Scheffler up 4, closes in on first title at Open

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland -- Scottie Scheffler moved wrong 1 circular of claiming the 3rd limb of the Grand Slam connected Saturday erstwhile helium made an eagle and 2 large par saves for a 4-under 67 successful the British Open that gave him a four-shot pb astatine Royal Portrush.

The roars belonged to Rory McIlroy, who had seemingly each of Northern Ireland connected his side, the astir raucous cheer coming connected a 55-foot eagle putt.

But this title is present successful the hands of Scheffler, who has won his past 10 times erstwhile helium had the 54-hole pb and didn't amusement thing connected a stunning time astatine Royal Portrush to bespeak helium was going to travel backmost to his challengers.

"I'm conscionable trying to execute, not overthinking things," Scheffler said. "I consciousness similar I've been doing the close happening truthful far, and I'm looking guardant to the situation of tomorrow."

Tied with Matt Fitzpatrick for the lead, Scheffler judged 6-iron perfectly to 10 feet for eagle connected the par-5 seventh hole. In heavy occupation down the 11th green, helium hacked retired to 10 feet to prevention par, past saved different par from the heavy writer near of the 14th fairway.

Royal Portrush has a nasty par 3 astatine No. 16 known arsenic "Calamity Corner." Scheffler made birdie for the 3rd consecutive day, this clip a 3-iron that settled 15 feet beneath the cup.

Each changeable helped him propulsion distant from the field. Each changeable moved him person to the claret jug, to spell on with the PGA Championship helium won successful May and the 2 Masters greenish jackets helium has won successful 2 successful the past 4 years.

Scheffler was astatine 14-under 199, 4 shots wide of Haotong of China (69) and 5 up of Fitzpatrick, who missed 2 abbreviated par putts and fell backmost with a 71.

Scheffler led by 1 changeable to commencement the time and couldn't look to get thing going -- his archetypal three-putt of the title connected the par-5 2nd to settee for par, and a 10-foot par prevention connected the par-3 third.

Fitzpatrick, who missed a abbreviated par putt connected the archetypal spread and made bogey, atoned for that rapidly by chipping successful for eagle connected the adjacent hole. He did his champion to support gait adjacent aft Scheffler went eagle-birdie toward the extremity of the backmost nine.

But helium missed a 4-foot par putt connected the 13th, got a atrocious bounce connected the 17th that led to different bogey and coiled up 5 shots behind.

"Just didn't marque immoderate putts. I didn't deed it adjacent enough," Fitzpatrick said. "Drove it good enough, didn't deed it adjacent enough. Just made mode little putts than Scottie."

Scheffler volition beryllium paired successful the past radical with Li, who made past successful 2020 astatine the PGA Championship erstwhile helium held the 36-hole lead, the archetypal subordinate from China to pb successful a major. Li didn't marque his archetypal bogey until the 13th hole, and helium dropped different changeable connected the 18th by driving into a cookware bunker.

Scottish Open champion Chris Gotterup, successful his archetypal quality successful the British Open, had a 68 and joined the radical astatine 8-under 205 that included McIlroy, Harris English (68) and Tyrrell Hatton (68).

This is Scheffler's largest 54-hole pb successful a large - helium was up by 3 shots astatine the PGA Championship and 3 shots successful the 2022 Masters.

Information from The Associated Press was utilized successful this report.