Scottie Scheffler cemented his place among golf’s greats, storming to his first Open Championship win with a commanding display at Royal Portrush.
The world number one arrived with a four-shot lead and left with a major to match his dominance. By the time he walked off the fourth green, his lead had stretched to seven, and the contest was all but over.
A birdie on the fifth hole only reinforced the gap. Though he missed out on Tiger Woods’ record eight-shot win, Scheffler’s three-under 68 sealed victory at 17 under, four clear of fellow American Harris English.
“Overall it was a really fun week to be able to play in front of such a great crowd,” Scheffler told fans, acknowledging that Rory McIlroy had the local support. He handled the pressure with poise and confidence all week.
This triumph marks his fourth career major and second of the year. His consistency and calm demeanor under pressure have drawn inevitable comparisons to Woods.
Only Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player won the Masters, US PGA, and The Open before turning 30. Scheffler, who turns 30 next June, now needs just the US Open to complete the career Grand Slam.
There was brief tension when a double bogey at the eighth cut his lead to four. But a birdie on the ninth restored control and ended any lingering doubts.
Elsewhere, the fight for second saw strong finishes from Chris Gotterup and Matt Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick closed with two late birdies to tie for fourth with Li Haotong and Wyndham Clark.
Rory McIlroy, cheered on in his native Northern Ireland, never found the spark needed to mount a challenge. He finished on 10 under, tied with Robert MacIntyre and defending champion Xander Schauffele.
Without Scheffler, this could have been a classic shootout. But his brilliance made it a coronation.
