Scottie Scheffler Wins The Open Championship In Dominant Fashion

CHAMPION GOLFER OF THE YEAR

THE WINNING PUTT

REACTION

HE'S DONE IT

Faced with 35-foot for birdie, Scheffler just misses his attempt at the last, with the World No.1 tapping in for a par and 17-under total.

Claiming a four stroke victory, Scheffler secures his first Claret Jug in front of his wife Meredith and son Bennett. Scheffler now has four Major victories and is three-quarters of the way towards the Career Grand Slam.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER WINS THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

PAR FOR LI

Li is first up and his birdie attempt comes up short. The important thing is it's a par at the last and a T4 finish, which should qualify him for The Masters. Great playing from Li!

FAIRWAYS AND GREENS

Li and Scheffler both find the fairway off the tee at the 18th and, with irons in hand, Li produces a stunner to 22-foot, while Scheffler manages to stick his iron to 35-foot.

Being cheered up the 18th, both men have provided plenty of entertainment today and it's going to be Scheffler who wins a fourth Major and be three-quarters of the way to the Career Grand Slam.

PARS AT THE 18TH

Fitzpatrick and McIlroy par the last hole, with Fitzpatrick finishing 11-under and McIlroy 10-under. A case of what could have been, but still some excellent performances from both.

LI TO 11-UNDER

Li plays an excellent shot out of the bunker at the 17th, with his second almost dropping for an eagle. He taps in for a birdie, which puts him 11-under and in a tie for fourth.

Scheffler, meanwhile, plays a good shot from the thick rough and, from 18-feet, he puts his putt in the jaws of the hole. It's another par for the World No.1, who leads by four going down the last.

BIG APPLAUSE FOR McILROY AND FITZPATRICK

It hasn't been their days today, but the crowds embrace McIlroy and Fitzpatrick as they walk up the 18th, with both receiving a huge round of applause as they reach the green.

ENGLISH STAYS SECOND

Both Gotterup and English left long putts for birdie at the 18th and, up first, is English, who just misses his attempt. It's a par for the American, who remains 13-under.

Up next is Gotterup and, if he holes the putt, he'll share second with his fellow countryman, taking around $400,000 off him in the process.

Striking his putt, it looks good, but just falls away. It's a closing par for the Genesis Scottish Open winner, who will be very pleased with his fortnight's work.

LI THE BEAST

Many players have been getting close to the par 4 17th with their tee shots and, at the penultimate hole, Li pounds his drive 400-yards. Unluckily, it ends up in the right greenside bunker. He is 10-under, so a birdie would move him up to a share of fourth.

Scheffler, meanwhile, also pulls out the driver and gives it a whack. It fans out to the right, finishing in the second cut around 100-yards from the flag.

FITZY BIRDIES

Where has this been all day? Playing the 17th, Fitzpatrick rolls in another lovely birdie putt for back-to-back gains.

The Englishman is 11-under and in a share of fourth, alongside Clark. McIlroy, meanwhile, does well to get up-and-down from a greenside bunker to stay at 10-under.

GOTTERUP AND ENGLISH FIND THE GREEN

Both Gotterup and English are playing the 72nd hole and, with their approaches, both men find the green safely, leaving lengthy putts for birdie.

Gotterup is 12-under and in solo third, while English is 13-under and solo second. Essentially, Gotterup will need to hole his attempt to join English in second, provided English doesn't roll in his putt for birdie.

ENGLISH MOVES INTO SECOND

Scheffler is sat at 17-under and currently five ahead, that is until Harris English makes back-to-back birdies at the 16th and 17th to get to 13-under, four back of Scheffler.

English's best finish at a Major came at this year's PGA Championship, where he claimed a T2 result. If he finishes solo second that would, technically, better it.

IT'S A PAR

Well, it's not quite four birdies at Calamity, but a beautiful tee shot is followed by a strong putt that just misses. It's still a par and Scheffler is five clear with two remaining, after Gotterup misses a birdie attempt at the 17th.

CALAMITY CORNER

Fitzpatrick plays a great shot into the par 3 16th and, from 30-foot, the Englishman holes the birdie putt to get to 10-under. In his group, McIlroy makes up-and-down to remain at that score.

Moving on, the final pair hit their tee shots into Calamity and, with Li, he goes left of the green, while Scheffler plays a stunner to the heart of the green. If he birdies it, that will be four straight days where he has birdied the 16th.

GUTSY FROM LI

Following his double bogey at the 14th, Li responds perfectly at the 15th, holing a 15-footer for birdie to get back to 10-under. There's plenty of prize money and OWGR points available here, so that's a big moment for the 29-year-old.

PAR AT THE 15TH

Following a steady second into the par 4 15th, Scheffler's putt from 22-foot just slides by the right-side. Importantly, it's another par for the World No.1, who is now five clear and three holes away from lifting the Claret Jug.

BIRDIE FOR RORY

McIlroy hasn't had much luck with the putter today but, at the par 4 15th, he rolls in a birdie putt from 14-feet. He moves into a share of fifth at 10-under.

