Scottie Scheffler is marching in the direction of his first Claret Jug in dominant vogue, opening up a four-shot lead within the third spherical at The Open Championship.
The world No.1 is placing up some mind-blowing numbers not solely at Royal Portrush, but in addition throughout his profession that has him being spoken about in the identical breath as a few of golf’s best.
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Native hope Rory McIlroy had the Northern Irish followers rocking, and produced a few of the highlights day to create electrical scenes.
In the meantime, tempo of play was a subject of dialog as soon as once more with Bryson DeChambeau taking purpose on the problem after he was placed on the clock by guidelines officers.
Listed here are the most important speaking factors from the third spherical of the 153rd Open Championship.
‘TOO SCARED TO GET EXPOSED’: BRYSON BLASTS SLOW PLAY
Tempo of play points was the discuss of the opening spherical at Royal Portrush with Australia’s Marc Leishman saying the roughly six hour rounds made it really feel like he was on the golf course for 12 hours.
Bryson DeChambeau then reignited the dialog after he was placed on the clock throughout his three-under par third spherical of 68.
The LIV Golf star miraculously made the lower with a second spherical 65 after a gap spherical 78, and now sits in a tie for thirty fourth at -2 total.
Regardless of his spectacular turnaround on the course, DeChambeau was left agitated by the tempo of play.
The third spherical two-balls have been undoubtedly sooner than the teams of three throughout the opening two days with last pairing Scottie Scheffler and Matt Fitzpatrick finishing their 18 holes inside four-and-a-half hours.
However pace was an issue for the early teams with a rule official sad with the two-time US Open champion.
“Yeah, he timed me on 17 after I striped the drive down there,” DeChambeau mentioned.
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“16, troublesome gap, bought up-and-down in a troublesome spot. Perceive we have been fighting tempo the entire day. I used to be shifting my butt as quick as I may. Greens have been actually difficult. I used to be attempting to learn them proper.
“Yeah, we simply saved dropping time. Sadly on the 16-17 trade, you’ve bought a downhill drivable gap you may play fairly fast when you get in the precise spot. They did that, and we simply misplaced extra time to the group in entrance of us, and so they put us on the clock, which is unlucky.”
DeChambeau then went on to recommend that particular person gamers needs to be timed, moderately than the group as a complete.
He was seemingly deflecting duty to English taking part in Nathan Kimsey in doing so, and desires extra of his rivals to be “uncovered” for shifting too slowly.
“It’s quite simple. It’s not troublesome in any respect. You finally time everyone for his or her entire total spherical. Quite simple,” DeChambeau mentioned.
“No person desires to do it — as a result of individuals are too scared to get uncovered, which I’m an advocate for. I’d like to be timed, and I’ve no drawback with that.
“My placing, I’m extra deliberate, take extra time on that, however in terms of iron pictures, off the tee, I’m fairly quick. It’s like D.J., he’s actually gradual on the placing greens, after which he’s extremely quick on his full swing pictures, second pictures into it.
“Everyone performs a special type of sport, and that’s simply the best way it’s. I want it was only a new system.
DeChambeau added: “I believe it could be extra truthful in the direction of everyone. If someone is taking part in slower, the man can go as much as him and say, hey, man, you’re over par together with your time.
“All you do is you simply time them for each single shot. He will get there and places the bag down, and the way lengthy it takes him to hit that shot and the way lengthy it takes him to stroll to the inexperienced. It’s not rocket science.
“You time how lengthy somebody takes individually, and then you definitely separate that from the opposite particular person taking part in. You begin/cease on him the entire total factor. It’s a technique.”
He continued: “When you begin penalising people for taking an excessive amount of time. I can inform you, first two rounds it was uncontrolled what I noticed. That’s the best way individuals play.
“Lengthy story quick, in the future I hope we will have a greater system.”
‘THERE’S THE CARROT DANGLING’: AUSSIE CHASES RETURN
Marc Leishman, the lone Australian to make the lower, has the possibility to play his manner right into a return to The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale subsequent yr with a stable last spherical.
The LIV Golf star earned his begin at Royal Portrush this week with a prime three end ultimately yr’s Australian Open, whereas a made a return to the majors for the primary time since 2022 ultimately month’s US Open after coming by means of qualifying.
Leishman’s world rating plummeted together with his transfer to LIV Golf and in consequence misplaced his place within the majors.
He now can see the possibility in entrance of him to keep away from regularly having to earn a spot within the yr’s greatest occasions the exhausting manner.
A prime ten end will safe his place in subsequent yr’s Open Championship discipline, whereas a prime 4 end would lock in a return to all 4 majors subsequent yr.
He has some work to do as he sits tied twenty sixth at -4 total following a second straight three-under par spherical of 68.
However Leishman confirmed off his scoring energy with 5 birdies within the third spherical, and he’ll want extra of the identical within the last spherical, though he’s not going to be reckless in his pursuit of low numbers.
“Clearly there’s the carrot dangling to attempt to get into the highest 4 but in addition to attempt to get within the Open subsequent yr,” Leishman mentioned.
“Sure, you wish to do one thing foolish and attempt to go loopy low, however you additionally wish to be sure to attempt to get again in subsequent yr and provides your self an opportunity to get into the opposite majors.
“Most likely extra so that. I’m 9 again. Most likely going to be greater than ten again on the finish of the day the best way he’s taking part in. That might be too many, until I do one thing actually, actually foolish. He’s most likely going to get to 20-under. I’m not going to shoot 56.”
‘COUNT OURSELVES LUCKY’: INSIDE TRULY MESMERISING SCHEFFLER NUMBERS
Nothing is ever a given, however that is nearly as near it you may ever get in a serious championship.
Scottie Scheffler fired a bogey free, four-under par spherical of 67 to maneuver to -14 for the match, 4 pictures away from China’s Haotong Li, and historical past is firmly on the world No.1’s facet.
As soon as Scheffler grabs the ascendancy, he doesn’t let it up.
He has led a serious thrice, and received whenever.
Not solely has he received, he has blown away his rivals profitable his two inexperienced jackets by three and 4 pictures respectively.
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Though his maiden Augusta triumph in 2022 ought to have been by greater than three pictures, however he four-putted the final in a considerably anticlimactic end.
Earlier this yr, he received the PGA Championship by 5 pictures.
“It’s not a forgone conclusion, that is golf. You’re not going to say it’s undoubtedly over,” former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley mentioned.
“However, boy oh boy, does it look ominous.
“Significantly when he putts in addition to he’s placing.”
On the PGA Tour, the final 9 instances Scheffler has held the solo lead with a spherical to play, Scheffler has received.
The numbers are staggering, and the challengers might be much more dismayed once they do not forget that Scheffler was received thrice in his final ten begins.
In that stretch, he has not completed worse than tied eighth.
Like within the majors, Scheffler has left the sphere within the mud in his wins this yr.
He received by eight pictures on the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, and 4 pictures at The Memorial Event.
However it’s that five-shot triumph at Quail Hole that offers Scheffler the possibility to enter some actually uncommon air if he continues to run away within the last spherical.
“I used to be fortunate sufficient to play within the Tiger period,” former PGA Tour skilled Brandel Chamblee mentioned.
“I used to be fortunate sufficient to take a seat up right here and discuss watching Tiger play.
“Now, you get to see Scottie Scheffler at a degree that’s so not often ascended to within the historical past of golf.
“As we sit right here, he’s bought a four-shot lead.
“It’s not far fetched to suppose that he can win this factor by 5, six, seven, eight tomorrow. Who is aware of.
“If he does that, if he wins by 5 pictures or extra tomorrow, there have been simply two gamers within the historical past of golf, simply two, which have received two majors in a season by 5 pictures or extra – Ben Hogan, 1953, and Tiger Woods in 2000.
“That’s the highest degree that golf’s ever been performed at, and once more, I by no means thought I’d see it, and we get to take a seat right here and depend ourselves fortunate twice for within the final 20-30 years, attending to see this sort of efficiency.”
‘PHENOMENAL TURNAROUND’: THE KEY TO SCHEFFLER’S BRILLIANCE
Placing was as soon as Scottie Scheffler’s Achilles heel.
“I spoke about it earlier within the week, than within the final three years, there’s nobody worse in The Open Championship,” McGinley mentioned of Scheffler’s placing.
“He performed in Scotland final week, and he was within the backside 15% of putters regardless that he had a prime ten.
“He’s had respectable performances in The Open Championship however at all times placing terribly.
“You usually puzzled what’s the drawback right here? He can not modify himself to those hyperlinks greens that are about 20% decrease (in pace) than what he’d be used to on the PGA Tour.”
Tiger Woods as soon as mentioned that as lengthy Scheffler putts okay, he’ll win simply within the majors.
He’s now placing rather a lot higher than okay.
The world No.1 is ranked first this week in strokes gained placing (+7.9) and second in strokes gained in strategy (+7.4).
