Scottie Scheffler moved a big step closer to a second major victory of the season and a third leg of the career Grand Slam by taking a four-shot lead into the final round of The Open.
The world No 1 held a one-shot halfway lead and never relinquished control in another impressive display, a bogey-free 67 lifting him to 14 under and giving him full control at Royal Portrush.
Scheffler found an eagle-birdie run to move ahead of playing partner Matt Fitzpatrick and followed two impressive par-saves on his back nine by adding another birdie, giving him a commanding advantage over China’s Haotong Li.
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Scottie Scheffler shot a bogey-free 67 to extend his lead at The Open to four shots heading in to the final round at Royal Portrush
Fitzpatrick briefly jumped level with Scheffler but heads into the final day five strokes back in third, while Rory McIlroy – chasing a second major win of the season – jumped to tied-fourth after delighting home fans with a third-round 66.
McIlroy shares fourth spot with Tyrrell Hatton, Chris Gotterup and Harris English on eight under, with Scheffler now on the verge of matching the efforts of Xander Schauffele – seven strokes back in eighth – by winning the PGA Championship and The Open in the same season.
How Scheffler closed on more major success
Scheffler’s lead doubled when Fitzpatrick made a three-putt bogey at the first but the world No 1 made a three-putt of his own at the par-five next, missing a four-foot birdie putt and seeing Fitzpatrick pull level with a chip-in eagle from off the green.
He needed to hole from 10 feet to match Fitzpatrick’s par at the third, as the chasing pack closed on the final group, only for Scheffler to hit the front by rolling in a 10-foot eagle at the par-five seventh.
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Matt Fitzpatrick made an eagle at the second hole to briefly pull level with playing partner Scottie Scheffler
Fitzpatrick got up and down from off the green to birdie the same hole but found himself two back when Scheffler made a 15-foot birdie at the par-four next, with the Englishman then falling further behind with a bogey at the par-four 11th.
Scheffler recovered from a wayward tee shot to save par from 10 feet, keeping him at 13 under, with Li moving into solo second when he birdied the 14th and Fitzpatrick failed to save par from four feet at the 13th.
Scheffler has converted each of his previous 54-hole leads on the PGA Tour
A possible Scheffler stumble at the 14th – following a wayward drive – was averted when he hacked out of the rough back onto the fairway and got up and down again, holing from 10 feet to save par, but saw his lead reduced when Fitzpatrick birdied the next.
The American responded by converting from 15 feet to birdie the par-three 16th for the third consecutive day, which gave him a four-shot buffer when Li cancelled out a birdie at the 17th with a final-hole blemish, with Fitzpatrick falling five behind after a penultimate-hole bogey dropped him back to nine under.
Scheffler has converted each of his previous 54-hole leads in majors, winning The Masters in both 2022 and 2024 before claiming the PGA Championship in May, with the 29-year-old now on the verge of another landmark victory.
Li posted a two-under 69 to join Scheffler in the final group, while McIlroy birdied three of his first four holes and cancelled out a bizarre bogey at the 11th with a 56-foot eagle at the next on his way to a five-under 66.
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Highlights from Rory McIlroy’s third-round 66 at The Open, where he carded an eagle, four birdies and a bogey to move to eight under
Gotterup, English and Hatton all posted third-round 68s to also get to eight under, while Russell Henley fired a round-of-the-day 65 to join Nicolai Hojgaard, Ramsus Hojgaard, Bob MacIntyre and 2023 champion Brian Harman in a share of ninth.
Lee Westwood carded six birdies in a back-nine 29 to jump to five under alongside compatriots Justin Rose, Harry Hall and Matt Wallace, while Shane Lowry – who was handed a two-shot penalty after his second round – struggled with illness during a three-over 74.
Can anyone stop Scheffler from major success?
Scottie Scheffler (-14), speaking to Sky Sports: “I need to stay patient and I know what I need to do tomorrow. It’s just about doing it. Sunday will be a fun and challenging day.
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The Sky Sports golf team reflect on another dominant display from Scottie Scheffler at The Open and whether he can close out more major success
“It would be fun to win this but that’s not what I will be thinking about when I go to sleep tonight or step on the first tee tomorrow. I will just be thinking about trying to execute.”
Matt Fitzpatrick (-9), speaking to Sky Sports: “I have to play well and get off to a good start. A few holes early doors were giving out birdies so hopefully same tomorrow. If I have a back nine like Friday, you never know.
“It would mean the world to be the first Englishman to win this since Sir Nick Faldo, who I think is so underrated as a golfer. It would be pretty special.”
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Rory McIlroy admitted it would be tough to catch Scottie Scheffler at the top of The Open leaderboard, despite a third-round 66
Rory McIlroy (-8), speaking to Sky Sports: “Even when he [Scheffler] doesn’t have his best stuff, 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.”
Who will win The Open? Watch the final men’s major of the year throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports. Early coverage from the final round is available on Sky Sports+ from 8am, before full coverage from 10am on Sky Sports Golf. Stream The Open and more top sport with no contract.
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