Irish eyes have been mostly on Rory McIlroy, the Masters champion and latest to win the career Grand Slam. He has been trying to embrace the expectation and occasion, unlike in 2019 when McIlroy was so emotional at the reception that he hit his first shot out of bounds and shot 79 to miss the cut.
Standing in his way, though, is world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who is leading after three rounds.
This is the final major of the year, and the most unusual of the four majors because of links golf, where funny bounces and pot bunkers and fickle weather can determine the winner.
Here's what you need to know about the British Open:
How does the leaderboard look?
Scottie Scheffler, a three-time major champion, leads by four strokes on 14-under par after rounds of 68, 64 and 67 over the par-71 layout. He is bidding to win the British Open for the first time.
Li Haotong of China, the world No. 111, is alone in second place and defying pre-tournament predictions as he seeks his first major title.
Matt Fitzpatrick, a former U.S. Open champion, is in third place a further shot back. There's a four-way tie for fourth place containing Rory McIlroy, Chris Gotterup, Harris English and Tyrrell Hatton. They are on 8-under par.
When i
s the British Open?
The first round began on Thursday and play finishes Sunday, when the winner will collect a silver claret jug. Players were in the same three-man groups for the opening two days and are in two-man pairings over the weekend. Daylight is not an issue at the British Open because it doesn't get dark until about 10:30 p.m. Players in the last group don't even tee off until a little after 4 p.m.
What are the tee times for Sunday?
Scottie Scheffler and Li Haotong are the final pairing and will go out at 2:30 p.m. local time (0930 EDT).
Matt Fitzpatrick and Rory McIlroy are the next to-last pairing, teeing off at 2:20 p.m. (0920 EDT)
Before them, Chris Gotterup and Harris English go out at 2:10 p.m. (0910 EDT), and Tyrrell Hatton and Xander Schauffele at 2:00 p.m (0900 EDT).
How can I watch the British Open?
There is wall-to-wall coverage, along with a five-hour time difference between Northern Ireland and the East Coast of the U.S. It will be broadcast from 4-7 a.m. on the USA Network and from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on NBC.
If you're living on the West Coast, the British Open will come on just before bedtime. For golf fans in Hawaii, it will start right after sunset on Waikiki.
Who are the betting favorites?
Scottie Scheffler has been the favorite at every major this year, and the British Open has been no exception. Heading into the final round, he is listed as the odds-on favorite at 1-7 with BetMGM Sportsbook.
Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick are 18-1 and Li Haotong is the third favorite at 20-1.
Tyrrell Hatton is 33-1.
The British Open is the only major where Scheffler has not had a serious chance at winning on the back nine on Sunday. But he hasn't finished out of the top 10 since late March.
What’s the forecast?
It was mixed weather over Thursday and Friday, fairly glorious on Saturday, and Sunday is forecast to have some sunny spells and a bit of rain. It looks the wind won't be strong, giving the opportunity for some low scores.
What’s at stake?
The winner gets a silver claret jug, the oldest trophy in golf. As part of a new tradition, Xander Schauffele had to return the jug to the R&A on Monday in a short ceremony. Then he has four days to win it back.
The winner also gets introduced as the “champion golfer of the year,” another tradition. He also will get a five-year exemption to the other three majors, an exemption into the British Open until age 55 (past winners could play until 60) and a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour.
Who are the players to watch?
Scottie Scheffler is No. 1 in the world and usually in contention no matter how he is playing. If Scheffler were to win, he would go to the U.S. Open next year for a chance at the Grand Slam.
Rory McIlroy is the big draw. There is pressure to perform, but he also is relieved of the burden from having not won a major in 11 years. He took care of that by winning the Masters and bringing home that green jacket.
Xander Schauffele is trying to become the first repeat winner since Padraig Harrington in 2007 and 2008. But the Californian was slowed by a rib injury early in the year, still hasn't won yet and is seven shots back.
British hopes lie with Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick, who are in the top four.
Why is it the British Open when it's being played on the island of Ireland?
Royal Portrush is in Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. The official title is The Open Championship or simply The Open. The Associated Press, along with several U.S. newspapers, have referred it to as the British Open for more than 100 years to distinguish it from other national opens like the U.S. Open and Australian Open.
The R&A once referred to it as the “British Open” in official films in the 1950s.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Credit: AP