US golfer Scottie Scheffler makes a birdie putt on the 16th green on day two of the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush golf club in Northern Ireland on July 18, 2025. Photo: HENRY NICHOLLS
World number one Scottie Scheffler conjured up a brilliant 64 to lead the Open Championship after an enthralling second round, as home favourite Rory McIlroy's roller-coaster ride continued at Royal Portrush.
American Scheffler finished on 10 under par, one clear of Matt Fitzpatrick who carded 66 to boost his hopes of becoming the first Englishman to lift the Claret Jug since Nick Faldo in 1992.
American Brian Harman, the 2023 Open champion who made a big move with a flawless 65, and China's Li Haotong were a further shot back.
Scheffler, a three-times major champion seeking his first British Open title, racked up four birdies on the front nine and four more after the turn, a bogey at the 11th hole the only blemish in a sublime display of shot-making.
"I felt like I hit a few more fairways than I did yesterday, hit some really nice iron shots, and was able to hole some putts," Scheffler said.
"We only had maybe four or five holes where it was really coming down (raining), and I was able to take advantage of the holes where we had some good weather."
Fitzpatrick made four birdies going out and an inspired run of four more in a row lifted him two shots clear of the field.
A bogey on 14 dropped him back, however, and the 2022 US Open champion missed a three-foot birdie putt on 17 before holing a nerveless 23-footer for par at the last.
"Giving myself an opportunity to win the golf tournament, but there's still a hell of a long way to go," he said.
"The aim of the game is to stay in it for as long as possible and hopefully you can pull away right at the death."
The second round wasn't so kind for the New Zealanders in the field Ryan Fox and Dan Hillier, with both missing the cut by one stroke, after they finished on two over par at halfway stage of the tournament,
Golfers Ryan Fox and Daniel Hillier in Paris ahead of the Olympics 2024. Photo: RNZ
Hillier carded a two-over 73 in the second round, mixing in two birdies and four bogeys.
"Yeah tricky, I know it could have been a heck of a lot worse," said Hillier.
"There was just enough wind to make it a bit of a grind out there, but I thought I fought pretty hard out there the last couple of days," he said.
Fox's second round was much improved from his first, shooting a two-under 69, with an eagle at the par five 12th and a birdie at the 18th, his highlights.
He was, in fact, a little unlucky not to eagle the last, after agonisingly missing his approach shot by the barest of margins.
Had the shot dropped in he would have been playing the weekend.
- Reuters
