CNN
–
Calamity Corner: Even the name of the 16th hole in the Royal Portrush is enough to send golfer’s heart races. If Scotty Scheffler is about to knock Scotty Scheffler out of a relentless march through Saturday’s Open Championship, the horrifying par-3 with that crack drop-off along the right side could have been the most likely source.
Later, with the club’s two metronomy shaking, the Americans were picking balls out of the cup for birdies.
It was a complete encapsulation of clinical accuracy as Schaeffler once again advanced across Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coast, as the third round 67 without a bogie powered the tournament favourite to a command four-shot lead to play in the majors’ 153rd edition.
The par-five hole eagle has proven yet another disgraceful display peak by the 29-year-old.
“It’s ridiculous to say you can never wander your mind, but I think the only thing I can control is when you’re thinking about a shot and when you’re on the ball,” Schaeffler told reporters.
“Most of that is just a commitment to what I’m doing, so I’m not thinking about the wind, I’m not thinking about how the ball will bounce back. There’s a picture of what I want to do.
With 14 under par overall, Schaeffler is at the touched distance of the first claret jug and leaves him at the open crown from joining Rory McIlroy to complete career grand slams for all four major titles.
It is an ominous state of play. According to PGA Tour Communications, the 16 PGA Tour winners converted the final seven 54-hole leads or co-leads on the circuit. Masters and May’s PGA Championships in 2022 and 2024.
“I’m excited about the challenge tomorrow. Winning a major championship is not easy. I put myself in a good position,” he said.
“I’m stepping up there on the first tee. I’m trying to get the ball on the fairway. When I get to the second shot, I’m trying to get that ball to green. There’s not much else.”
Lee and Fitzpatrick chase
However, there is some historical evidence that chasing packs cling to. Despite warnings that he went three times in 2000, 2005 and 2006, Tiger Woods is the only world No. 1 to arrive at the Open and win.
Additionally, closest challenger Haotong Li has pedigree on open Sundays. The winner of the four European tours came in third place, finishing third in 2017 at Royal Burkdale, with the Chinese golfer in the male majors registering the best finish of all time.
World No. 11 had been thinking about quitting the sport completely in 2023 after a battle with the frightening YIPS, an unwilling muscle tension in the wrist, but contributed to a sharp dive, but again paired with historic talent in the third round 69.
When he asked how he reached where he was from where he was two years ago, Li started laughing and said, “I don’t know. That’s a miracle.”
“Behind four shots… play with (too) World No. 1,” he added. “I’ll do my best there and hopefully try and get something to happen. I’ll be exciting.”
England’s Matt Fitzpatrick has one stroke behind Lee at 9 under overall after filming a uniform 71. 66 people on Friday moved him within Schaeffler’s stroke before fleeing the 2022 US Open Victor to putters.
“We just made a lot fewer putts than Scotty… they’re just not going in,” the 30-year-old told reporters.
“His putting is day and night. I didn’t actually play with him in that period, as everyone is talking about how bad it is at some point. He hasn’t missed the putt today… and that’s clearly the difference that took him to this invincible run.”
Home hero McIlroy is one of the four-drink groups that swept six shots behind Schaeffler across the four-under.
World No. 2 feels ready to do much needed run, officially tearing it off the block and opens with over 36 feet of curl putts for birdies before rolling into the third of the day in the fourth hole.
His momentum slowed in strange circumstances on the par-4 11th as he excavated the hidden ball while swinging to escape the thick, rough roughness.
“It’s the strangest and ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen,” McIlroy reflected after his round. “Then my balls became really weird and spiny. It’s so weird.”
The next 56-foot Eagle Putt rekindled the 2014 champion round before another birdie on the 15th, but McIlroy has no illusions about the size of the task reeling at Schaeffler and lifting a second Clet jug at his home turf.
“He plays like Scotty, I don’t think that’s a surprise. He’s very solid and doesn’t make any mistakes,” McIlroy said.
“He’s turned himself into a really consistent putter, so there doesn’t seem to be any weakness there. Whenever you try to chase a guy like that, it’s hard.”
McIlroy has joined the fourth share of England’s Tyrrell Hatton and American duos Chris Gotterup and Harris English.