ANOTHER PERFECT DRIVE FOR SCOTTIE

He's hit six fairways out of 11 this round and, at the par 4 15th, Scheffler puts his drive to the right-side of the fairway, leaving a great angle in to attack that flag.

Up ahead, his nearest challenger, Gotterup, misses the green left on the par 3 16th, leaving himself a tricky up-and-down for par to remain five back.

CLARK CLOSES WITH A PAR

The former US Open winner just misses his birdie attempt at the 72nd hole, but it's an excellent six-under-par round of 65 for Clark, who sets the clubhouse target at 11-under-par.

He is currently in a share of third alongside Li and Harris. Currently, Li faces a 22-footer for bogey after struggles off the tee. Needing to hole his putt to drop just one shot, he misses and it's a double bogey for the Chinese star, who drops back to nine-under and into a share of ninth.

SUMS UP RORY'S DAY

McIlroy plays a great second shot into the par 4 14th, following a 330-yard drive, but his putt from six-foot slides by the right-side and it's a par. He remains nine-under.

Up ahead, Scauffele's birdie putt at the par 4 15th slides by from 15-foot. Making par, the defending champion plays a great shot at the par 3 16th, leaving nine-foot for a potential birdie at 'Calamity'.

MACINTYRE DRIVES THE 17TH

We saw Daniel Berger drive the 400-yard 17th earlier and, on the tee box, Robert MacIntyre smashes his drive down the middle and on to the front edge.

Sat with 28-foot for eagle, he just misses but it's a birdie for the Scot, who is now 10-under and just outside the top 5. It's another excellent Major performance form MacIntyre.

HE'S MISSED ONE

It's a tap-in par for Scheffler at the 13th, who had a great chance to make another birdie. Playing his iron to 10-foot, the putt is pushed and slides by. The World No.1 remains at 17-under.

CLARK MOVES TO 11-UNDER

Wyndham Clark is enjoying a great weekend in Northern Ireland and, at the par 4 17th, he rolls in a mid-range birdie putt to get to 11-under. He is six-under for his round today and going along nicely.

ANOTHER BIRDIE PUTT COMING UP

Exhibition golf from Scheffler, who puts his tee shot at the par 3 13th to under 10-foot. He has that to move to 17-under, which would be six shots clear of fellow countryman, Gotterup.

Li, who is still battling away, pulls his mid-iron left at the par 3 and is around 50-foot from the flag. He will have a tough two-putt coming up.

NEVER IN DOUBT

After coming up short with his approach at the par 5 12th, Scheffler plays a great chip to seven-foot and, like he has been doing this week, he rolls it in for a birdie to get to 17-under, five clear of Gotterup.

In his pairing, Li pushes his approach right and, faced with a tricky first putt, he rams his attempt from off the green to 12-feet. Needing to hole his birdie to move closer to Scheffler, the 29-year-old's putt comes up well short and it's a par.

BIRDIE FOR GOTTERUP

Excellent golf from Gotterup, who birdies the 13th hole to move to 12-under and four back of Scheffler. The American is solo second and enjoying an excellent run of form these past weeks.

FIRST BIRDIE ON THE BACK NINE

McIlroy can't quite recreate those extraordinary scenes from round three, but he settles for a comfortable birdie to return to nine-under and a tie for eighth. Fitzpatrick has seemingly run out of momentum himself and has to make do with a par.

BETTER TO BE LUCKY THAN GOOD

Sometimes, it is better to be lucky than good. But Scottie Scheffler is very much world-class as well. He receives a little bit of luck after driving towards the right fairway bunker on the 12th, but instead of falling in, his ball skips past the gaping trap and comes to rest on the short grass.

GAINS ALL OVER THE PLACE

Harris English eagles the par-5 12th thanks to an absolute bomb, Chris Gotterup makes a solo gain at the same hole, and then Haotong Li joins them via a birdie at the 11th. While the chasers find some momentum once again to reduce Scheffler's lead to five, the man out in front ticks another hole off courtesy of a par.

DEFENDING CHAMP HAS A CHANCE

Xander Schauffele has dropped his ball pin-high at the par-3 13th and has an opportunity to move into solo second. He's hardly been mentioned this week, Schauffele, but he could be on for a highly-respectable defence.

Meanwhile, McIlroy finally finds another fairway at the 12th and has the opportunity to repeat his heroics from yesterday.

SAFELY ABOARD

The three-time Major winner - about to become a four-time winner - was just off the fairway again at the 11th but has skipped one onto the left edge of the putting surface as he chases yet another birdie. 20 feet left.

FIGHT FOR SECOND

Schauffele comes up just short with his eagle attempt at the 12th but makes birdie to join the expanding group on 10-under. Wyndham Clark has also made plenty of gains today - seven birdies by my count - to join the nearly men.

LOWRY SAYS THANK YOU

After finishing at two-under, Shane Lowry has posted a message of appreciation to all those who supported him this week.

MCILROY CHARGE UNRAVELLING

The Northern Irishman goes wide right off the tee and then finds the front-left bunker after gouging one out of the thickest grass. His bunker shot is an 8/10, but that will likely be a par which does his chances of a solo second no real help.

