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The Independent
a day ago
- Sport
- The Independent
The Open leaves a reminder of Scottie Scheffler's biggest challenge yet
Jon Rahm furiously gesticulated for the ball to stop during the third round at the par-five second at Royal Portrush on Saturday. Shane Lowry 's ball, that is, with his Ryder Cup teammate only just beginning what would unfold into a grueling three-over-par round of 74 to scupper any lingering hopes of contending at The Open 2025. The Irishman was rebounding from Friday's harsh ruling to belatedly dock him two strokes after his ball barely moved following a practice swing. The 2019 Open champion later detailed how a bout of sickness left him deflated and lacking energy throughout Saturday. It is to Lowry's credit that he handled that early mental challenge so well, even if there were outbursts throughout an arduous week on the Dunluce Links. After gathering his second into two, he flicked the ball up and out of a nasty patch of rough with his wedge, juggling the ball and accepting a one-shot penalty to drop the ball in an adjacent fairway. There were even efforts to temper hostility between stewards and fans eager to get a glimpse of their hero. The ensuing bogey perhaps left Lowry at peace with his situation, yet the camaraderie, as seen moments later by the smiles on the walk down the third fairway, left a palpable reminder of the deep connections built by Team Europe and how Luke Donald can remain bullish about their chances of retaining the Ryder Cup this September in what would be just the second away victory in the competition since 2004. That's despite the tide turning towards the Stars and Stripes following the imposing four-stroke win from Scottie Scheffler on Sunday, not to mention Harris English likely securing a place on Keegan Bradley's team with his runner-up finish. And Bryson De Chambeau's sizzling weekend to surge up to a tie for 10th despite posting a +7 opening round ensures there will be a rowdy edge to the crowds at Bethpage Black. The teams appear a lot more balanced now after the start of 2025 saw Rory McIlroy, Belgian hopeful Thomas Detry and Ludvig Aberg win three straight PGA Tour events. McIlroy would go on to win the Players Championship and the Masters, while Viktor Hovland and Sepp Straka, again, added more European delight in the States. It is why attention now turns to Bethpage Black, no matter the PGA Tour playoffs and the FedEx Cup. An innocuous Scheffler batted away 'silly' comparisons with Tiger Woods. Though a fourth major win at 29 years old brought his overall tally of career wins to 22, one more than Woods. But Scheffler remains grounded and unperturbed by others determined to extract a Woods-esque appetite for relentless success. 'I've always done my best when I'm able to live in the present,' Scheffler remarked when asked if the sheer volume of success motivates him. 'For instance, like looking back on this week, if I just showed up in Memphis thinking that I'm the best and I don't need to practise to be good at golf and just walk in resting on my accomplishments, I'm probably not going to have a good week. 'If I come in feeling down on myself or thinking about my poor starts this year, then I'm probably not going to be in a good spot as well. 'For me, I always rely on the effort that I put in. When I step on the first tee, I remind myself that I'm prepared and I just try to go out there and compete. 'That's all I'm focused on. I don't focus on winning the tournament. I don't focus on things that I can accomplish in the game of golf. I just try to get the most out of myself each day and compete as hard as I can when I'm inside the ropes.' It should be noted that away from this supremely impressive three-year streak, there is a blemish on Scheffler's resume. And the correction would distinguish him from Woods, in one aspect. Woods never truly thrived for Team USA, especially in the Ryder Cup with his mediocre record of 13 wins, 21 losses, and three halved matches, often displaying a vulnerability rarely seen as an individual. Scheffler, too, has shown signs of fragility. Before his current breakout, Scheffler went winless at the 2022 Presidents Cup, while there were tears at Marco Simone following a humiliating 9&7 defeat alongside Brooks Koepka at the hands of Aberg and Hovland. Scheffler failed to win in Rome and will be desperate to improve his overall Ryder Cup record (2–2–3). It is why Lowry and Rahm's connection, in the face of adversity, shows the extent of the challenge facing Team USA to wrestle back the cup. And Scheffler must lead that charge, even if his personality does not lend itself to the undoubtedly feverish expectation this event brings. The majors, at four and counting, will ultimately settle Scheffler's legacy among the immortals, with the US Open next year offering a chance to complete the grand slam. But transmitting that greatness and lifting up others during an excellent generation of European golf will bring another layer to the legend of Scottie.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rory McIlroy makes Royal Portrush plea as he leaves with everything 'bar the Claret Jug'
