Scheffler seizes control

Saturday may have been Moving Day at The 153rd Open but Scottie Scheffler was going nowhere.

The world No.1 tightened his grip on an all-star leaderboard to move to within 18 holes of securing the Claret Jug for the first time, following a round of 67 which left him four shots clear at Royal Portrush.

A picture of consistency, Scheffler did not drop a shot in the evening sunshine and carded an eagle and two birdies to build an ominous advantage from those in the chasing pack.

Haotong Li heads that group and will play in Sunday’s final pairing after carding a 69, while Matt Fitzpatrick could not match his Friday heroics and went round in level par to trail Scheffler by five.

Rory McIlroy gave his adoring public plenty to cheer in an exhilarating round of 66 and sits alongside Chris Gotterup and Tyrrell Hatton on eight-under-par, with reigning Champion Xander Schauffele a shot further back.

But with one round remaining, The 153rd Open appears to be Scheffler’s to lose. And losing when leading is not in the world No.1’s make-up.

Scottie stretches advantage

Scheffler was sitting pretty overnight but saw his lead eaten into by those playing before him, as scores of players cashed in on the warmer, more benign weekend conditions.

Many of those had done so in the first five holes but Scheffler took slightly longer to warm up.

When he did, he soon began to motor. An eagle at 7 was followed by a birdie at 8 while the par-save at 11 – chipping down from thick rough at the top of a greenside bank and rolling in the 10-footer – was one to cherish.

Scheffler at the summit is an intimidating prospect. This is a player who, in McIlroy’s post-round words, ‘does not make mistakes’.

Another 10-footer at 14? Centre of the cup. A trip to Calamity Corner? A birdie – for the third day in a row.

He navigated the final two holes with his customary metronomic accuracy and if his record when leading majors after 54 holes is anything to go by, Scheffler has one hand on the Claret Jug.

His three major wins so far have all seen him ahead at this stage and he has won by a combined 12 shots. Tiger Woods’ status as the only world No.1 to hoist the Claret Jug is hanging by a thread.

“Winning major championships is not an easy task, and I've put myself in a good position,” he said.

“This is why we work so hard is to have opportunities like this, and I'm excited for the challenge of tomorrow.”

Li stays in touch

Haotong Li will head out alongside Scheffler on Sunday after doggedly staying in the hunt.

The 29-year-old is looking to become the first Asian player to win The Open and moved to within a shot of the lead when he rolled in a birdie putt at the 3rd.

A 20-footer found the cup at 11 to take him to 11-under-par and he showed his character by bouncing back from a bogey at 13 by cancelling it out at the very next hole.

But a bogey down the last, when his putt crept a couple of feet past, saw him lose vital ground in his bid to reel Scheffler in.

Li has his work cut out tomorrow but will play with the freedom that comes with being the underdog in such situations.

“I will just try to play my best out there and hopefully make something happen,” he said.

“It's going to be exciting. I’m looking forward to it.”

McIlroy magic has locals swooning

Scheffler might have a commanding advantage but he will be well aware that an inspired Rory McIlroy is lurking over his shoulder.

McIlroy produced his best round of the week, a 66 moving him to T4 and eight-under-par, in a round that will go down in Royal Portrush folklore.

McIlroy made birdie on 1 and 2 to get the party started and when he rolled in another from eight feet on 4, the noise reverberated around this famous old course.

“It was incredible. It was so much fun,” he said.

“I got off to the perfect start, 3-under through 4. I felt like at the end of the front nine there, at least through 11, the par on 7 felt like a bogey, and then the bogey on 11.

“Then to play those last seven holes at 3-under I thought was a good effort. Yeah, I played well. I rode my luck at times, but yeah, it was an incredible atmosphere out there. I feel like I've at least given myself half a chance tomorrow.”

Fitzpatrick frustrated while compatriots shine

Matt Fitzpatrick started the day just a shot adrift of Scheffler but now has five to make up after a frustrating day.

His short putting has been a hindrance at times throughout the week and a miss from inside five feet for par on the 1st was far from the tone setter he was hoping for.

He responded with a chip-in eagle at the 2nd and a birdie at 7 kept him in touch.

But three bogeys on the way in proved damaging for one of only three players in the top 33 not to shoot under-par.

Tyrrell Hatton enjoyed one of the moments of the day, holing out from 140 yards for an eagle on the 7th, and carded a 68 to stand at eight-under. A bogey at 16 was his only blemish and just as at last month’s US Open, he enters the final day at the business end.

Justin Rose had a rollercoaster outing. Five birdies in six holes sent him rocketing up the leaderboard before successive errant strokes at 8 led to a momentum-checking bogey.

Two more followed after the turn but he finished with back-to-back birdies, the second of which was a monster putt on 18 which got the celebration it deserved.

Matt Wallace carded a 66 to move to five-under while Lee Westwood enjoyed a slice of Open history, coming down the stretch in 29 – the joint-lowest back nine ever in this Championship, matching Ryan Fox here at Royal Portrush in 2019.

Gotterup continues fine form

Scheffler still has a few of his fellow countrymen keeping tabs on his progress and waiting to pounce in the event of an uncharacteristic slip-up.

Chris Gotterup only booked his spot on the eve of the Championship by winning the Genesis Scottish Open but has taken his momentum across the Irish Sea, carding a 68 to move to eight-under.

Harris English is on the same score while reigning Champion Schauffele is not giving up his Claret Jug without a fight and carded two eagles in his stunning 66.

The best round of the day was compiled by Russell Henley, who had five birdies and an eagle in his 65, but Brian Harman let a promising overnight position slip.

The 2023 Champion double-bogeyed the 1st and shot two-over-par to drop back to six-under.

Perfection from Parry

The roars were heard around Royal Portrush as John Parry landed the first hole-in-one of The 153rd Open.

It came at the 13th – the same hole aced by Emiliano Grillo here in 2019.

"It was a great day,” Parry said. “Obviously the sort of experience you get making a hole-in-one, the atmosphere was absolutely amazing.”