Scheffler Completes Dominant Open Win At Portrush

The Open Championship, last leaderboard

-17 Scheffler (US); -13 English (US); -12 Gotterup (US); -11 Clark (US), Fitzpatrick (Eng); -10 MacIntyre (Sco), Schauffele (US), McIlroy (NI)

Selected: -9 DeChambeau (US); -7 Rose (Eng), Hatton (Eng); -6 Aberg (Swe)

Less than 1 hr aft he teed disconnected connected Sunday day Scottie Scheffler had efficaciously won his first Open Championship title.

The world number 1 was only stepping disconnected nan 4th greenish but nan crippled was already up. A starting four-shot advantage complete nan section had grown to 7 astatine a sun-kissed Royal Portrush successful Northern Ireland.

A 3rd birdie of nan round, connected nan fifth, further underlined his power and nan only mobility near remaining was if he would surpass Tiger Woods' modern grounds of an eight-shot win, achieved successful 2000 astatine St Andrews.

In nan end, he fell short of that but a 68 saw him triumph connected 17 nether par, 4 shots clear of chap American Harris English, who closed pinch a 66.

Last week's astonishment Scottish Open victor Chris Gotterup was 1 further backmost aft a 67, while England's Matt Fitzpatrick, who hovered astir nan apical of nan leaderboard each week, birdied 2 of nan past 3 to subordinate Wyndham Clark (65) successful associated 4th connected 11 under.

Rory McIlroy looked affectional arsenic he was welcomed connected to nan last greenish for illustration nan champion by thousands of adoring fans.

He tapped successful for a par that saw him decorativeness alongside Scotland's Robert MacIntyre and past year's victor Xander Schauffele connected 10 under.

The caller champion golfer of nan twelvemonth though is Scheffler and fixed his caller power nan comparisons pinch Woods are only going to turn stronger.

This stat adds to that feeling. A full of 1,197 days elapsed betwixt Woods first awesome triumph and his 4th (the 1997 Masters and 2000 Open). A full of 1,197 days person elapsed betwixt Scheffler's first awesome triumph and his 4th (the 2022 Masters and 2025 Open).

It is simply a 2nd awesome title of nan twelvemonth for Scheffler, aft winning May's US PGA Championship, and a 4th successful total, adding to his 2 Masters. He now only needs nan US Open to go nan seventh subordinate to complete nan profession Grand Slam.

Victory connected nan Antrim seashore is nan American's 2nd title extracurricular of his location country, aft besides claiming golden astatine past year's Olympics successful Paris, France.

It is not bad for a man who said astatine nan commencement of nan week astir really master play was "not a fulfilling life" and questioned "the point" of pursuing victories pinch specified zeal.

More to follow.