Rory McIlroy says he hopes he has "one or two Opens left" at Royal Portrush as he refected on an "awesome week" which saw him leave with everything apart from a Claret Jug. Rory fever hit the Dunluce Links as thousands cheered on their golfing hero willing him to add to his major tally on home soil. In the end it just wasn't to be for McIlroy as he came up short to the greatness of Scottie Scheffler, who stormed to victory in the Open for the very first time. READ MORE: Rory McIlroy forces Sky Sports commentator to apologise after behaviour at The Open READ MORE: Rory McIlroy's behaviour behind the scenes brought up as Open star speaks out For the world no.2 though it was a special week, full of emotion for all the right reasons, and he is hoping it won't be the last on these shores. "I tried as best as I could to keep my emotions in check, especially walking up the last there and that reception," said McIlroy after finishing on -10. "Yeah, look, it's been an awesome week. I've gotten everything I wanted out of this week apart from a Claret Jug, and that's just because one person was just a little bit better than the rest of us. "It's been an amazing week, just the -- I feel so thankful and just so lucky that I get to do this, I get to do this in front of this crowd. "Hopefully I'll have one or two Opens left here, if the R&A decide to keep coming back, probably one while I'm still competitive and another one while I'm more grey than I already am. "It's just been incredible to come back here and to play and at least feel like I had a chance today going out there. Just an awesome week." McIlroy says he is not alone in loving Royal Portrush and he praised everyone involved for making it happen. "Honestly, I think Portrush has quickly turned into one of the best two or three venues that The Open goes to," he said. "Talk to every player this week, and they won't say one single bad thing about the golf course. "Then I just think the way it sets up, from a logistical standpoint, I think the R&A have worked so well with the local government to make sure everything runs smoothly. "Yeah, I hope so. It's only been six years since 2019. I'm not sure Portrush is going to have The Open every six years, that would be nice, but I would obviously love it to keep coming back."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
The Open return to Royal Portrush may come 'sooner than we think' believes Tourism NI chief
As we finally catch our breath after a sensational week of golf at the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush, the question on everyone's lips can we do it all again? The return of one of the world of sport's most iconic championships to Northern Ireland in 2019 was huge given the 68-year wait to have the great and the good of golf battling it out for the Claret Jug back on these shores once more. But you could sense the anticipation for more after Shane Lowry's triumph around the Dunluce Links, and just six years later we have been treated to an absolute sporting spectacular on the north coast. READ MORE: Rory McIlroy's behaviour behind the scenes brought up as Open star speaks out READ MORE: Rory McIlroy was told 'wife knows' as Open rival explained why they hated each other From Rory-mania, to the impeccable surroundings of Royal Portrush, to Scottie Scheffler's relentless pursuit of his fourth major, you got a sense that everything had been cranked up a few more notches and boy was it great to see. Yes we didn't get the win many of us were hoping for, but those lucky to be there in the record crowds were treated to some sensational golf in glorious sunshine. Those stunning pictures of thousands lining this legendary links course framed by the beautiful beaches and Atlantic Ocean were beamed to millions around the world. It's bound to have a positive effect on tourism not just on the north coast but Northern Ireland as whole. That was not lost on Tourism NI CEO John McGrillen who was asked the all-important question by the BBC about when The Open will return once more. "The feedback from the R&A is that this has been an absolutely outstanding success and I think there's absolutely no doubt that this competition will be back in Portrush at some future point, maybe sooner than we might think," he said. "They didn't say that, that's my assumption, but certainly from their perspective and our perspective at Tourism NI, and from all of the partners we work with, things really could not have gone better." Rory McIlroy is certainly hoping it's a case of sooner rather than later as he wants to be part of The Open at Royal Portrush at least a couple more times in his career. "Hopefully I'll have one or two Opens left here, if the R&A decide to keep coming back, probably one while I'm still competitive and another one while I'm more grey than I already am," he said. "It's just been incredible to come back here and to play and at least feel like I had a chance today going out there. Just an awesome week. "It's only been six years since 2019. I'm not sure Portrush is going to have The Open every six years, that would be nice, but I would obviously love it to keep coming back."
