Supreme Scheffler a class apart as he romps to first Open title

A relentless Scottie Scheffler sealed his first Open triumph by four shots as he turned the final day of the tournament into a procession at Royal Portrush on Sunday.

The 29-year-old American world No 1 started out with a four-stroke lead and apart from one mid-round blip, never looked like relinquishing his iron-like grip as the chasing pack were left scrapping for minor places.

Scheffler resembled a towering giant among men all week on the glorious Causeway Coast, rekindling memories of 15-times major winner Tiger Woods in his pomp, and he rubber-stamped his fourth major title with a clinical final-round 68 for a 17-under total.

After tapping in for his par in front of a packed 18th green grandstand, Scheffler’s laser focus finally cracked and he threw his white cap skywards before hugging caddie Ted Scott and enjoying a tearful embrace with his wife Meredith and son Bennett.

“Thanks to the fans for all the support. I know I wasn’t the fan favourite today, so I appreciate you guys coming out to support. Overall, it’s been a great week,” the understated Scheffler, the third successive American to win the Open and fourth in five years, said after lifting the Claret Jug.

“The fan support was tremendous. It was a really fun week to be able to play in front of such a great crowd.”

Scheffler’s son Bennett fell over as he tried to run to his dad on the green before the British Open champion scooped him up and held him alongside the trophy.

“Thanks to my wife and son – I love you very much and can’t wait to get home and celebrate,” Scheffler said.

“To my parents and the rest of the team, I can’t thank you guys enough. I’ve got the best support team. Everyone does such a great job of working together.”

Take the dominant Scheffler out of the equation, and the 153rd Open would have been a thriller with the leaderboard beneath him chopping and changing all weekend.

In the end, Harris English was the best of the rest on 13-under after a 66 with fellow American Chris Gotterup, winner of last week’s Scottish Open, a further shot back.

Huge galleries descended on the course all week and thousands arrived on a sunny Sunday hoping to witness a Rory McIlroy miracle.

But Northern Ireland’s favourite sporting son, who began six shots behind Scheffler, was unable to mount a charge and ended up in a tie for seventh on 10 under, along with 2024 champion Xander Schauffele and Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre.

“I wish I had have been closer to Scottie going into today and been able to make a real push,” said McIlroy, who completed his career Grand Slam by winning this year’s Masters.

“But he’s been on a different level all week and he’s been on a different level for the last two years to the rest of us.”

Li fourth

Li Haotong, the first Chinese man to go out in the final group of a major, finished tied fourth on 11 under with England’s Matt Fitzpatrick and American Wyndham Clark.

Scheffler now has three legs of his career Grand Slam and needs a US Open crown to complete the set.

He is also the first player in more than 100 years to win his first four majors by three strokes or more and the first world No 1 to win the Open since Tiger Woods in 2006.

“When you play against the best, they make it look easy and you can’t quite figure out why they are so good,” said England’s Justin Rose, who finished on seven under.

“He is unconventional in some of his technique, but the golf ball doesn’t lie. He does everything really well and his record with a 54-stroke lead is Tiger-esque.”

Those thinking or even hoping that Texas-based Scheffler might stumble on a layout featuring holes known as Calamity Corner and Purgatory should probably have known better.

On the last nine occasions Scheffler had gone into the final round of a PGA Tour event ahead, he emerged victorious. His three previous major wins also came after a 54-hole lead.

A sense of anticipation brewed as the leading groups reached the first tee, but when Scheffler birdied the first, fourth and fifth holes to move eight strokes clear, the only question seemed to be whether he could eclipse Wood’s modern era Open record winning margin of eight strokes at St Andrews in 2000.

Even when errors did creep in, he simply rolled in long par-saving putts on the sixth and seventh holes to crush the spirit of those hoping for an unlikely collapse.

Only when he double-bogeyed the eighth after failing to get out of a bunker did Scheffler look like a mere mortal; his lead was suddenly sliced to four strokes.

But it proved false hope for those pursuing a giant of golf, and a birdie at the ninth and another at the 12th hole steadied the ship. All that needed deciding then was who would come second to golf’s undisputed powerhouse. Reuters/DM