Scottie Scheffler takes grip of Open as Rory McIlroy charges up leaderboard

By Carl Markham, PA

World number one Scottie Scheffler’s continued consistency opened up a two-shot lead midway through his third round of The Open but looming over his shoulder was spectre of Rory McIlroy.

The American reeled off six straight pars but still did not lose his overnight lead – with Matt Fitzpatrick briefly joining him 10 under – before an eagle and birdie opened up a gap.

Fitzpatrick remained his main challenger, two back, reaching the turn in a two-under 34 but six holes ahead of them McIlroy was producing one of his thrilling charges.

The Northern Irishman had got off to a flying start with three birdies in his first four holes but, after a bizarre incident on the 11th when he hit out of the rough and dislodged a previously-buried ball, a bogey meant his challenge appeared to have stalled.

That was about the same time Scheffler eagled the seventh and the distance to the top was seven strokes.

However, on a Royal Portrush course where he shot 61 as a 16-year-old and backed by huge galleries, Masters champion McIlroy responded by draining a 56ft putt – his longest of the week – at the 12th to get back to seven under and still in contention.

Defending champion Xander Schauffele, who started the day two under having been in danger of missing the cut until a birdie run on his Friday back nine, played the three par-fives in five under with two eagles on the back nine after a birdie at the second to shoot 66 and close on seven under.

Another birdie at the 15th and he too was level with McIlroy in a tie for fifth place, with Englishman Tyrrell Hatton ahead of them on eight under, aided by an eagle chip-in at the seventh.

Ahead of him was Haotong Li, whose solitary birdie and eight pars left him at nine under – not really in the conversation but definitely in the running.

But Scheffler remained the man to beat, as evidenced by his booming 382-yard drive and brilliant approach at the seventh that took him clear of Fitzpatrick again, who could only birdie for 11 under.

A 16-footer for birdie at the next gave the reigning US PGA champion a cushion but he could not afford to get too comfortable with world number two McIlroy riding the wave of home support.

The highlight of Yorkshireman John Parry’s day was holing a 199-yard eight iron for an ace at the 13th in a round of 67 which saw him finish three under.