feet there.
Scheffler (-17) hits a beautiful iron shot, as he does, at the 13th to set up another birdie chance. Just striding the fairways in complete control of his game.
McIlroy (-9) at the 14th is down the middle of the fairway. He’s three back of second now, which will be his target.
The Americans are taking over Portrush, Clark (-11) up to tied third, Schauffele (-10) up to tied sixth.
Gotterup (-12) is flying it and announcing himself to the world as a links master after winning the Scottish Open last week. He blasts a drive down the 14th after his birdie on 13 and looks in high confidence. Probably the biggest threat to Scheffler’s winning margin here.
Scheffler going with him though and makes another birdie at 12 to go to -17.
No birdie for Rory at 13, his putt is shy of the hole.
Scheffler (-16) goes just off the green at the par 5 12th, similar spot to Rory, but should get up and down for another birdie.
Good tee shot by Gotterup (-12) at the 13th means another birdie and he’s leading the race for second.
McIlroy (-9) safely aboard the 13th and mid-range birdie attempt.
McIlroy (-8) on the 12th hole from 205 yards into the 12th with a 7 iron is almost pin high but on the left edge of the green, long putt for eagle.
Birdie for McIlroy. Gets back to -9 at the 12th.
26 feet for birdie for Scheffler (-16) and another great effort, but tap-in par at a hard hole. Gotterup makes birdie to move into tied second on -11. English joins him with an eagle at the 12th. Li joins them too with a birdie putt from off the green.
Unfortunately unlike the hurling at Croke Park by Tipperary, there has been no real inspired charge by the chasing pack, or blow up by Scheffler (-16), today. A double bogey for Scheffler, of course, but birdied the next hole and one over through 8, 9 and 10 is fine. Keeps it on the level at the tough 11th too and should be another hole out of the way.
McIlroy (-8) hit it in the rough off the tee at the 11th, then into the greenside bunker. Tough up and down from there. Great bunker shot though and should make a sand save. He does.
Bogey for Li (-10) at the 10th brings the lead to six for Scheffler again.
Bryson DeChambeau on his week in Portrush: “It’s a great Open venue. There’s a lot of tricky hole locations. I think it was a solid setup. Not much more than it would be a lot of fun. It would be a lot of fun to come back. It’s a great town.”
You would say that after going -16 over his last three rounds. Must be itching to play it again.
Oh dear McIlroy (-10), he hits a very poor pitch, doesn’t get near the green level and bounces back off the rough at the 10th. Big trouble. He then chips the next one on off the slope but a putt left for bogey, which he misses.
Double bogey for McIlroy, that’s deflated the fans and Rory big time. Back to -8.
Birdie for Li (-11), to move within four of Scheffler momentarily, but then Scheffler (-16) rolls it in no bother and we’re back to five shots. Both making the ninth look easy.
Just 98 yards for Scheffler (-15) at the 9th and it’s business as usual. He wedges to a few feet of the hole.
McIlroy (-10) gets a flier from the rough and goes through the green, tough up and down there left.
Double bogey for Scheffler! Well then, that makes things more interesting. He drops to -15, only four ahead. He hit the lip of the fairway bunker, stayed in the bunker, then from the fairway, three putted from a distance.
McIlroy (-10), now five behind, misses for birdie at the ninth. Was within 66 yards with his drive, so it’s a missed chance.
Rare mistake by Scheffler (-17) then, hits the lip of the bunker and stays in it. Portrush finally bites back at Scheffler, who was dancing all over it. He hits the next one out to the fairway but a tough hole for him.
Gotterup birdies the 9th to get to -11 and Scheffler all of a sudden might be only leading by five.
Jon Rahm, who played with Shane Lowry earlier, on Scottie Scheffler:
“Very few players have been able to do what he’s done. He’s won three majors in three years - or four years. No, three years. Won nine times last season, and he keeps going on. He’s doing what everybody wants to do.
“What I keep reminding myself is he was able to turn things around drastically. From not being able to close out early on some of the chances he had to getting it done often. If he’s been able to do it, all of us are able to do it. I’ve definitely played really high, and I’ve had my battles against him head to head, and it’s always been a lot of fun. I’m optimistic that I can get to that level as well. Obviously it’s not easy, but I’m optimistic it can be done.”
It was a tricky pitch but not the best one by Scheffler (-17) at 7, could it finally be a bogey? This is Tiger 2000 golf so obviously not. Holes from 15 feet for par at the 6th, holes from the same range for par at the 7th.
McIlroy (-10) just misses his birdie chance at the eighth in the battle for second. With conditions so benign, will likely need to get to -12 or -13 for it by the end of the day.
Scheffler (-17) splashes out from the greenside bunker and then has 208 yards left into the par 5, goes left of the green so a tough up and down left there.
Harris English (-10) joins the group in tied second.
Birdie for McIlroy! Gets back into a tie for second at -10. A second place finish would be a very good week in his hometown event. Scheffler has been unbeatable this week.
Good shot by McIlroy (-9) into the seventh, six feet left for birdie.
Scheffler (-17) is in the bunker off the tee at the seventh, he’ll have to lay up there.
McIlroy (-9) is in the thick rough off the tee unfortunately at the par 5 seventh. That takes out going for it in two shots.
Not the best played hole at six by Scheffler (-17), maybe a rare bogey ahead. Goes short and right with his approach and then leaves himself a decent length par putt. Gets his par!
Gotterup (-10), the winner of the Scottish Open, is up to tied second.
Scheffler (-16) hits an iron off the tee at the fifth, but still goes 285 yards. Some 95 yards left for his second, not his best ever but an uphill putt to get to -17. Now the Major scoring record has to be under threat, of 20-under-par from Dustin Johnson during the 2020 Masters and Cameron Smith at St Andrews in 2022.
