The Open Championship: Ryan Fox and Daniel Hillier on the cut line, Matt Fitzpatrick leads
Fox and Hillier are currently at two-over after finishing their rounds, with the cut mark sitting
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RNZ News
6 days ago
- RNZ News
Unflappable Scheffler closes on Open glory, McIlroy still in mix
World golf number one Scottie Scheffler. Photo: PHOTOSPORT Scottie Scheffler kept a cool hand on the tiller to stay on course for his first Open Championship title with a serene 67 on a spectacular day of shot-making in the third round. Birdies and eagles rained down on a sun-kissed Royal Portrush links with home favourite Rory McIlroy, England's Tyrrell Hatton and defending champion Xander Schauffele all tucking into the scoring feast. Thunderous roars wafted across the County Antrim coast, the loudest for some McIlroy magic, but world number one Scheffler was laser-focused to move to 14 under par and a four-stroke lead heading to the final day. Barring a sudden loss of form by the three-times major champion, the last round looks like being a scrap for the minor places, although Scheffler is not out of sight. "I had another good day today," Scheffler said. "I was pretty patient and felt like I was hitting it really nice. "Sometimes in major championships it can be tough to make birdies, and today was one of those days where I just had to give myself some looks and was able to hole a few." Li Haotong maintained his challenge, a 69 taking him to 10 under par, and he will be the first Chinese man to be in the final group at a major. England's Matt Fitzpatrick finished a further shot back after a disappointing 71. McIlroy's five-under 66 kept alive the Northern Irishman's hopes of lifting the Claret Jug on home soil, 11 years after his previous British Open title. He is in a group on eight under with Americans Chris Gotterup and Harris English, and Hatton. "I've got a chance. I need to get off to a great start like I did today, and if I can do that, anything can happen," McIlroy said. The 36-year-old began on three under par, seven adrift, after two up-and-down rounds. He quickly fired up his army of fans, however, as he birdied three of his first four holes. He was close to an eagle at the par-five second, and made up his third stroke of the day at the fourth after a superb approach left him with a seven-foot putt. McIlroy bogeyed the 11th after a bizarre incident when his second shot from the rough unearthed a previously buried ball. That was soon forgotten, though, as a snaking 56-foot putt dropped for eagle at the 12th, prompting scenes of jubilation in the crowd. After two days of unpredictable conditions, the weather gods obliged with near-perfect weather for round three, which had a total of 47 players breaking par. - Reuters
RNZ News
18-07-2025
- RNZ News
Golf: Majestic Scheffler leads Open Championship, Kiwis miss the cut
US golfer Scottie Scheffler makes a birdie putt on the 16th green on day two of the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush golf club in Northern Ireland on July 18, 2025. Photo: HENRY NICHOLLS World number one Scottie Scheffler conjured up a brilliant 64 to lead the Open Championship after an enthralling second round, as home favourite Rory McIlroy's roller-coaster ride continued at Royal Portrush. American Scheffler finished on 10 under par, one clear of Matt Fitzpatrick who carded 66 to boost his hopes of becoming the first Englishman to lift the Claret Jug since Nick Faldo in 1992. American Brian Harman, the 2023 Open champion who made a big move with a flawless 65, and China's Li Haotong were a further shot back. Scheffler, a three-times major champion seeking his first British Open title, racked up four birdies on the front nine and four more after the turn, a bogey at the 11th hole the only blemish in a sublime display of shot-making. "I felt like I hit a few more fairways than I did yesterday, hit some really nice iron shots, and was able to hole some putts," Scheffler said. "We only had maybe four or five holes where it was really coming down (raining), and I was able to take advantage of the holes where we had some good weather." Fitzpatrick made four birdies going out and an inspired run of four more in a row lifted him two shots clear of the field. A bogey on 14 dropped him back, however, and the 2022 US Open champion missed a three-foot birdie putt on 17 before holing a nerveless 23-footer for par at the last. "Giving myself an opportunity to win the golf tournament, but there's still a hell of a long way to go," he said. "The aim of the game is to stay in it for as long as possible and hopefully you can pull away right at the death." The second round wasn't so kind for the New Zealanders in the field Ryan Fox and Dan Hillier, with both missing the cut by one stroke, after they finished on two over par at halfway stage of the tournament, Golfers Ryan Fox and Daniel Hillier in Paris ahead of the Olympics 2024. Photo: RNZ Hillier carded a two-over 73 in the second round, mixing in two birdies and four bogeys. "Yeah tricky, I know it could have been a heck of a lot worse," said Hillier. "There was just enough wind to make it a bit of a grind out there, but I thought I fought pretty hard out there the last couple of days," he said. Fox's second round was much improved from his first, shooting a two-under 69, with an eagle at the par five 12th and a birdie at the 18th, his highlights. He was, in fact, a little unlucky not to eagle the last, after agonisingly missing his approach shot by the barest of margins. Had the shot dropped in he would have been playing the weekend. - Reuters
NZ Herald
18-07-2025
- NZ Herald
The Open Championship: Ryan Fox and Daniel Hillier on the cut line, Matt Fitzpatrick leads
Ryan Fox and Daniel Hillier will need to wait out the second round of the Open Championship at Royal Portrush to see if they're playing the weekend with both sitting just outside the cut. Fox and Hillier are currently at two-over after finishing their rounds, with the cut mark sitting
