Scottie Scheffler in Tiger-mode as he closes in on British Open
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Scottie Scheffler of the US hits his tee shot on the 6th hole during the third round.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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PORTRUSH – The last nine times Scottie Scheffler has led after 54 holes on the PGA Tour, he has closed out the victory and there is no reason to suggest he will not make that a perfect 10 at the British Open on July 20.
The world No. 1 extended his lead from one to four strokes with a calm and collected bogey-free round of 67 on a picture-perfect Royal Portrush course on July 19.
Barring a nonchalant eagle at the par-five seventh, he left the chasing pack to provide the fireworks as he displayed the sort of Zen-like focus once associated with 15-time Major winner Tiger Woods.
The American also led after 54 holes in all of his three Major wins and while he will be taking nothing for granted in the final round, someone will surely have to do something special to stop him.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” Scheffler, the first world No. 1 to lead the Open after the halfway stage since Woods in 2006, said when asked why he has become such a good finisher.
“I like being out here competing. This is why we work so hard, to have opportunities like this. Winning Major championships is not an easy task and I’ve put myself in a good position.
“I’m going to step up there on the first tee and I’m going to be trying to get the ball in the fairway. And when I get to the second shot, I’m going to be trying to get that ball on the green. There’s not much else going on.”
That simple mantra has worked wonders on Portrush’s Dunluce Links. He has made only three bogeys in three rounds.
After July 18's majestic round of seven-under 64
With eagles and birdies being sunk all across the course, Scheffler took a while to get going. But just when the field began to sense an opportunity, he eagled the seventh thanks to a sublime approach shot and then birdied the eighth.
He then dug in, making a vital par-save from 10 feet on the 11th hole after a rare missed green.
“I think any time you can keep a clean card around a Major championship, you’re going to be having a pretty good day,” he added.
Scheffler, whose tied-seventh in 2024 at Royal Troon was his previous best Open result, knows there is still plenty of work to do, but he is looking immovable.
Home favourite Rory McIlroy said he was not surprised by Scheffler’s display so far.
“He’s playing like Scottie. Everyone’s seen the way he’s played over the past two or three years. He’s just so solid. He doesn’t make mistakes,” the Northern Irishman said.
“He’s turned himself into a really consistent putter as well, so there doesn’t seem to be any weakness there. Whenever you’re chasing down a guy like that, it’s hard to do.
“He’s incredibly impressive.”
REUTERS
