By Martyn Herman PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (Reuters) -Scottie Scheffler kept a cool hand on the tiller to stay on course for his first British Open title with a serene 67 on a spectacular day of shot-making in Saturday’s third round. Birdies and eagles rained down on a sun-kissed Royal Portrush links with home favourite Rory […]
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Golf-Unflappable Scheffler closes on Open glory, McIlroy still in mix
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By Martyn Herman
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (Reuters) -Scottie Scheffler kept a cool hand on the tiller to stay on course for his first British Open title with a serene 67 on a spectacular day of shot-making in Saturday’s third round.
Birdies and eagles rained down on a sun-kissed Royal Portrush links with home favourite Rory McIlroy, England’s Tyrrell Hatton and defending champion Xander Schauffele all tucking into the scoring feast.
Thunderous roars wafted across the County Antrim coast, the loudest for some McIlroy magic, but world number one Scheffler was laser-focused to move to 14 under par and a four-stroke lead heading to the final day.
Barring a sudden loss of form by the three-times major champion, the last round looks like being a scrap for the minor places, although Scheffler is not out of sight.
“I had another good day today,” Scheffler said. “I was pretty patient and felt like I was hitting it really nice.
“Sometimes in major 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.”
Li Haotong maintained his challenge, a 69 taking him to 10 under par, and he will be the first Chinese man to be in the final group at a major. England’s Matt Fitzpatrick finished a further shot back after a disappointing 71.
McIlroy’s five-under 66 kept alive the Northern Irishman’s hopes of lifting the Claret Jug on home soil, 11 years after his previous British Open title. He is in a group on eight under with Americans Chris Gotterup and Harris English, and Hatton.
“I’ve got a chance. I need to get off to a great start like I did today, and if I can do that, anything can happen,” McIlroy said.
After his majestic second-round 64, the 29-year-old Scheffler was becalmed early on Saturday and three-putted for a par five at the second hole.
FITZPATRICK EAGLE
Playing partner Fitzpatrick missed a par putt on the first but responded with an eagle at the second to join Scheffler on 10 under.
The American sparked into life at the 607-yard seventh with an almost routine eagle three before a birdie at the eighth. Unflappable all day, he avoided any mishaps on the back nine, saving par on the 11th after a rare error.
A birdie at Calamity Corner, the cavernous par-three 16th, maintained his cushion. Scheffler has won the last nine times he has held the 54-hole lead on the PGA Tour.
The 36-year-old McIlroy began on three under par, seven adrift, after two up-and-down rounds. He quickly fired up his army of fans, however, as he birdied three of his first four holes.
He was close to an eagle at the par-five second, and made up his third stroke of the day at the fourth after a superb approach left him with a seven-foot putt.
McIlroy bogeyed the 11th after a bizarre incident when his second shot from the rough unearthed a previously buried ball.
That was soon forgotten, though, as a snaking 56-foot putt dropped for eagle at the 12th, prompting scenes of jubilation in the crowd.
After two days of unpredictable conditions, the weather gods obliged with near-perfect weather for round three.
Early starter Russell Henley of the United States made five birdies and an eagle in a six-under 65, the day’s lowest score.
No Englishman has won the Open since Nick Faldo in 1992 but Fitzpatrick is not the only player heading into the weekend hoping to end that drought.
Hatton roared into contention when his approach at the seventh landed on the green and curled towards the hole before wobbling in for an eagle three.
Forty seven players broke par on Saturday but the champion of 2023, American Brian Harman, missed out. He never recovered from a double-bogey at the opening hole, fading out of contention with a two-over 73.
American Schauffele found his touch on the greens to shoot 66 and move to seven under while veteran Englishman Lee Westwood had a putt to complete the back nine in an Open record 28 but missed it to card a 69.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Ed Osmond)