SIX-STROKE CUSHION

Despite Scheffler being unable to find his fifth birdie of the day in just 11 holes, his par is good enough for a six-stroke advantage over the rest. The engraver can resume their work on the trophy, I think...

CHASERS FALLING

Li makes his third bogey of the day to help restore a six-stroke lead for Scheffler.

GOTTERUP GIVES ONE AWAY

One of two men who were on 11-under, Chris Gotterup can't make par at the 11th and finds his first bogey of the day. Playing partner, Harris English also cards a five, so two unhappy Americans have just helped one of their compatriots breath a little easier still.

PIN-HIGH

Scheffler appears to be over his little stumble in the middle of the round there. Centre cut off the tee leaves him 147 yards into the 10th. A guided wedge shot ends hole high, and it will be a relatively straightforward birdie putt to come.

DISASTER FOR RORY

A horrible run down the 10th is compounded by McIlroy's first double-bogey of the week. He fails with the bogey try and taps in for a six. It arrives at the worst possible time, with holes running out down the back nine on Sunday.

SECOND BOGEY INCOMING

McIlroy's overshoot into 10 saw him playing off the artificial grass that leads to the tunnel up to the 11th tee. He attempted a flop shot but didn't get anywhere near enough of it and was left red-faced as it landed a few yards in front. McIlroy chips onto the green and will have a 15-20 foot bogey putt, mere moments after Scheffler's uncharacteristic error.

CUSHION RESTORED

After Haotong Li joins Gotterup at 11-under thanks to a brilliant bit of recovery play, Scheffler follows suit and maintains his five-stroke cushion by rolling home a simple five-footer at the ninth.

He makes the turn in 34 strokes and only has nine more holes to navigate before likely adding the third leg of his career Grand Slam.

WAYWARD

McIlroy has 180 yards to the flag with the ball well below his feet down the left at the 10th. Unable to control his golf ball from an iffy lie, the 36-year-old sends his approach well over the back.

BOUNCE BACK

Scheffler clips his second shot to five feet, and you'd fancy there might well be a bounce-back birdie coming up shortly.

ROUGH DRIVES

Scottie Scheffler fires down the ninth and just runs out of real estate to keep it on the fairway down the right side. Nevertheless, it's not a bad place to be at all. Haotong Li, however, was forced to shout fore left after pulling his drive.

A hole ahead, McIlroy has also missed the shortest grass once more...

SMART GOLF

Gotterup sent a pretty disappointing second shot into the 10th but used the old noggin to great effect, digging himself out of a tough position on a downhill lie.

The American skipped his chip across to the other side of the green and rolled it up the bank before letting it come back down towards the hole. That was really smart and rewarded him with a par.

WASTED CHANCE

McIlroy's weak chip has ultimately set up only a par when birdie should have been far more likely. Again, a good effort is sent on its way, but again, it dribbles just wide. Birdie-par-birdie-par-par for the home favorite since that bogey at the fourth.

DOUBLE-BOGEY FOR SCHEFFLER

Audible gasps in the media tent. Audible gaps out on the course as Scheffler makes a double-bogey at the par-4 eighth. He was close, the World No.1, but not good enough to only drop a shot.

He's back to 15-under and the gap is now only four...

B-GRADE CHIP

McIlroy's chip sounded a little heavy off the face, and it proved that way by coming up some 20 feet short. He will be disappointed with that.

MONSTER DRIVE

Goodness me, what a drive from McIlroy! The ninth is 433 yards long in total, but McIlroy only has 72 yards left. Wedge shot incoming.

BOGEY-FREE STREAK IS OVER

Scheffler has gone 32 holes without a bogey, but that streak is officially over after he sends his fourth to 15 feet below the hole at the eighth. A double-bogey would be perfect for those hoping for a little more entertainment, but it would be a really shocker for the World No.1.

INTO THE FACE

Well now.... what do we have here? Scheffler should have clipped one out into the fairway but either caught it really, really thin or made a mistake in going for the green. He fired straight into the revetted face, needing to compose himself before successfully finding the grass with his third.

Elsewhere, Chris Gotterup is up to 11-under and Haotong Li has an outside chance of joining him.

SCHEFFLER SWITCHING OFF?

He's still recorded five threes and two fives to start, but Scheffler has just tailed off slightly after that really hot start. His drive at the eighth lands smack bang into the middle of the right fairway bunker, likely forcing Scheffler to lay up.

MISSED CHANCE

McIlroy goes fairway-green at the eighth but rolls his birdie attempt a couple of inches wide of his target. Fitzpatrick is more successful, however, and shifts back up to 10-under. English, Gotterup, McIlroy and Fitzpatrick are the closest men to Scheffler - seven shots back...

SCHAUFFELE BIRDIE

The defending champion moves to nine-under thanks to a classy roll at the the ninth. He's made the turn in 34 strokes, but will definitely be handing his trophy over in the next few hours.

NEVER IN DOUBT

With 12 feet for par, Scheffler stands up and fires another one home. Nothing is throwing him off. This is sensational. It really is.

BOGEY-FREE STREAK UNDER PRESSURE

Scheffler's fourth was not from an easy spot, by any means, but the actual stroke was a little surprising. His ball skipped up onto the green and rolled out further than most expected. Is now the time the bogey-free streak ends?....

ANOTHER MISSED GREEN

Scheffler's third is from the first cut, and that just takes the edge off full control into the green. As a result, Scheffler pulls his approach just off to the left and will face a pretty tough up-and-down. That's two missed greens in a row now...

SPLASH OUT OF THE SAND

Scheffler takes his medicine and flies his ball out of the left fairway bunker. These are proper bunkers out here. Effectively a one-stroke penalty if you find them. As it should be.

MCILROY INTO T2ND

The Northern Irishman sends his birdie putt home and slots himself alongside Li and Gotterup. Should he finish second (and Scheffler obviously wins), then it would be the first time since 2002 that the World no.1 and no.2 have finished in that order at a Major.

BEAUTY

McIlroy should have a chance to return into a share of second after flighting a wedge in from short range and watching it stand to attention a matter of feet away from the hole. It's difficult to tell from this angle, but it looks like maybe six feet.

BUNKER TROUBLE

Scheffler bangs a dead-straight drive off the seventh tee and finds the sand on the left side. Just ahead, McIlroy has hacked out of the cabbage and is standing over his third.

SIMPLY THE BEST

Scheffler had played the past 30 holes bogey-free. Make that 31. A man who barely gives anything away gives a fairly emotional fist pump on his way to the hole after rolling home a sensational par save. The guy is just too good.

SCOTTIE SCRAMBLING

Scheffler's chip up the hill doesn't quite fly all the way and he's been left with a difficult par putt. There are a few "oohs" from the crowd. They think a bogey might be on its way.

TROUBLE OFF THE TEE

McIlroy has hit two, seven and five fairways so far this week. He won't add to his tally on the seventh after pushing his drive slightly too far right and finding the thick cabbage. From the high crane shot above, his ball looks buried. On the tee, McIlroy says "Get a kick!" before saying "it might not be too bad." You can hope, Rory...

FIRST MISTAKE

At the sixth, Scheffler comes up short and watches his ball roll back towards him before ending in a pretty tough spot. Scheffler turns around and says: "Teddy, how did that happen?!"

Is the door being unlocked?... Anyone hoping for a close contest will certainly hope so.

ANOTHER ONE

Scottie Scheffler wedges to 10 feet from 95 yards and promptly rolls in the birdie putt to reach 17-under. The gap remains seven to Li, though, as the Chinese pro also finds a gain at the fifth.

For anyone wondering, the record margin of victory at The Open is 13 strokes while it's 15 across all four Majors. Right now, I wouldn't bet against both being reset by this evening...

CLOSE SHAVE

McIlroy finds the green at the par-3 sixth, but he's not close. From 40 feet or so, the Northern Irishman rolls a beautiful putt across country which just sails wide. Par it is.

DECHAMBEAU TAKES CLUBHOUSE LEAD

A stunner of an approach from DeChambeau gives him a final birdie in the 18th, taking him up to nine-under. Imagine if he hadn't shot 78 in the first round... As it is, DeChambeau finishes the week on 275 strokes thanks to a brilliant 64 on Sunday.

FAIRWAYS AND GREENS

While everyone else has no choice but to take every flag on, Scheffler can nonchalantly plot his way around until hoisting the Claret Jug. At the fifth, Li goes direct and finds the rough. But Scheffler takes a 3-wood and punts it into the widest part of the fairway, so 50-70 yards short of the putting surface.

MCILROY RESPONDS

McIlroy's lie wasn't too bad, and he makes the most of his good fortune by chunking a wedge onto the putting surface and rolling it to within four or five feet.

After Fitzpatrick finds a birdie, McIlroy follows him in and joins the group on nine-under. The gap remains seven, however.

SEVEN-SHOT GAP

The gap for Scheffler is SEVEN shots now. The champion-elect sees his birdie putt just catch enough of the hole's left edge and drop in. Meanwhile, Li can't save his par and drops back into the nine-under group alongside Harris English and Chris Gotterup.

AGGRESSIVE LINE

McIlroy goes for it all on the fifth but comes up short and ends in the rough. Mind you, that is the right side to miss it. Depending on the lie, he should still have a chance for birdie.

GREAT BIRDIE CHANCE

Where Rory fails, Scottie appears to have succeeded. He squeezes a lovely little cut into the top right corner of the green, watching it roll back down the slope and stopping 10 feet below the hole. That's a green-light special for birdie, no doubt.

Li has an opportunity to make par from a little further out and a similar angle after digging his tee shot out of the bunker.

HOW IS YOUR LUCK?

Scheffler hits a wild slinging drive from left to right on the fourth, and it lands in between the two sets of bunkers before rolling into the centre of the fairway. Haotong Li is not so lucky, however. His drive finds the first set of bunkers.

MCILROY DROPS A SHOT

The Northern Irishman's attempt was a decent one, but it never made it to the hole and finished just left as well. He's back into a tie for fifth at eight-under.

Bob MacIntyre has just made birdie at the par-5 seventh to move up to seven-under.

MATSUYAMA INTO T8TH

Hideki rolls in a beauty on the 15th to reach eight-under alongside clubhouse leader, Rickie Fowler.

LIKELY BOGEY INCOMING

McIlroy chose to take his medicine and go low with his third shot. The five-time Major winner clipped his ball out to the front left of the green as you'd normally approach it, with a long-range par putt coming up. This will be met with an almighty roar if it drops. The fans know a bogey is likely on its way.

SCHEFFLER ROLLS ON

At the par-3 third, Scheffler finds the back half of the green and lags a very good putt down the slope from left to right. Another two foot par putt tapped home and it's another hole ticked off. No drama so far...

Li follows a similar path and remains in solo second at 10-under.

WAYWARD APPROACH

McIlroy's tee shot was perfect, but his approach was disappointing. Pushing it to the right slightly, he is facing a likely bogey with nothing but downhill in front of him. The only way out of this for the World No.2 is likely a massive flop shot which lands in a two-foot landing zone.

GREAT PUTT FROM GOTTERUP

The par-4 4th is incredibly difficult, one of the hardest holes on the course, but Chris Gotterup has just made it look like a piece of cake. Putting from off the green at the back, he sends it well left of the hole before watching it trundle down the slope and into the cup. What a sound when that went in! He's up to nine-under and a tie for third.

PERFECT TEE SHOT

McIlroy mashes his drive on the par-4 fourth, playing 496 yards today. The ball lands on the opposite side of the fairway to the first set of twin bunkers. Having walked the front nine this morning, I can tell you that is the ideal position to be in for this tucked flag.

Fitzpatrick thumps one down the centre, but it's about 20 yards behind his playing partner.

MCILROY FRUSTRATED

A hole ahead, McIlroy marginally pulls his birdie putt just to the left of his intended target from 12-15 feet and that'll be a par 4. It's a nice start, but it could easily have been at least one stroke better.

GAP WIDENS

The Open leader coaxes his birdie attempt around a corner and down to the hole side via a sweeping right-to-left path. He then taps in for par.

His playing partner, Li makes a six at the par, though, and Scheffler's gap is now five...

BRYSON UP TO T6!

The LIV star has just birdied the 15th to get to six-under for the day and -8 for the championship.

If he shot level par on day one...he'd be tied for the lead right now.

SCHEFFLER LONG WITH HIS CHIP

The World No.1 plays safe and bumps his chip shot a good 30ft-or-so past.

Haotong Li has thinned his bunker shot long and will be struggling for par.

INCREDIBLE PUTT FROM XANDER SCHAUFFELE

I will try and find a video for you as this was special. From the back of the green and with a good 10ft of left-to-right break, the defending champion boxes an incredible birdie. He's up to eight-under now.

MCILROY ON 3

McIlroy hits a lovely iron shot into the testing par-3 3rd that will leave 30ft for birdie.

Fitzpatrick pulls it left - 'position Z' according to Iona Stephen on comms - and he will do well to save par.

SCHEFFLER'S SECOND INTO 2

His utility iron comes up short, left and that should leave a fairly tricky chip shot with not much green to work with.

Still, he'll probably get it up-and-down.

MCILROY BIRDIES 2

He putts his ball from just off the right side of the green and it's a beauty. Perfectly on line, it finishes just short of the hole and it's an easy tap-in par.

Solid par-birdie start there, just what he would have been hoping for.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER'S STUNNING APPROACH TO THE 1ST

SCHEFFLER AND LI ON 2

Haotong Li stripes a drive and Scheffler does the same with a 3-wood. Both in great shape to attack the par-5 with their seconds.

MCILROY AT 2

From the left rough, he pushes a 6-iron from 204 yards out to the right but it rolls back down the contours to finish just off the green. With his short game prowess, he should be able to get that down in two for a birdie.

LI AND SCHEFFLER BOTH BIRDIE

Incredible start from the final group, with Scheffler moving to 15-under and Li up to 11-under.

McIlroy is now seven back of the lead, while Harris English has birdied the 2nd to move to nine-under.

SCHEFFLER WOW!!

Haotong Li has just striped an iron to around 5ft at the 1st to set up a great look at birdie and put the pressure on Scheffler.

WOW!

Scheffler follows him, lands it to the right side of the green and it rolls back down the hill to within 2ft. Unbelievable from the World No.1 who will move to 15-under-par with ease.

MCILROY IN DECENT SHAPE ON 2

He has really struggled to find fairways this week and he's missed the 2nd up the left but should be absolutely fine.

MCILROY PAR

A very boring fairway, GIR, two-putt par for McIlroy at the 1st. Solid start.

Fitzpatrick makes a great up-and-down from long, right of the green to also start with a par.

FINAL GROUP UNDERWAY!

Haotong Li up first, and the Chinese star hits a gorgeous fade straight down the middle.

Scottie Scheffler, with a fairway wood, pulls it left but it fades back slightly into the semi-rough. Definitely not his best swing there but it's absolutely fine.

NOT GOOD FOR HATTON

After that perfect birdie at the 1st, Hatton has just handed it straight back with a bogey at the par-5 2nd.

