There was a small chance at one point Saturday that maybe Scottie Scheffler was going to open the door to those chasing him.
Scheffler hit an uncharacteristic approach with a wedge in his hand way, way left and it ended up on a dune in knee-high grass on the 11th hole at Royal Portrush. He had an awkward stance with bent knees and could only effort a downward chop like a chef’s knife through a head of romaine. It’s not a shot you practice. It has been the eighth-hardest hole of the week.
And then Scheffler knocked it to nine feet and rolled in the par. Onwards. To the house.
And, perhaps, to history.
The game’s best player shot a bogey-free 4-under 67 in the third round at the Open Championship and heads into Sunday’s finale with a four-shot lead of Hoatong Li and five shots over Matt Fitzpatrick. To the engraver of the Claret Jug — there are two t’s in Scottie and two ff’s in Scheffler. That’s about that.
“He's playing like Scottie. I don't think it's a surprise. Everyone's seen the way he's played or plays over the last two or three years. He's just so solid. He doesn't make mistakes,” said Rory McIlroy. “He's turned himself into a really consistent putter as well. So there doesn't seem to be any weakness there.
“Whenever you're trying to chase down a guy like that, it's hard to do. But he's incredibly impressive.”
McIlroy will be amongst the group attempting to do the impossible after his own incredible day Saturday, firing a 5-under 66. He got off to a wonderful start, sitting a 3 under through 4 holes, and had the whole of Northern Ireland cheering for every shot and step. He’ll be in the penultimate pairing on Sunday and will have a chance (if he channels his 16-year-old self and shoots a 61, maybe).
Scheffler just seemed absolutely unflappable, again, on Saturday at Royal Portrush. He didn’t do anything too flashy, because he didn’t need to. He started the day with six pars before adding an eagle on the par-5 7th after hitting his approach from 206 yards to just 10 feet.
“I think anytime we're going around the course I'm trying to take advantage of my opportunities. Sometimes I do a better job of that than other times. If you look at the first six holes, I felt like I did some things good enough to make a few birdies and wasn't able to capitalize, and then all of a sudden on 7 and 8 I get three shots in two holes,” Scheffler said. “It's more just a matter of trying to make the best of the opportunities that you can get, and sometimes I'm good at it, sometimes not as good.”
Scheffler added a birdie on the next hole before staying steady through the balance of Saturday. He added one final birdie on the par-3 16th (the third straight day he’s made a two there — one of the most iconic short holes in the world). There was, of course, of those two elegant par savers on both 11 and 14, too — where he blew it way left off the tee and had to scramble up for another par.
“I think the card could look stress-free, but I had two really nice par saves on the back nine that were key,” Scheffler said. “I think anytime you can keep a clean card around a major championship, you're going to be having a pretty good day.”
The game’s best player, who has three wins already this season including the PGA Championship, is second for the week in strokes gained: approach and is first in strokes gained: putting. So, not only is he hitting it better than almost everyone else, he has also been putting the lights out.
It wasn’t too long ago when plenty in the golf world were wondering what was wrong with Scheffler’s putting and just clamouring for a time when this world-class talent would be able to pair his world-class ball-striking with some semblance of average putting.
Now, unfortunately for everyone else, it’s better than that.
“His putting is night and day obviously. From what you guys all talk about how bad it was at one point — I didn't play with him really in that period — he's just not missed a putt today,” Fitzpatrick said. “There isn't one putt that he's missed, and that's obviously the difference that's taken him to this unbeatable run.”
Scheffler has been beat before, of course. Golf’s a weird game and especially at the Open Championship where weather and funky bounces play a factor more than any other event, there’s wild things that could unfold.
But Scheffler keeps it so very simple that it just doesn’t seem like there is any room for him to make mistakes.
“I like being out here competing. This is why we work so hard is to have opportunities like this and I’m excited for the challenge of tomorrow. Winning major championships is not an easy task, and I’ve put myself in a good position,” Scheffler said. “Going into tomorrow, I’m going to step up there on the first tee and I’m going to be trying to get the ball in the fairway, and when I get to the second shot, I’m going to be trying to get that ball on the green. There’s not really too much else going on.”
Good luck, everybody.
