By Martyn Herman
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (Reuters) -World number one Scottie Scheffler will be overwhelming favourite to claim his first British Open title when he begins his final round with a four-stroke lead of a packed chasing field at Royal Portrush on Sunday.
Fourth-round action began at 08.30 with the likes of former Open champions Phil Mickelson and Shane Lowry offering some entertainment for those fans arriving early on a warm and sunny morning on the sparkling County Antrim coast.
Lowry, winner at Portrush six years ago, signed off with a five-under 66, with Mickelson carding a 67.
But the serious business will begin later when the leading groups take to the Dunluce Links for what promises to be a compelling conclusion to the 153rd Open.
Quite how exciting it gets will depend very much on 29-year-old Scheffler, who after a scintillating round of 64 on Friday and Saturday’s error-free 67 is closing in on his first major outside of the United States, having twice won the Masters and then triumphing at this year’s PGA Championship.
The last nine PGA Tour events in which he has led after 54 holes he has gone to win and the way he has played so far does not offer much encouragement for the chasers.
Stranger things have happened though and huge galleries will be cheering on local favourite Rory McIlroy, who lies six strokes adrift of Scheffler.
McIlroy has been on a roller-coaster ride this week with magical moments like Saturday’s 56-foot eagle putt on the 12th during his sizzling 66, mixed with many excursions into the vegetation that makes the course so tough.
The 36-year-old, who completed his career slam by winning this year’s Masters, is bidding for his second Open having lifted the Claret Jug at Royal Liverpool in 2014.
He will play alongside Matt Fitzpatrick, who is five shots behind Scheffler and trying to become the first English player to win the Open since Nick Faldo in 1992.
Scheffler will tee off in Game 35 at 2.30pm alongside surprise challenger Li Haotong of China, the first man from his country to be in the final group at a major.
Li is on 10-under after three sub-70 rounds but suggested on Saturday that Scheffler already has it wrapped up.
“I’m actually quite looking forward to it. Four shots behind, kind of like playing for second,” he said.
As on Saturday, conditions are expected to be good for low scoring although winds could strengthen later.
American Bryson Dechambeau showed what was possible in Sunday’s earlier rounds as he was three-under for his round after seven holes, moving to five-under overall. Since a first-round 78, he has been 12 under par.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
