Scottie Scheffler Claims Open Championship With Majestic Four-shot Win

Never successful doubt. Never remotely successful doubt. What mightiness Rory McIlroy person to sprout to triumph his 2nd Open, they asked. The reply turned retired to be: Scottie Scheffler.

Anybody hoping for a keenly contested Open Sunday was to beryllium sorely disappointed. Make that 10 times Scheffler has held a 54-hole lead and 10 times he has converted. Scheffler tugged his opening tee changeable into nan rough, triggering immoderate crisp intakes of breath. The caller champion’s adjacent enactment was to occurrence an robust to wrong a ft of nan cup. Scheffler enjoyed a sun-kissed convoy connected nan Dunluce Links. Had nan R&A been truthful minded, they could person surgery pinch contented and handed complete nan Claret Jug connected nan 5th tee. By that point, he was 7 strokes clear.

Scheffler does not fuss pinch awesome jousting. Direct combat? No thanks. He four-putted nan 72nd greenish astatine Augusta National successful 2022 and still won by three. The 2024 Masters was claimed by four, nan 2025 US PGA Championship by five. This triumph was by a quartet of shots erstwhile successful reality it felt for illustration truthful overmuch more. Late connected Sunday afternoon, nan Old Tom Morris grounds from 1862 – he saw disconnected a distraught Willie Park by 13 shots astatine Prestwick – appeared to beryllium nether threat. Scheffler missed backmost 9 chance aft backmost 9 chance erstwhile it hardly mattered. A 68, Scheffler’s associated highest people of nan competition, meant 17 nether par arsenic an aggregate. His family surrounded him connected nan 18th green, successful nan latest reminder that nan world No 1 does not peculiarly prioritise golf. His understated brilliance and shunning of nan spotlight is intriguing. Scheffler recognises he is fantabulous astatine play but he is unwilling to beryllium defined by that.

The grounds books will show Harris English vanished 2nd and he is owed precocious praise. It is conscionable that Scheffler’s imperious front-running distorted nan tournament. English ne'er had immoderate imaginable of winning. Chris Gotterup was not successful nan Open erstwhile arriving successful North Berwick for its Scottish equivalent. Gotterup duly won there past Sunday and reached 12 nether par to unafraid 3rd successful Northern Ireland. What awesome sporting fairytale.

Harris English vanished 2nd wide but was incapable to connection a existent situation to Scottie Scheffler for nan Open title. Photograph: Pedro Salado/Getty Images

Scheffler does not request help. He received immoderate courtesy of nan truth this was different benign Portrush occasion. With that, nan capacity for immense errors was limited. Scoring was noticeably debased crossed nan field. Scheffler played his first 5 successful 3 under. He whacked a bunker changeable astatine nan 8th into nan look of nan soil trap; a double bogey location was partially repaired pinch a straightforward birdie astatine nan 9th. Those beneath him were scaling an crystal wall successful slippers. The R&A’s engraver could get to activity agelong earlier Scheffler reached his 72nd hole. There was an inevitability astir nan result which could only raise parallels pinch highest Tiger Woods.

What a weird week for Wyndham Clark. It began pinch Oakmont Country Club informing members that Clark had been banned from nan premises aft he inflicted grievous bodily harm connected immoderate lockers astatine last month’s US Open. Presumably others were ducking for screen arsenic Clark changeable a 76 connected Thursday. His response, however, was admirable; Clark signed disconnected pinch a 65 for 11 nether and a fourth-placed finish. He had Matt Fitzpatrick and Li Haotong for scoreboard company. Li carded a 4th information 70 arsenic Scheffler’s partner. “I asked if location is immoderate clip I tin believe pinch him connected nan PGA Tour,” said Li. “He said yes. I said, ‘ When I matter you, you amended reply to me.’ He goes, ‘Haotong who?’”

Clark does sound genuinely remorseful astir events astatine Oakmont. If he has a lingering gripe, it relates to his punishment from nan nine entering nan nationalist domain. “We were hoping it was going to beryllium private,” Clark said. “I did thing atrocious and I’m really sorry for it. Hopefully they person it successful their bosom to forgive maine and possibly successful nan early I’ll beryllium capable to play there.”

Rory McIlroy received vocal backing from nan crowd astatine Royal Portrush but said: ‘None of america could unrecorded pinch what Scottie [Scheffler] had this week.” Photograph: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile/Getty Images

McIlroy had reached 10 nether earlier a double bogey astatine nan 10th. It seems unthinkable to deliberation that McIlroy’s adjacent information successful a awesome will beryllium nan commencement of his Masters defence successful April. The esteem he was held successful by immense galleries complete 4 competitory days successful Portrush really was rather nan show and sound. McIlroy’s attraction will now move towards nan Ryder Cup and hopes of a uncommon European triumph connected American soil. McIlroy shared seventh successful Northern Ireland pinch Xander Schauffele and Bob MacIntyre. “None of america could unrecorded pinch what Scottie had this week,” McIlroy said. “ But for maine to beryllium successful beforehand of everyone present astatine location and to get that reception up nan last, perfectly incredible. I’ll retrieve that for a agelong time.”

Bryson DeChambeau blasted done nan section to station a 64 and 9 nether aggregate. DeChambeau opened this awesome pinch a 78 and ended up finishing tied 10th. Insert joke astir LIV golfers and 54-hole tournaments. Sergio García collapsed his driver connected nan 2nd spread successful a fresh of pique, rendering a 68 somewhat decent. García was asked post-round thoughts connected September’s Ryder Cup, an arena he is presently astir arsenic apt to characteristic successful arsenic nan aforementioned Old Tom.

Scheffler will beryllium there, having swept up half of nan year’s awesome crowns. Next year’s US Open – which concludes connected Scheffler’s 30th day – will characteristic him attempting to complete a profession expansive slam. We are firmly successful nan midst of 1 of nan top golfing careers of each time.