Matt Fitzpatrick Sends Honest Message on Scottie Scheffler Amid Open Championship originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush has officially entered the weekend, and the action is heating up. With tough conditions and major stakes, golf’s elite are battling it out for the coveted Claret Jug and leading the charge is none other than world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.
Scheffler put on a clinic in the second round, carding a sizzling 64 on Friday afternoon to move to 10 under par. That score not only marked the best of the day but also helped him leapfrog Matt Fitzpatrick to grab the 36-hole lead. The American is chasing his second major title and his fourth PGA Tour win of the season, and he’s showing exactly why he came into the tournament as the pre-event favorite.
Just behind him sits Fitzpatrick, who fired an impressive 5-under 66, making eight birdies along the way to set the initial clubhouse target. The Englishman is hoping to end a long drought as no Englishman has won The Open since Nick Faldo in 1992.
Despite Scheffler’s dominance, Fitzpatrick remains upbeat about his position. “He’s an exceptional player, he’s world No. 1, you know, seeing Tiger-like stuff,” Fitzpatrick said, acknowledging the challenge ahead. “I hope to have some more home support than him, but it’s an exciting position for me to be in, given where I was earlier this year.”
“He’s world No. 1, and we’re seeing Tiger-like stuff.”@MattFitz94 will play in Saturday’s final pairing @TheOpen alongside Scottie Scheffler … and he intends to embrace the challenge. pic.twitter.com/trRMiuyKb5
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 18, 2025
Close behind is last year’s champion Brian Harman, tied for third with Haotong Li at 8-under. The field remains stacked with Rory McIlroy, chasing a fairytale home win in Northern Ireland, at 3-under, while fellow major champions Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau are also battling through. As the weekend rolls in, one thing’s certain: Scheffler may have the lead, but the Claret Jug is far from decided.
Related: Jon Rahm Has Meltdown at The Open on Friday
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
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