That's a big setback.

MCILROY SAFELY ABOARD THE 1ST

From 165 he flies it past the pin and it rolls to the back of the green some 45ft away if I had to guess. Should be a par.

SCHEFFLER WILL BE FEELING IT

Remember when he admitted to crying the night before he held the 54-hole lead at the 2022 Masters?

Sure, he's come a long way since then but you best believe that Scheffler will be nervous today. He is human after all.

He is the best in the world for many reasons, though, and one of those is his mental strength. He's 9/9 for 54-hole leads and is likely going to stroll to victory today...but this is sport and anything can happen.

RORY, RORY, RORY

Chants of "Rory, Rory, Rory!" as McIlroy walks off the 1st tee. Incredible.

MCILROY UNDERWAY

The World No.2, with iron in hand, hits a peach down the left-side of the fairway. We're underway!

Matt Fitzpatrick finds the left rough with a fairway wood.

RASMUS MAKING MOVES

Rasmus Hojgaard starts birdie-birdie to vault up to eight-under.

Still six back but currently T5th. That's A LOT of Ryder Cup points, too.

ANOTHER BIRDIE FOR BRYSON

DeChambeau has just birdied the par-5 12th to get to five-under for the round and seven-under for the championship.

He is now inside the top-10 after shooting 78 in the opening round, incredible fightback.

SCENES AT THE 1ST!

It's a standing ovation from the 1st tee grandstand as Rory McIlroy enters the stage.

What an atmosphere.

As I said earlier, it is difficult to imagine the scenes later if he can somehow manage to catch Scheffler this afternoon.

BIRDIE FOR HATTON AT 1!

The Englishman converts from 4ft and that is the perfect start.

He is now nine-under-par and closes to within five of Scheffler.

MCILROY MAKING HIS WAY TO THE TEE

He's just finished his warm-up and is on his way to the 1st tee now. This is going to be some roar!

ENGLISH AND GOTTERUP UNDERWAY

Harris English just about avoids the bunker off the tee to find the fairway as links specialist Chris Gotterup hits quite a filthy little stinger up the left that finishes in the semi-rough. That was quite something.

STUNNER FROM HATTON

Tyrrell Hatton has just hit a beauty of an approach into the 1st is dead on line and comes up perhaps just 4-5ft short. That is surely going to be a birdie to get him to within five.

BIG NAMES GOING WELL

Hideki Matsuyama, Tommy Fleetwood and Bryson DeChambeau are all four-under for their rounds while Maverick McNealy is five-under.

You feel one of the guys starting at six-to-eight-under are going to go low on this front nine and at least make things a little interesting.

ONE MORE GROUP BEFORE MCILROY

Chris Gotterup and Harris English will be next on the tee before the penultimate pairing of Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick.

The scenes are almost unimaginable if Rory McIlroy can win this today (he starts six back) but no matter what, the atmosphere is going to be like no other.

SCHAUFFELE (-7) AND HATTON (-8) OFF

The defending champion finds the right side of the 1st fairway with an iron before Tyrrell Hatton hits a beauty up the left.

You've got to think Hatton has the ability to go low today, although I just cannot see Scheffler going backwards.

NICOLAI HOJGAARD IN TROUBLE

The Dane missed the green on the 1st left and his pitch shot from a tricky spot down by the bunker has rolled back to the front of the green.

It's going to be a bogey and drop him back to five-under and almost end any slim hopes he had of making a charge.

TOMMY FLEETWOOD CHARGING

The Englishman has just birdied 5, 7, 8 and 9 to go out in 32 (-4) and move up to seven-under.

That's a jump of 21 places so far today to put himself up to T8th.

PROUD PARENTS

Mr and Mrs Hojgaard must be very proud of their sons, who are playing in consecutive groups this afternoon.

Ramus has just teed off with Nicolai out next.

How do their careers compare? Take a look...

GREAT STARTS FOR ROSE AND HALL

Englishmen Justin Rose and Harry Hall are both two-under for their first three holes and up to -7 for the championship.

Scoring is very low today which is good for the chasing pack but also good for Scottie Scheffler.

OPPENHEIMER

Rory McIlroy has been watching Oppenheimer throughout the week and the cameras catch him talking Harry Diamond through what he's been learning...

LESS THAN AN HOUR TO GO UNTIL THE FINAL GROUP

Here are the remaining tee times (all local BST)...

• 1.40pm: Rasmus Hojgaard, Robert MacIntyre
• 1.50pm: Nicolai Hojgaard, Russell Henley
• 2pm: Xander Schauffele, Tyrrell Hatton
• 2.10pm: Harris English, Chris Gotterup
• 2.20pm: Rory McIlroy, Matt Fitzpatrick
• 2.30pm: Haotong Li, Scottie Scheffler

HARMAN HOPING FOR BETTER DAY

A poor 73 for Brian Harman, who lead the Major after the second day, wasn't what the American had wished for.

He starts on six-under and hopes for a much better day today.

The 2023 Open Champion tees off with an incredibly low-flighted shot which finds the short rough on the right-hand side.

MATTHEW JORDAN CHIPS-IN

What a moment for the Englishman on 16 as he makes an incredible birdie, chipping in for an impressive two.

He won't be able to follow up his back-to-back T10s in the last two Open Championships, but another great result awaits Jordan.

PREVIOUS WINNERS

The last two competitive golf competitions held at Royal Portrush was the 148th Open in 2019 and the 2012 Irish Open.

Shane Lowry won the Claret Jug with a winning score of 15-under and Jamie Donaldson won in 2012 with a score of 18-under.

Scottie Scheffler enters the final round today on 14-under, so the score is definitely around the right mark. But, how much higher will it get?

Again, not brilliant reading for the chasing pack.

ANOTHER BRYSON THREE

A third birdie of the day for DeChambeau at seven as the American moves to five-under for the Major.

The LIV star is constantly changing his equipment and said he is creating his own golf-ball which he said is only a few weeks away from use. But, he seems to have had some control over his game during the last few days.

SCHEFFLER DOMINANCE

The last nine times Scottie has led through 54-holes, you guessed it, he's won.

That's not great reading for the chasing pack.

SO CLOSE TO A PERFECT ENDING

COMMENTATOR'S CURSE

I shouldn't have said anything.

Lowry hits an unbelievable chip onto the green and looks destined to go in, but hits the flag and rests 2ft from the hole.

That would've been awesome if it dropped.

He comfortably makes par and what a reception it is for the 2019 Open Champion, with everyone around the green on 18 on their feet and celebrating one of their own.

MONTY'S ULTIMATE RYDER CUP TEAM

NOT LONG TO GO

Just a reminder that we are now less than two hours away from the final groups entering the Portrush stage.

We will be live all day to take you through the action.

Will Scottie Scheffler charge home or are we in for an interesting afternoon?

HERO'S WELCOME

The grandstand is packed on 18 to welcome home-hero Shane Lowry.

His approach is wayward though as he finds the small rough left to the green.

Come on Shane, chip-in and give this crowd one last moment to cheer about.

HOW HAS THAT NOT DROPPED

Wow wow wow, how has that not dropped for Shane Lowry.

His birdie putt on 17 to take him to three-under dances round the hole and rests just above the cup. It wasn't the best putt but as soon is it lipped halfway around, it looked in.

BRYSON'S MAGNIFICENT APPROACH

"I HATE THAT SWING"

Frustration for Tommy Fleetwood at 4 as the Englishman fires his approach shot over the green to the right, finding the rough.

An extremely tough up-and-down awaits Fleetwood to save par.

LUCAS GLOVER UNDERWAY

26ft is left for Lucas Glover to make a birdie at the first.

He currently is at four-under and is looking for his best Open finish since his T12 back in 2011.

The man who doesn't wear a glove, quite ironic if you ask me, has one Major Championship to his name. This came in 2009 at the US Open.

Update: He misses his birdie putt, but open's with a par.

67 FOR MICKELSEN

The American is in the clubhouse with an impressive 67.

A bogey-free round which included four birdies makes it the best score recorded so far today.

Encouraging signs for the players out later this afternoon.

ON THE MARCH

After a birdie at three, Bryson stiffs his approach shot to 4ft again on four, to make an easy three.

He was a combined nine-under for his previous two days and is looking to make a major move today, currently sitting at four-under.

He is probably too far back to challenge for the Claret Jug, but that's not going to stop the LIV man from attacking this golf course. This could get entertaining.

BRYSON AWAY

Birdie for DeChambeau at three after a magnificent tee shot, which left only 4ft for an easy two.

His playing partner Nathan Kimsey bogeys though, and is one-over for the day.

SPECIAL HAOTONG LI

What a great story Haotong LI is who pairs Scottie Scheffler in the final group at Royal Portrush.

Wouldn't it be great to see him holding the Claret Jug this evening, after nearly giving the game up.

GOOD STARTS

Tommy Fleetwood's birdie putt on 1 just slides by, with the Englishman starting with a par.

Aaron Rai is at two-under for the day, along with Jason Kokrak and Henrik Stenson, with all three men at three-under for the Championship.

SCORING LOOKS GOOD

Conditions are set fair around Royal Portrush today, with rain set to stay away.

And scoring looks good so far, with a host of players in the red on their front-nine.

In fact, only 8 of the 40 players out so far are worse than under-par for the day.

SHANE SIXTH BIRDIE

FLEETWOOD OFF

The Englishman navigates the first whole way as he sends his approach shot just past the pin, with a decent look for birdie incoming.

STAT-MAN

Who would like some stats on the world No.1 golfer for this week?

Scottie Scheffler currently ranks first for Total Strokes Gained and Strokes Gained for Putting so far, highlighting how he has improved around the greens. Putting coach Phil Kenyon has really got Scheffler's putter firing since joining his team last year.

The American is also 5th in Greens in Regulation, with a 75.9% success rate.

But, here's my favourite stat... Scheffler hasn't found a single bunker all week. And of course, he leads that stat. Simply phenomenal.

MUTUAL RESPECT

TWO-UNDER BUT WHO?

You guessed it, Shane Lowry continues to move up the leaderboard, as he birdies the 12th to move to two-under.

