Scottie Scheffler Takes Lead At The Open As Fitzpatrick Drives British Hopes

Imagine he cared. Imagine he really cared. Scottie Scheffler utilized media duties earlier nan 153rd Open Championship to measure nan pointlessness of play successful nan grand strategy of life. “If I win, it’s going to beryllium awesome for 2 minutes,” Scheffler asserted. The world No 1 should already hole for his 120 seconds of ecstasy. There is an aerial of inevitability astir Scheffler cradling nan Claret Jug pinch only half of this tourney gone. It will beryllium a daze should beryllium not triumph from here.

Matt Fitzpatrick had nan elements to contend pinch for spells connected Friday afternoon. Next came Scheffler, marauding successful nan rear position mirror; which for a golfer is much troublesome than thing that drops from nan sky. Fitzpatrick had only conscionable signed his scorecard for a 66 and 9 nether full arsenic Scheffler poured successful a birdie putt astatine nan 17th. Ten nether par.

Scheffler had nan bully grace to time off an opportunity from 15ft connected nan past conscionable short of nan jaws of nan hole. Things are astatine slightest still mildly interesting. It was conscionable that Scheffler’s 64, nan lowest of this Open truthful far, felt ominous for pretenders to his throne.

Fitzpatrick believes he reached a master nadir astatine this year’s Players Championship. There, he was severely struggling for shape and answers. His caller touch has been acold much awesome and astatine slightest akin to nan golfer who scaled nan US Open mountain astatine Brookline successful 2022. Fitzpatrick’s only vexation arrived from a missed birdie putt, each 3ft of it, connected nan penultimate hole. Given Scheffler’s mood, that could beryllium significant.

“I wouldn’t opportunity I needfully consciousness arsenic overmuch pressure,” said Fitzpatrick of a Saturday tee clip pinch Scheffler. “He’s going to person nan anticipation to spell retired and dominate. He’s an exceptional player. He’s world No 1 and we’re seeing Tiger-like stuff. I deliberation nan unit is for him to triumph nan play tournament. For maine evidently I dream I’m going to person immoderate much location support than him but it’s an breathtaking position for maine to beryllium successful fixed wherever I was earlier this year.”

Fitzpatrick besides addressed timekeeping, aft rounds stretched to adjacent to six hours connected time one. “I do deliberation it’s ridiculous,” he said. “The gait of play has been a operation of nan measurement nan play people is, reachable par fives and each that normal stuff. But it starts pinch nan players arsenic good and starts pinch nan rules officials.”

Brian Harman had made nan information 2 running, his 65 posting 8 nether atop nan leaderboard astatine lunchtime. Li Haotong reached minus 9 aft 12 but was to necktie Harman’s aggregate. Harman won nan Open successful 2023 and has done precious small complete nan intervening 24 months. Cue further questions astir Harman’s fondness for hunting; animals, not play titles. Li’s triumph successful Qatar successful February was his first for 3 years.

Matt Fitzpatrick is simply a changeable down nan leader Scottie Scheffler aft a 2nd information 66. Photograph: Oisin Keniry/R&A/Getty Images

Rory McIlroy was agelong gone by nan clip Fitzpatrick and Scheffler negotiated nan closing stretch. The Masters champion has achieved his first target of Open week by surviving for nan closing 36 holes, thing he grounded to execute present successful 2019. McIlroy’s 69 for a 3 nether full has fixed dream to nan immense galleries that person followed him. Saturday promises to present much of nan Rory Roar.

“I’ve been somewhat adjacent to my champion complete nan first 2 days successful small bits present and there,” McIlroy said. “I’m going to request to person it each nether power and person it benignant of each firing complete nan play to make a run.

“It’s unthinkable to play successful beforehand of these fans. It was 20 years agone that I played nan North of Ireland present and ne'er successful my wildest dreams did I deliberation that I’d beryllium coming backmost arsenic a expansive slam champion pinch nan support of a federation down maine trying to triumph an Open Championship. I count myself very grateful and very fortunate that I’m successful this position. I’m excited for nan weekend.”

So excessively is Keegan Bradley. While playing what he describes arsenic nan play of his life, Bradley appears fresh to play successful and skipper nan US Ryder Cup squad astatine Bethpage successful September. This will beryllium a dual domiciled of brilliant aliases lunacy, depending connected nan consequence against Europe. Bradley is besides 3 under. His 67 was bogey free. Chris Gotterup, who won nan Scottish Open connected Sunday, continues to thrust nan wave. He is 5 nether successful nan institution of Harris English, Bob MacIntyre, Rasmus Højgaard and Tyrrell Hatton.

Nobody who has made nan trim tin beryllium wholly ruled retired of winning this major. Should Scheffler person an improbable stumble, that is. The leaderboard is nan astir congested point successful Portrush, which takes rather immoderate doing. Jordan Spieth, Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland are moreover par. Tommy Fleetwood is 1 amended off. The defending champion Xander Schauffele is 2 under. Bryson DeChambeau spent Thursday retrieving balls from nan A2 to Coleraine yet blasted backmost to breeze into nan play pinch a 65. Good aged Bryson, ne'er dull.

Those to make an early exit from Northern Ireland included Cameron Smith, whose diminution successful this situation since making a move to nan LIV Tour has been incredible, Adam Scott, Collin Morikawa, Padraig Harrington and Min Woo Lee. What whitethorn move retired to beryllium Darren Clarke’s last Open information was of 73 for a positive six total. Next stop, nan Harbour Bar.