Matt Fitzpatrick’s impressive 66 put him in an excellent position to end a 33-year wait for an English winner of The Open, but he will have to get past the daunting figure of world number one Scottie Scheffler if he is to end the drought.
Just minutes after the 2022 US Open champion returned to the top of a major leaderboard, having posted a nine-under-par total at Royal Portrush, his American rival reeled off back-to-back birdies at 16 and 17 to snatch the lead from the Sheffield golfer’s grasp.