Part of me thinks this is his way of giving McIlroy a little nudge for a later on, both for Rory himself and for the crowd.

That's five-under for the day now for Shane, and if his best-mate can replicate a round anything like this, later this afternoon, Scheffler may just start to feel the pressure.

KIMSEY AWAY

This what the Open is about. 32-year-old Nathan Kimsey is alongside DeChambeau for the final day, with the Englishman playing in his first Major Championship.

Not a bad playing partner.

Kimsey currently plays on the DP World Tour and has two Challenge Tour wins to his name, both coming in 2022.

MICKELSON HAVING A STRONG SUNDAY

The 2013 Open Champion is three-under for the day in his bogey-free round but is still down at two-over for the tournament.

He is one of a handful of LIV Golfers playing today, with American Bryson DeChambeau just having teed off, but sends his ball into the right-hand side rough.

LUCK O'THE IRISH

Lowry doesn't like his approach shot at 11, with his ball looking like it's going to sail into the rough on the left of the green.

However, his ball jumps out and rests just on the edge of the green. Members bounce maybe?

FOLWER CLASSIC LOOK

I've got a bit of nostalgia watching Rickie Fowler this morning, with his bright Orange 1/4 zip and cap. All that's missing is his trouser, shoes and belt!

The American birdies the second to move to three-under.

Lots of birdies already seen at the second, which has a scoring average of 4.79 so far today.

2019 CHAMPION SHOWS CLASS

MCNEALY BUILDING

Three-under thru three for the American who backs up an eagle on the second with a birdie on the third.

McNealy missed the cut in both of his previous Open starts in 2017 and 2024, and looks poised to beat his previous best Major finish of T23, at last year's PGA Championship.

CLARKE WITH MCILROY

The grand-slam winner is in town and he's been spotted speaking with fellow Northern Irishman Darren Clarke.

Both played a practice round together, with Tom McKibbin, early on Wednesday morning.

Who better to give McIlroy some advice this morning than the 2011 Champion Golfer of the Year.

SCOTTIE PROVES DOUBTER WRONG

I was just scrolling through golf twitter and found this re-birthed on my timeline.

It's safe to say lefty got this quite wrong, regardless of whether Scheffler wins today.

The PGA vs LIV debate will continue to cause debate, especially with Major results, but this might take one of the top spots for the worst golfing take come the end of the year.

LOWRY'S FOURTH BIRDIE

SHANE'S GOT THE CROWD GOING EARLY

Shane Lowry makes it three birdies in a row following a brilliant approach shot on the 10th, which left him 21ft for a three. He hit that with some pace, and confidence.

He's got this Irish crowd going, three hours before his best-mate Rory McIlroy gets under way.

RAI STARTS WELL

Ryder Cup hopeful Aaron Rai birdies the second with a brilliant up-and-down, as he begins his final day well.

The Englishman has had a great year on the PGA Tour, announcing himself on the big stage. All he lacks is that 2025 win.

A good result this weekend will definitely boost his hopes to be one of Luke Donald's picks for September.

LOWRY BACK TO HIS BEST

That's three-under for the day for Shane Lowry, who makes his second string of back-to-back birdies in the final round.

The Irishman is smiling and seems to be enjoying himself a lot more today.

His tee-shot on nine finds the fairway to potentially set-up another good opportunity.

WEATHER WATCH

UH OH SERGIO

Watch as Sergio Garcia snaps his driver on the second. He can't replace it due to the fact it was his doing, so is now driver-less for the rest of his final round. He may regret that soon!

SHANE LOWRY HOLE-OUT!

Shane Lowry from 183 yards on the 4th for birdie (after pitching out of a bunker)...

WHAT SCHEFFLER SAID AHEAD OF THE FINAL ROUND

"Winning Major Championships is not an easy task, and I've put myself in a good position," he said.

"Going into tomorrow I'm going to step up there on the first tee and I'm going to be trying to get the ball in the fairway, and when I get to the second shot I'm going to be trying to get that ball on the green. There's not really too much else going on."

HOW THINGS STAND WITH 18 TO PLAY

A REMINDER OF TODAY'S FINAL ROUND TEE TIMES

All times local BST

• 12.45pm: Corey Conners, Lee Westwood
• 12.55pm: Harry Hall, Justin Rose
• 1.05pm: Ludvig Aberg, Kristoffer Reitan
• 1.15pm: Oliver Lindell, Matt Wallace
• 1.25pm: Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman
• 1.40pm: Rasmus Hojgaard, Robert MacIntyre
• 1.50pm: Nicolai Hojgaard, Russell Henley
• 2pm: Xander Schauffele, Tyrrell Hatton
• 2.10pm: Harris English, Chris Gotterup
• 2.20pm: Rory McIlroy, Matt Fitzpatrick
• 2.30pm: Haotong Li, Scottie Scheffler

GOOD MORNING FROM ROYAL PORTRUSH

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the 2025 Open final round, where Scottie Scheffler is ready to be crowned Champion Golfer of the Year.

Can he be caught? I don't think so, but it's going to be a great watch either way.