Here’s how the leaderboard looks at the end of Moving Day. This is the world number one’s title to lose … and he doesn’t give up 54-hole leads, having converted all of his last ten on Tour into victory, a run that includes the 2024 Masters and the 2025 PGA Championship. What a player. The chasing pack will need the best of luck. Thanks for reading, and join us tomorrow!
-14: Scheffler
-10: Li
-9: Fitzpatrick
-8: McIlroy, Gotterup, English, Hatton
-7: Schauffele
-6: Henley, N Højgaard, MacIntyre, R Højgaard, Harman
-5: Clark, Wallace, Lindell, Reitan, Åberg, Rose, Hall, Westwood
Can you be outrageously competent? Does that clash? If we’re OK with it, that’s exactly what Scottie Scheffler was today. He navigated his way around Portrush with calm authority, attaining a level of brilliance that meant very little drama. He didn’t panic when the birdies didn’t come early on; he pushed on the accelerator with a quick eagle-birdie burst; he made a couple of staunch scrambles on the back nine; he sent one of the shots of the day into the long par-three 16th to extend his lead from Extremely Comfortable to Almost Uncatchable. He’s not world number one for nothing! Bigger third-round leads have been whittled away … but Scottie Scheffler is cut from different cloth than poor old Jean Van de Velde, who took a five-shot advantage into the final round of the 1999 Open at Carnoustie. Haotong Li, Matt Fitzpatrick, Rory McIlroy et al will probably require Scheffler to have an uncharacteristic off day if they’re to have any chance whatsover.
