Here comes Rory

New York Times

19-07-2025

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler took The 2025 Open Championship by storm on Friday at Royal Portrush, with a stunning round of 64 Getty Images
The second round of the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush saw world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler grab the lead with Matt Fitzpatrick one shot back.
Scheffler finished Friday at 10-under after he added a brilliant round of 64 to his opening 68, while Fitzpatrick has now shot scores of 67 and 66.
Former champion Brian Harman and Haotong Li are two shots back, with Harman going round in 65 today, while Li shot a 67.
Local favorite Rory McIlroy (-3) is still in the mix after shooting a 2-under 69, with 33 players under par heading into the weekend. Share your views: [e-mail]
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Open Championship 2025 Round 2: What to know as Scottie Scheffler takes the lead Getty Images
McIlroy -3, Fleetwood -2, Thomas E (14)
That was a scintillating birdie from Rory McIlroy. After his 380-yard tee shot landed in the fairway, the current Masters champion placed his 87-yard approach 17 feet from the pin on the green.
The result? A no-doubter birdie in the middle of the cup. McIlroy improves to 3-under for the tournament, four off the lead.
The same can't be said for Justin Thomas, who gave back his birdie on 13 with a bogey after missing a 7-footer for par. Tommy Fleetwood settled for par after making a 3-foot putt. Getty Images
Harman -7, McNealy +1, Niemann +1 (17)
Pars all around for this trio on 17.
Brian Harman left his birdie putt well short, still requiring 4 feet to par the hole which he converts to hold on to a one-shot lead. But, that was a golden opportunity for more breathing room. Getty Images
Li -6, J. Smith E, Johnson +2 (5)
Haotong Li is 2-under for the day and up to 6-under for the tournament, one shot off the lead. He is continuing the momentum he had from yesterday's strong round and has two birdies in his first five holes. Getty Images
Harman -7, McNealy +1, Niemann +1 (16)
After a straightforward par on 16, Brian Harman has a chance to extend his lead here on 17. His tee shot is right down the middle, setting up a promising look at the pin if he executes this next shot well.
Harman does exactly that. Yes, his approach shot skipped a bit past the cup, but he's still looking at 14 feet for birdie and a three-shot lead. Getty Images
Hatton -5, Henley -1, Lee +2 (16)
Tyrrell Hatton settles for par on the 16th after just missing the birdie putt, and that brought the classic Hatton reaction. He stays at 5-under for the tournament and 2-under for his round.
Russell Henley pars, as well, and is at 1-under for the tournament (2-under for the round).
Min Woo Lee will likely miss the cut. He's a 5-over. Getty Images
No pressure with that sign, eh, Rory? Getty Images
McIlroy -2, Fleetwood -2, Thomas -1 (13)
The par-3 13th is one of the signature holes at Royal Portrush. A downhill par-3 that's only 200 yards.
For Rory McIlroy, he didn't do any damage. He landed his tee shot 19 feet from the pin but couldn't make the birdie putt, settling for par.
Tommy Fleetwood will be kicking himself for not getting another birdie. His tee shot was sublime, 201 yards to 9 feet from the pin. But the Englishman couldn't bury the birdie putt.
The only one of the trio to birdie was Justin Thomas, sinking the 7-footer to get to red figures. To the 14th, this featured group goes. Getty Images
Gotterup -1, Westwood -2, Detry +1 (2)
American Chris Gotterup with the moment of his tournament so far!
The 25-year-old out of Easton, Md., pars the first, then on the par-five second, whacks it up to 22 feet with his first two shots.
He judges the green perfectly, right to left and a bit of a downward slope, and in for an eagle!
Gotterup is now into the red. Getty Images
Højgaard -5 (68), Bezuidenhout -2 (73), Langasque E (71)
What a beautiful way to round off a generally excellent round from Rasmus Højgaard, who repairs a chunk of the damage from those back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 14 and 15, with a lovely birdie on the 18th.
It's a gorgeous putt from 33 feet, too, over the ridge and curling round to the left before wiping its feet as it dropped.
A satisfying moment that should help Højgaard carry some momentum into the rest of this weekend — because he can be a genuine contender here, for sure.
A bogey at 16 means Christiaan Bezuidenhout is a little further adrift heading into tomorrow than he would have hoped for, while a double-bogey at the last summed up Romain Langasque's day. He finishes up even for the day and the week. As you were, Romain. Getty Images
McIlroy -2, Thomas E, Fleetwood -2 (12)
Finally some movement for Rory McIlroy, after a long run of holes without a birdie.
He almost sinks the eagle putt, too, but it misses to the left. He grimaces and lowers his head, but it's a very good effort and a tap-in birdie, and you can't be too unhappy with those.
It's a missed opportunity for Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Thomas, however. Both missed the green with their approaches and two-putted for par. Getty Images
Harman -7, McNealy +1, Niemann +1 (15)
Another solid hole for Brian Harman. After finding the fairway off the tee with his 297-yard drive, the American missed the green short with his 96-yard approach.
No worries for Harman, who elected to putt off the green, a common decision in links golf. His birdie putt landed a foot from the pin, resulting in a par.
The same can't be said for Harman's playing partners Maverick McNealy and Joaquin Niemann. McNealy landed his 305-yard tee shot in the rough, eventually missing his 12-foot par putt and dropping a shot.
Niemann, after landing in the rough off the tee, put his 140-yard approach in the greenside bunker. For the Chilean, he fired his 31-yard bunker shot over the green, before getting it up and down for bogey.
Harman goes to the 16th as the solo leader, looking to finish his round strong. Getty Images
McIlroy -1, Thomas E, Fleetwood -2 (11)
Golf is a lot easier when you can avoid playing your second shot from thick rough.
Rory McIlroy hits another good shot with his driver and then is able to stick one in the middle of the green with his long approach. He has a 33-foot putt and a realistic look at eagle.
Justin Thomas laid up and will need to wedge on, but Tommy Fleetwood's approach disappeared into the rough that borders the green. Getty Images
This is an outstanding round from Robert MacIntyre. He birdied 13 and is striking the ball beautifully. What is it about the lefties that makes it look so easy on the eye?
The Scot would be a very popular winner at Portrush. Getty Images
Bradley -3 (67), Im E (71), Berger E (70)
Keegan Bradley has a little skip and a jump as he wills his birdie putt home on 18. It's on the right line but doesn't have the legs.
And with that, Bradley wraps up a 4-under-par 67 — the best second round of the day so far — and is nicely placed ahead of the weekend.
Meanwhile, Sungjae Im must have arrived at 18 and been distracted by how neat it would look if he remained level-par after his first two rounds.
He bogeys the last, after a birdie at five and with the rest being pars in what may prove the most consistent round today. He should make the cut with a fair wind from here. Getty Images
MacIntyre -5, Rose -1, DeChambeau +3 (13)
Yep, all three players in the group find the hole for birdie. Getty Images
'Oh, you dirty dog,' exhales Brian Harman, after his shot trickles down the slope of the green on 15. Getty Images
There's still an awful lot of golf to be played today.
But DataGolf's model says there is a 70 percent chance that +2 will be the cut line. Getty Images
MacIntyre -4, DeChambeau +4, Rose E (12)
On the 200-yard par-three 13th, Bob MacIntyre knocks it to within 4 feet.
Lovely touch.
He will have a serious look at birdie, which would take him two shots off the lead.
Playing partner Justin Rose rolls it with the precision of a bowls player around toward the flag, with DeChambeau 8 feet away.
Could be birdies all round!