The Guardian
a day ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Scottie Scheffler claims Open Championship with majestic four-shot win
Never in doubt. Never remotely in doubt. It was Scottie Scheffler: why on earth would it be? Anybody hoping for a keenly contested Open Sunday was to be sorely disappointed. Make that 10 times Scheffler has held a 54-hole lead and 10 times he has converted. Scheffler tugged his opening tee shot into the rough, triggering some sharp intakes of breath. The new champion's next act was to fire an iron to within a foot of the cup. Scheffler enjoyed a sun‑kissed procession on the Dunluce Links. Had the R&A been so minded, it could have broken with tradition and handed over the Claret Jug on the 5th tee. By that point, he was seven strokes clear. Scheffler does not bother with major jousting. Direct combat? No thanks. He four-putted the 72nd green at Augusta National in 2022 and still won by three. The 2024 Masters was claimed by four, the 2025 US PGA Championship by five. This triumph was by a quartet of shots when in reality it felt like so much more. Late on Sunday afternoon, the Old Tom Morris record from 1862 – he saw off a distraught Willie Park by 13 shots at Prestwick – appeared to be under threat. Scheffler missed back-nine chance after back-nine chance when it barely mattered. A 68, Scheffler's joint-highest score of the competition, meant 17 under par as an aggregate. His family surrounded him on the 18th green, in the latest reminder that the world No 1 does not particularly prioritise golf. His understated brilliance and shunning of the spotlight is intriguing. Scheffler recognises he is excellent at golf but he is unwilling to be defined by that. The record books will show Harris English finished second and he is due high praise. It is just that Scheffler's imperious frontrunning distorted the tournament. English never had any prospect of winning. Chris Gotterup was not in the Open when arriving in North Berwick for its Scottish equivalent. Gotterup duly won there last Sunday and reached 12 under par to secure third in Northern Ireland. What a wonderful sporting fairytale. Scheffler does not need help. He received some courtesy of the fact this was another benign Portrush occasion. With that, the capacity for huge errors was limited. Scoring was noticeably low across the field. Scheffler played his first five in three under. He whacked a bunker shot at the 8th into the face of the sand trap; a double bogey there was partly repaired with a straightforward birdie at the 9th. Those beneath him were scaling an ice wall in slippers. The R&A's engraver could get to work long before Scheffler reached his 72nd hole. There was an inevitability about the outcome which could only raise parallels with peak Tiger Woods. Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion What a weird week for Wyndham Clark. It began with Oakmont Country Club informing members that Clark had been banned from the premises after he inflicted grievous bodily harm on some lockers at the US Open last month. Presumably others were ducking for cover as Clark shot a 76 on Thursday. His response, however, was admirable; Clark signed off with a 65 for 11 under and a fourth‑placed finish. He had Matt Fitzpatrick and Li Haotong for scoreboard company. Li made a fourth‑round 70 as Scheffler's partner. 'I asked if there is any time I can practise with him on the PGA Tour,' Li said. 'He said yes. I said: 'When I text you, you better reply to me.' He goes: 'Haotong who?'' Clark does sound genuinely remorseful about events at Oakmont. If he has a lingering gripe, it relates to his sanction from the club entering the public domain. 'We were hoping it was going to be private,' Clark said. 'I did something awful and I'm really sorry for it. Hopefully they have it in their heart to forgive me and maybe in the future I'll be able to play there.' Rory McIlroy had reached 10 under before a double bogey at the 10th. It seems incredible to think that his next round in a major will be the start of his Masters defence in April. The esteem he was held in by vast galleries over four competitive days in Portrush really was quite the sight and sound. McIlroy's focus will now turn towards the Ryder Cup and hopes of a rare European win on American soil. He shared seventh in Northern Ireland with Xander Schauffele and Bob MacIntyre. 'None of us could live with what Scottie had this week,' McIlroy said. 'But for me to be in front of everyone here at home and to get that reception up the last, absolutely incredible. I'll remember that for a long time.' Bryson DeChambeau blasted through the field to post a 64 and a nine-under aggregate. DeChambeau opened this major with a 78 and ended up finishing tied 10th. Insert joke about LIV golfers and 54-hole tournaments. Sergio García broke his driver on the 2nd hole in a fit of pique, rendering a 68 somewhat decent. He was asked post-round for his thoughts on the Ryder Cup in September, an event in which he is at present about as likely to feature as the aforementioned Old Tom. Scheffler will be there, having swept up half the year's major crowns. Next year's US Open – which concludes on Scheffler's 30th birthday – will feature him attempting to complete a career grand slam. We are firmly in the midst of one of the greatest golfing careers of all time.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Rory McIlroy's Masters joy is now a distant memory after the world No 2 failed to hunt down his great rival, writes OLIVER HOLT
