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Scottie Scheffler recorded a bogey-free 67 to take a commanding lead into the final day of the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
On a fabulous moving day, the World No. 1 Scheffler followed a fantastic 64 on Friday with a blemish-free card, including an eagle on the seventh.
Haotong Li lies four shots back, Matt Fitzpatrick five behind, while home hero Rory McIlroy (-8) kept his chances intact with an exciting 66.
Tyrrell Hatton, Chris Gotterup and Harris English also trail by six after a day of calm conditions in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
Leaders:
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Rory McIlroy has a chance at this Open Championship. All of Northern Ireland is behind him
If Scottie Scheffler wins on Sunday at Royal Portrush, it will be his fourth major title and his second this year.
It would also place him three-fourths of the way to the Career Grand Slam. But that’s not on his mind.
“It would be nice, but I'm not going to be thinking about that tonight,” Scheffler said. “I'm going to be going home, trying to get some rest and get some recovery and then get ready for tomorrow.”
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After shooting a 7-under 64 in the second round, Scottie Scheffler was solid today but not spectacular. He had two birdies and an eagle and 15 pars.
It was the kind of round a leader plays and makes someone catch him. No one did.
“I feel good. I had another good day today,” Scheffler said. “I made a couple nice par saves. I had a really good par save on 11, really good par save on 14, 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 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.”
Rory McIlroy has won 16 times on the PGA Tour coming from behind in the final round. But he will have a big challenge tomorrow in the final round.
He’s at 8-under, six shots behind Scottie Scheffler.
“Look, Scottie Scheffler is – it's inevitable,” McIlroy said. “It's going to be tough to catch him tomorrow if he keeps playing the way he does.
“But if I can get out tomorrow and get off to a similar start to what I did today, get the crowd going, hopefully he tails out a couple groups behind me, and you never know.
“I just need to go out and play another really good round of golf tomorrow and see what happens.”
Russell Henley had the low round of the day at Royal Portrush, shooting a 6-under 65 with five birdies and an eagle with one bogey.
Henley moved 25 spots up the leaderboard to sit at T9 entering the final round. He’s at 6-under, eight shots behind leader Scottie Scheffler.
“I feel great. Got off to a great start today,” Henley said. “I haven't gotten off to the best start the first few. I felt like my game was there the first two days. I just was a little sloppy with iron play or missing on the incorrect side of the hole.
“Today was pretty clean. Hit my driver really well, got the ball in the fairway and was able to hole some putts.”
Henley finished tied for fifth last year at Royal Troon, his best finish at the Open Championship.
“I played last year when it was really tough conditions,” Henley said. “Not to say that that means you're going to do that every time. I just feel like that's what you do when you come over here; you just know it's coming, and you should expect it and do the best I can.”
Rory McIlroy has certainly enjoyed playing near his home during his Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
His day started with three birdies in the first four holes and then a long eagle putt on No. 12
“Absolutely the atmosphere has been electric all day,” McIlroy said earlier. “Obviously the start was nice, birdieing three of the first four. Just an absolute pleasure to play in front of my home crowd, my fans, and I've really obviously tried my best.
“I try my best every week, but really just trying to hang in there and stay in it. Obviously, some other players are, obviously, a few shots in front, but I played well enough today to at least feel like I have a chance tomorrow.”
Scottie Scheffler strokes gained ranks this week:
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Last two Opens at Royal Portrush:
Scottie Scheffler's last 9 outright 54-hole leads:
Scheffler -14, Fitzpatrick -9 (18)
Scottie Scheffler finished off a bogey-free round of 4-under 67. He will have a four-shot lead entering the final round as he tries to win The Open Championship for the first time.
If he can win tomorrow, it will be his fourth major title and his second of 2025 (after he won the PGA Championship in May).
The final group of the day on the final hole, approaching what they hope will be their final shot.
Scheffler and Fitzpatrick on the green.
Can they finish off with a morale-boosting birdie?
Haotong Li has been impressive throughout this round and has hung around nicely even with a very rare bogey by his standards to finish on No. 18.
He will play in the final group tomorrow after shooting a 69 today to sit at 10-under.
Li had four birdies and two bogeys in the round.
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An unreal golfer.
Calamity Corner? More like cool, calm, and collected corner. Chilled as a cucumber.
Scheffler -14, Fitzpatrick -10 (17)
Scottie Scheffler with another edge-burner on a long birdie putt on No. 17. He thought he made that one, and so did I. But it’s yet another par as the World No. 1 keeps cruising along with a nice recovery out of the left rough off the tee.
Matt Fitzpatrick faced a tough chip over the bunker near the green and ran it by, missing the par putt. He’s back to 10-under, four shots off Scheffler’s lead.
On to the 18th hole.
As Michael says, it promises to be a wonderful day of entertainment on the final day of the final golfing major of the year.
So much still to be decided.
And it's all live, all on The Athletic.
So we'll see you back in the same place tomorrow!
After that, Rory McIlroy addressed the elephant in the clubhouse: is Scottie Scheffler already too far ahead to be caught during tomorrow’s final round?
Here’s what McIlroy told Sky Sports:
💬 “Yeah, look. Scottie Scheffler, he’s inevitable. He’s become a complete player. He's so good around the greens.
He’s improved so much with his putter.
“It’s going to be tough to catch him tomorrow if he keeps playing the way he does.
“But if I can get off to a similar start to what I did today, get the crowd going, hopefully he feels that a couple of groups behind me and you never know.
“I just need to go out and play another really good round of golf and see what happens.”
What a day we have in prospect on Sunday.
It’s rather incredible to think that Rory McIlroy (-8) didn’t make it into the weekend at Royal Portrush in 2019.
This time? He’s trying to make the magic happen. He just spoke to Sky Sports about his 66 today and prospects tomorrow:
💬 “Absolutely incredible out there. The atmosphere has been electric all day. The start was nice but then (the eagle at No. 12 was) probably one of the coolest moments I’ve ever had on a golf course.
“An absolute pleasure to play in front of my home crowd, my fans, and I’ve really tried my best. I’m really just trying to hang in there.
“I played well enough today to at least feel like I have a chance going into tomorrow.”
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Scottie Scheffler parred the first six holes on the front nine. He parred the first six holes on the back nine.
You can't say he didn't give the rest of the field a chance.
But after this birdie on No. 16 to get to 14 under, four shots ahead of the next-best score, the Open feels over.
Scheffler -14, Fitzpatrick -10 (16)
Scottie Scheffler hit a beautiful tee shot on the 16th hole, and he paid it off with a nice putt for birdie. His lead is up to four shots over Matt Fitzpatrick and Haotong Li.
That’s Scheffler’s second birdie of the day with one eagle and the rest pars. Just a solid, calm day of golf.
Scheffler -13, Fitzpatrick -10 (15)
Scottie Scheffler missed his birdie putt on the 15th to the left on a bit of a misread and will once again make a par to keep his lead at three shots.
Matt Fitzpatrick made his birdie putt and is back into a tie for second with Haotong Li. That’s a nice response from Fitzpatrick on a tough putt.