Birdie for DeChambeau (-9) at the last! 65, 68, 64 for his final three rounds is quite something. He’s up to tied second after starting day one at seven over.
Birdie for Scheffler (-17)! Incredible stuff, that’s an eight-shot lead. Has never putted so well. Li immediately brings it back to seven with a birdie at least.
McIlroy (-8) pitches up a hill and it’s very good, he has about 5 or 6 feet for birdie at the fifth.
Birdie for McIlroy! He holes the putt to go to tied second on -9.
Scheffler would move within one Major of McIlroy and Koepka with a win, within one of the likes of Seve, two from Faldo and Mickelson, three from Arnold Palmer. Would go level with Els, go one ahead of Vijay Singh. And still under 30.
Another fine iron shot by Scheffler (-15) at the fourth, uses the slope, comes back to seven feet. The best player in the world does it again.
Haotong Li (-10) splashes out and then hits a decent shot but double the distance of Scheffler.
Birdie for Scheffler. The American goes to 16 under. He’s seven clear!
McIlroy takes an aggressive line at the 5th with his drive, going for it with driver, but just short in the rough.
Bogey for McIlroy! Poor iron shot, poor pitch and he’s back to -8 unfortunately.
Scheffler (-15) crafts a lovely drive down the middle at the 4th. Li (-10) hits a pot bunker off the tee.
A poor iron approach from the fairway at the fourth for McIlroy (-9), left of the green puts pressure on himself to get up and down. His putt just flies off the blade and leaves himself a long par putt sadly. Can’t afford to drop a shot.
Beautiful driver cut by McIlroy (-9) at the fourth, on the fairway, the driver has started to come together the past few days. A bogey 6 by Li (-10) at the second hole means Scheffler has a five-stroke lead.
A bogey for Fitzpatrick at the third drops him down to -8, he’s replaced in tied third by Harris English (-9) and Chris Gotterup, who holes a long one for birdie.
Just a par for Scheffler (-15) at the par 5 second then, he is human.
Another great round for DeChambeau (-8) who is now up to tied 6th despite a seven over 78 the first day. He’s -15 for the last three rounds, incredible stuff.
Par for McIlroy (-9) at the third, his birdie putt from mid-range slips by.
Read the story of Shane Lowry’s round from Philip Reid:
“His final act was pure theatre. Well, almost. Shane Lowry’s chip from the swale to the left of the 18th green rose upwards and onwards and this Srixon ball – with the number 15, the same shirt number as his dad Brendan had worn for the Offaly footballers back in the day – smacked into the flagstick to settle a couple of feet away.
“I’ll give you that Shane,” came a roar from the packed galleries. There are no gimmes in this championship where every strokes counts, and Lowry – recovered from the virus that had stricken him on Saturday – rolled in the putt, the 66th stroke of a final round which saw him finish on two-under-par 282."
Birdie for McIlroy! Gets up and down from the edge of the green to get to -9. Scheffler’s (-15) approach at the second is just short of the green in two at the par 4, he’ll expect another birdie there.
McIlroy with 206 yards into the par 5 second, needing to hit it on the green and a birdie minimum. On the edge of the green, decent chance of getting a birdie.
Par for McIlroy (-8) at the first, gets down with a good lag putt in two putts, Fitzpatrick (-9) gets up and down for a par.
At the second, the par 5, McIlroy is in the semi-rough but not too bad. Well down there.
Haotong Li (-10) puts out a gauntlet by hitting it close at the first. Scheffler (-14) then hits an unbelievable shot to a foot! Wow, what a player. He holes it to get to -15. Li then makes a birdie to get to -11.
McIlroy (-8) has 40 feet left for birdie at the first, not ideal as the championship leader Scheffler (-14) stands at the first tee.
Not the best first shot by Scheffler (-14) but kicks out of the left rough to the left semi rough, that’s fine.
McIlroy’s (-8) first tee shot he chooses an iron and it’s smack down the middle. No nerves there. Fitzpatrick (-9) goes left into the rough.
McIlroy (-8) is heading to the first time, shakes hands with the scorers on a glorious sunny day in Portrush, comes through the tunnel to a massive roar as expected. Playing with Matt Fitzpatrick (-9) today.
Rasmus Hojgaard is up to -8 now, an early birdie, Hatton is up to -9 with a birdie at the first.
Some birdies out there, notably Fleetwood who has gone birdie, birdie, birdie from holes 7 to 9 to get to four under for the day and seven under for the tournament. Not really good news for McIlroy though as it’s hard to see bogeys from Scheffler that are needed in these conditions.
Sergio Garcia is somehow three under for the day despite smashing his driver on the second hole.
Only averaged 287 off the tee (not bad without a driver for most) but +2 shots gained approach.
Shane Lowry had a great round of 66 today, a nice way to round off a very mixed week in Portrush.
Watched Scheffler knock in about 20 putts in a row there on the practice green so safe to say it’s going to be tough to beat the world number one today.
He has been number one in putting this week, something previously considered a weakness.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Open Championship from Royal Portrush. Not just the bookies expect it to be an easy victory for the world number one Scottie Scheffler, who has been in supreme form this week after some existential angst in the build-up. But a 66 from Rory McIlroy yesterday, including an incredible eagle at the 12th hole, left him six shots back and enough to think “maybe”. Rory needs another one of those minimum and hope for Scheffler to have a rare off-day. Haotong Li is in the final group with Scheffler, hoping to become the first Chinese man to win a Major.
2pm Tyrrell Hatton (-8), Xander Schauffele (-7)
2.10pm Chris Gotterup (-8), Harris English (-8)
2.20pm Matt Fitzpatrick (-9), Rory McIlroy (-8)
2.30pm Scottie Scheffler (-14), Haotong Li (-10)
