The imperious Scottie Scheffler will go into the final round of the British Open with a commanding four-shot lead \u2014 and with only the naggingly ominous vision of a charging home idol Rory McIlroy in his rear-view mirror.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The masterful American world number one kept his eyes firmly on the Claret Jug during Saturday’s third-round moving day, heading inexorably towards his fourth major with a consummate, bogey-free round of 67, leaving him on 14-under for the Championship.<\/p>\n
It’s left the 29-year-old a prohibitive favourite, with China’s Li Haotong his nearest if still distant challenger, and English hope Matt Fitzpatrick, a former US Open champ, a further shot adrift at 9-under.<\/p>\n
Still, though, it may be the thought of the continuing magic that McIlroy could yet again produce at 8-under, inspired by his home army of fans, that may preoccupy the PGA champ.<\/p>\n
Masters champ McIlroy was inspired at times on Saturday, what with his three birdies to start in just four holes, kicked off by a 36 foot curler at the first, then an amazing 56 foot putt for eagle at the 12th that sent the locals wild.<\/p>\n
He was even magic when he didn’t intend to be. At the 11th, he hit out of the rough and managed to dislodge a previously buried ball.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He ended up bogeying that one, but it still couldn’t halt his pied piper progress as he ended with a 5-under 66.<\/p>\n
At six shots behind, he’s not given up hope of catching the seemingly uncatchable.<\/p>\n
“Scottie Scheffler is inevitable,” McIlroy said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Even when he doesn’t have his best stuff, he’s become a complete player.<\/p>\n
“It’s going to be tough to catch him tomorrow if he keeps playing the way he does.<\/p>\n
“But if I can get off to a similar start to what I did today, get the crowd going, hopefully he feels that a couple of groups behind me, and you never know.”<\/p>\n
The way Scheffler is playing, though, McIlroy might have to dream up something as absurd as the 61 that he famously shot at Portrush as a 16-year-old.<\/p>\n
That inevitability of Scheffler was on view throughout.<\/p>\n
The inevitability of sheer solidity hole after hole, with the odd starburst thrown in, like the laser 206-yard approach to within 10 feet of the pin for eagle at the seventh. The inevitability of three 10-footers holed to save par. Crushingly for his pursuers, he did not drop a shot all round.<\/p>\n
Li meanwhile has been a revelation but his third dropped shot all week at the 18th felt a fatal error as he finished with a 69. Fitzpatrick, who had begun just a shot behind, chipped in at the second for eagle but laboured to a level-par 71.<\/p>\n
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