World Number One Scottie Scheffler strolled to a four-shot victory to secure the 153rd Open title. Leaderboard
The 29-year-old held a four-shot advantage heading into the final round at Royal Portrush, but he showed nerves of steel with a closing 68 to seal his first Open Championship.
He carded six birdies and a double bogey to finish with a -17 total, and briefly led by eight shots at one point, as the chasing pack failed to challenge against the newly-crowned Champion Golfer of the Year.
Americans dominated the top of the leaderboard as Harris English proved to be Scheffler's closest rival at -13 under, with Chris Gotterup backing up last week's Genesis Scottish Open win in solo third -12.
Scheffler's triumph means he has now secured three of the four Major Championships, with only the U.S. Open eluding him from completing the career Grand Slam, and fourth overall.
"It's a very special feeling. It takes a lot of work to get to this point in my career," Scheffler said.
"This was a tough week. It was challenging. The golf course was playing really tough and I had to focus very hard over the course of the weekend.
"Being able to walk up 18 with the tournament in hand is a really tough thing to describe. It's a really cool feeling. I have a lot of gratitude towards being able to accomplish something like this.
"It's a high level of focus over 72 holes of a tournament. This was, I felt like, one of my best performances mentally."
Despite parring his way home, Scheffler became only the second player since James Braid in 1908 to win each of their first four Major Championships by three of more shots.
English carded an eagle, four birdies and a dropped shot in his 66 for solo second, while Gotterup continued his meteoric rise with a closing 67 to finish in third at -12
Wyndham Clark, who won the 2023 U.S. Open, climbed up to fourth after a final-round 65 and was joined by Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick and Li at -11.
Home favourite Rory McIlroy sat alongside Ryder Cup team-mate Robert MacIntyre and defending champion Xander Schauffele one shot further back in a share of seventh -10.
edit >>> Canada's Corey Conners had a sensational weekend 66 66 to finish a very credible T10 -9.
europeantour.com
Bryan Angus (edit)
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