No surprise he’s properly out in entrance.
Typically been considered the perfect driver of the golf ball for the final three years, however with quick comings on the inexperienced, the script has flipped for Scheffler this week.
Though, he has bought higher together with his driver and lengthy irons with each spherical – in strokes gained off the tee, Scheffler was ranked 119th within the first spherical, 61st within the second spherical and sixteenth within the third spherical.
The turnaround in placing nonetheless, has come off the again of a giant technical change.
Within the Bahamas on the finish of final December, Scheffler debuted the claw grip.
The change in type was developed with a world-renowned placing coach, Phil Kenyon, and it has unlocked his sport on not simply the British hyperlinks.
“ his stats, and the way this huge enchancment took place… there’s one large frequent denominator right here and that’s that he began working with Phil Kenyon, the placing coach, in 2023,” McGinley mentioned.
“In 2023, he was ranked 162nd (in placing) on the PGA Tour.
“In 2025, he’s ranked twenty second (in placing) on the PGA Tour.
“This week, he’s ranked one in placing. It’s an outstanding turnaround.”
McGinley added: “So, I reached out to Phil (Kenyon) this morning, and mentioned ‘okay Phil, give us the key. What have you ever completed to this man? On hyperlinks greens, you’ve turned him from a poor putter into a extremely good putter on slower greens’.
“He talked in regards to the claw.
“What Phil says is the precise hand in that place is giving him extra of a capability to get extra pace into the putt and a bit extra acceleration by means of the ball, and in consequence he feels the ball is working extra on the gap.
“That’s why he’s placing higher.
“There’s a pleasant pace to that stroke.
“Good putters on gradual greens, I’m speaking Tyrell Hatton, Jordan Spieth, even Tiger Woods, there’s a definitive strike to the ball once they’re hitting it on gradual greens, and I believe Scottie has been ready so as to add that his week.
“In Phil’s view, and I’m positive when you’d ask Scottie he’d agree, the actual fact he’s gone to the claw makes it really feel like he has slightly extra umph in his stroke, therefore finest putter within the discipline thus far mixed with phenomenal golf.”
“Have to be 50 toes!” Insane Rory putt | 01:51
‘ONE OF THE COOLEST MOMENTS’: RORY’S ROAR BRINGS THE HOUSE DOWN
Rory McIlroy was strolling spotlight reel throughout the third spherical.
The Northern Irishman, who struggled with the strain of taking part in a serious in his dwelling nation in 2019, relished the immense crowd assist and power as he fired a five-under par 66 to maneuver right into a share of fourth at -8.
McIlroy produced probably the most weird second of the day on the eleventh when he hit his ball from the left tough, solely to pop up a second ball that had been embedded within the floor as he took a divot.
On the very subsequent gap, he then had the group on the toes, cheering so loud that it possible reverberated far past Royal Portrush.
McIlroy drained an unbelievable, downhill 56 foot, two inch eagle putt which prompted Irishman Paul McGinley to explain him as “field workplace”.
“It’s one of many coolest moments we’ve seen all yr lengthy,” McGinley mentioned.
“It truly is one thing particular.
“You have a look at the best way the group get up within the stand because it goes in.
“That was a really troublesome putt there.
“The final eight toes have been actually, actually fast and to evaluate it so completely with the pace and line (was unbelievable).”
After his spherical, McIlroy declared it top-of-the-line moments of his illustrious profession.
“Yeah, this may very well be one of many coolest moments I’ve ever had on the golf course,” McIlroy mentioned.
“The roar when this ball was in was insane. It was insane all day, however the noise after that putt went in was unbelievable.”
McIlroy might be hoping for many extra roars prefer it within the last spherical as he tried to catch Scheffler.
The Masters champion is six pictures again, and isn’t ruling out a miracle comeback.
“Yeah, look, I’ve bought greater than half an opportunity. I’ve bought an opportunity,” McIlroy mentioned.
“I must get off to an amazing begin like I did in the present day, and if I can do this, something can occur.
“I’ve come from a number of pictures behind earlier than at large tournaments and was in a position to win. If I can get off to a kind of scorching begins once more, possibly Scottie feels slightly little bit of that a few teams behind, and also you by no means know.
“Scottie is the perfect participant on the earth proper now. I believe it’s clear for everybody to see.
“He’s simply constantly so good every week he tees it up, so it’s going to be a tall order to have the ability to catch him tomorrow. However I’m going to look ahead to the problem.”