A social media feed dedicated to tracking the fortunes of Scottie Scheffler asked a question of its followers on the eve of the final round of the Open. 'What would Rory have to shoot tomorrow to win?' it wondered. The most popular answer came back quickly. 'Scottie,' it read. As it turned out, Rory McIlroy would also have had to find a nefarious means of disposing of Harris English, Wyndham Clark, Haotong Li, Chris Gotterup and Matt Fitzpatrick to have had a prayer of triumphing here at Royal Portrush. Because if Sunday was a day for marvelling at the flatlining genius of Scheffler, it was also a day of crushing anti-climax for the legions of McIlroy fans who swarmed to the Dunluce Links course in the fond belief they would see their hometown hero eat into the six-shot lead held over him by the world No 1 at the start of play. It was always a forlorn hope. By the end of the day, as Scheffler held the Claret Jug, McIlroy's win at the Masters felt like a long time ago. Scheffler is the king now. McIlroy has been reduced to the supporting cast. The incredible energy that had mobilised behind McIlroy and rolled around this spectacular course on Saturday, filling him with brilliance and momentum on his way to a round of 66, was never quite replicated on the final day. From the moment McIlroy left a birdie putt short on the first green, his round never accelerated. By the time he got to the second green, the digital screen by the side of it showed that Scheffler had birdied the first. McIlroy was now seven shots behind the leader. McIlroy did birdie the second but it could not disguise the gulf between him and Scheffler. The American is not the type to succumb to a meltdown. The idea that there could yet be a six-shot swing to hand McIlroy the advantage felt fanciful in the extreme. The fans willed McIlroy on, of course. As he walked between the first green and the second tee, they yelled encouragement. When he high-fived a kid next to the ropes, the lad turned to his dad and pumped his fists in delight. But by the fourth, as it became clear that Scheffler was going to be rock-steady, McIlroy's shoulders had slumped a little. He sliced his second shot on that hole and glared after it as it flew towards the green, before swishing his club in frustration and yelling out a warning of 'right'. His ball came to rest in thick grass at the edge of the green above the hole. It left him with a shot to nothing and all he could do was chip it out and watch it roll down the hill to leave him with a 30ft putt for par. He didn't make it. On the fifth, he boomed a drive into undergrowth on a bank to the right of the par four. He had to leap up and down from where his ball lay to see where the flag was. His head kept appearing and disappearing, appearing and disappearing. Behind him, the digital screen showed he was now eight shots adrift of Scheffler. It is a mark of McIlroy's genius for recovery that he still made birdie on the fifth. That brought a roar from the crowd but a couple of minutes later, Scheffler's ball thudded into the heart of the green and came to rest 10 feet from the hole. The crowd groaned in disappointment. Scheffler has been on a different level here in Portrush. A different level to McIlroy. A different level to everyone. He only needs to win the US Open to complete his own career Grand Slam, the ambition McIlroy fulfilled when he won the Masters in April. McIlroy and Scheffler are the two greatest players of the post-Tiger Woods generation and the contrast in their styles and their demeanours makes their rivalry all the more compelling. McIlroy's brilliance is wild and unpredictable and charismatic, Scheffler's is controlled, consistent, metronomic and reserved. Part of what makes McIlroy's golf so breathtaking is his ability to recover from apparently lost causes. Part of what makes Scheffler's golf so breathtaking is that he very rarely flirts with lost causes in the first place. The commanding nature of Scheffler's win here will establish him in many minds as the heir to Woods but it is only a few months ago that McIlroy was winning one of the most dramatic tournaments in golf history at Augusta National to seal his fifth major. Scheffler, though, has time on his side. He is 29, seven years McIlroy's junior. It has still been a stunning year for McIlroy but it is as if the emotional effort he expended to win a Green Jacket at last has drained him of the requisite strength and singularity of purpose to rise to a similar peak since. By the time McIlroy birdied the 15th to move to 10-under, he could only manage a weary wave to the galleries. Scheffler was still seven shots ahead. When he dragged his tee shot on the 16th on to the slope that plunges steeply down from the green, he threw his tee peg away in disgust. He started the day six shots adrift of Scheffler and finished it seven shots adrift of him, in a tie for seventh. Many believe Scheffler is about to eclipse him. Even McIlroy seems to think Scheffler may be about to eclipse him. He spoke afterwards about how his wins at the start of this year, including the Masters, came when 'Scottie wasn't quite on his game'. He sounded defeated by Scheffler's relentlessness. 'All you can do is admire what he does and how he does it,' McIlroy said. 'What he does is one thing, but how he does it is another. He just goes about his business, doesn't do anything overly flamboyant, but he's the best at executing in the game right now. All you can do is tip your cap and watch in admiration.' If McIlroy needs fresh motivation after completing his career Grand Slam, the looming Ryder Cup will provide one source of inspiration. The battle to stay with Scheffler, to compete with him and to re-establish himself as the world No 1, will provide another.
