Scheffler’s Open hopes dashed by fortune and misfortune at Royal Birkdale
Scottie Scheffler’s bid for a third major title ended with a 3-under 67, as erratic bounces on the back nine overshadowed a strong final-round charge at the 154th Open Championship.
World number one Scottie Scheffler finished tied for fourth at the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, concluding his campaign three shots behind New Zealand’s Ryan Fox, who secured his first major title. Scheffler carded a final-round 3-under 67 to finish at 7-under par, a result that leaves him eight months away from the next major championship at St Andrews.
Scheffler began the final round six shots off the lead but mounted a significant charge, recording three birdies in five holes to reach 8-under par after the 12th. However, his momentum was halted by a series of unfortunate bounces on the 13th and 14th holes. A tee shot on the 13th found a deep hole, forcing a bogey, while a drive on the 14th that appeared to be in the fairway bounced into a pot bunker, turning a potential birdie into a par.
The frustration peaked on the par-5 17th hole when Scheffler’s tee shot bounced left into the rough in front of a steep mound. The ball subsequently disappeared into gorse near a massive hospitality structure, which was ruled a temporary immovable obstruction. Under the rules, the ball did not need to be found, allowing Scheffler to take a free drop 94 yards from the hole. He capitalised on the break, hitting a wedge to 10 feet and converting the birdie putt.
Despite the recovery, Scheffler missed a birdie putt from off the green on the 17th and a par putt on the 18th, settling for a tied fourth place. Sam Burns finished third at 8-under par after a front-nine collapse in the final round, while Si Woo Kim and Tommy Fleetwood also tied for fourth at 7-under par.
Fox claimed victory with a birdie on the 18th hole, avoiding a playoff with clubhouse leader Cameron Young. The win marks a historic moment for Fox, who joins Padraig Harrington as one of the few players to win back-to-back British Opens, although Harrington’s last victory was in 2008. Scheffler, who had top-four finishes in three of the four majors this year, acknowledged the role of luck in the outcome.
“I guess it just wasn’t my week,” Scheffler said. “Thirteen and 14 really hurt, not being able to advance the ball. I feel good that I could compete when things weren’t going my way.”
