Open and shut: Scheffler dominates in British Open victory for 2nd major this year

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — Scottie Scheffler had all the time in the world to celebrate his latest major title. This British Open was never in doubt Sunday as golf's No. 1 player delivered another dominant performance to win his second major this year and grab the third leg of the career Grand Slam.

Scheffler began with a shot into 10 inches for birdie. One hour into the final round, his lead already was seven shots and no one got closer than four the rest of the way at Royal Portrush.

He closed with a 3-under 68 for a four-shot victory, sending him to the U.S. Open next year with a chance to make it a clean sweep of golf's biggest titles.

Scheffler won the Masters by three shots in 2022 and by four shots last year. He won the PGA Championship by five shots in May.

And then he arrived in Northern Ireland and shared some extraordinary insight when he said celebrating tournament wins doesn't last but a few minutes before it was on to the next one. He loves the work required to be the best. He thrives on competition. But in terms of fulfillment, he often questions why he wants to win so badly when the thrill of winning is fleeting.

He tapped in for par on the final hole, making it all look so routine. But then he saw his family, thrust both arms into the air, pumped both fists and tossed his cap in the air. That's what it was all about for the 29-year-old from Texas.

And he gets to keep the silver claret jug for a year.

Rory McIlroy referred to the outcome as ''inevitable'' when Scheffler built a four-shot lead going into the final round, and it was every bit of that.

The tap-in birdie on the first hole. A brilliant approach between two knobs to 7 feet for birdie on the fourth. A 15-foot birdie on No. 5. Most telling was his biggest celebration, a powerful fist pump when he made a 15-foot par putt on No. 6.

It was reminiscent of when Tiger Woods saved his biggest fist pump for a par on the 16th hole of his historic 15-shot victory at Pebble Beach in the 2000 U.S. Open, when it was clear Woods was competing mainly against himself.

That's what it felt like until Scheffler's one wobble. His tee shot on the par-4 eighth found a bunker, and Scheffler got too aggressive. The shot hit the top of the vetted side and rolled back into the sand. He got the next one out safely into the fairway, hit wedge to 18 feet and took two putts for a double bogey.

That ended his streak of 32 consecutive holes without a bogey, remarkable control of his golf ball. The lead was down to four shots when Scottish Open winner Chris Gotterup birdied the ninth.

And then Scheffler drilled a drive, hit wedge to 5 feet for birdie and he was back on his horse. He played the back nine with eight pars and a birdie because that's all he needed. No one could catch him.

''I played with him the first two days, and honestly I thought he was going to birdie every hole. It was incredible to watch,'' Shane Lowry said. ''If Scottie's feet stayed stable and his swing looked like Adam Scott's, we'd be talking about him in the same words as Tiger Woods. ... His bad shots are really good. That's when you know he's really good.''

Scheffler, who finished at 17-under 267, won for the fourth time this year. He is the first player in the last century to win his first four majors by at least three shots.

He has won 20 times worldwide since February 2022, and this was the 11th straight time he turned a 54-hole lead into a victory.

This is the second straight year for a player to win two majors, after Xander Schauffele won the PGA Championship and British Open last year.

''I don't think we thought the golfing world would see someone as dominant as Tiger come through so soon, and here's Scottie sort of taking that throne of dominance,'' said Schauffele, who tied for seventh.

''You can't even say he's on a run. He's just been killing it for over two years now,'' he said. ''He's a tough man to beat, and when you see his name up on the leaderboard, it sucks for us.''

English capped off a memorable two weeks in the United Kingdom. His caddie of eight years couldn't get a new travel visa because of a 10-year prison term he served two decades ago. English had a replacement last week at the Scottish Open and another this week. It didn't stop him.

English, who shot a 66, was runner-up in a major for the second time this year — both times to Scheffler — and strengthened his case for the Ryder Cup in September.

''The only guy to beat me at the PGA and this week. I'm playing some good golf," English said. ''I wasn't playing professional golf when Tiger was at his peak. But it's pretty incredible, just how good of a front-runner he is.''

The only stumble from Scheffler came from his 15-month-old son Bennett, who tried to walk up a slope to the 18th green toward his dad and the claret jug, only to face-plant.

Li Haotong of China (70), Matt Fitzpatrick (69) and Wyndham Clark (65) tied for fourth. That gets Li into the Masters next year.

As for McIlroy, there were few complaints. He needed an electric start like he had Saturday and was even par through 12 holes, never closer than five shots. No matter. The Masters champion soaked up adulation across Royal Portrush, closing with a 69 to tie for seventh.

''I wish I had have been closer to Scottie going into today and been able to make a real push,'' McIlroy said. "But he's been on a different level all week and he's been on a different level for the last two years to the rest of us. He is the bar that we're all trying to get to at this point.

''But for me to be in front of everyone here at home and to get that reception up the last, absolutely incredible. I'll remember that for a long time.''

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf