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The Open Championship at Royal Portrush is halfway through, and a familiar face is at the top. Brian Harman went out early on Friday and set the pace, finishing 36 holes at eight under par. But the 2023 champion did not go low enough to keep the No. 1 player in the world at bay. Scottie Scheffler tore up Royal Portrush on Friday to take the lead at The Open Championship.
SOLO LEADER SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER!
INEVITABLE. pic.twitter.com/HO40ZKB7A7
— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) July 18, 2025
Scheffler missed a birdie putt on 12, the easiest hole on the course, to settle for a par. After that, he ripped off three birdies and four pars to storm past Harman and Matthew Fitzpatrick and into the solo lead. Having never won The Open Championship before, he answered the question of playing in the elements, making putts through a downpour on Friday.
Scottie with putter today pic.twitter.com/Dbs7yb9Fkt
— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) July 18, 2025
Scheffler shot seven under, 64, to clip Fitzpatrick by a shot and take the lead at ten under par. The putter was on fire, with +4.37 strokes gained on the field, the best among Friday's players. What was once his kryptonite turned into his strength on Friday to put him on the doorstep of another major title.
“Scottie Scheffler's 8 birdies today tie a career high in any major championship round. He's done it twice previously at the PGA in 2020 and 2025,” Justin Ray of TwentyFirst Group posted. Scheffler finished tied for fourth at the 2020 PGA and won this year's title.
Scheffler has finished in the top ten twice at The Open Championship, but was never scaring the lead. Last year, his T-7 finish was eight shots behind Xander Schauffele at last year's championship. Now, he has his hands on the wheel heading into the weekend at another major championship.
If Scheffler wins The Open Championship, he would be three-quarters of the way to the career Grand Slam, with just the U.S. Open remaining.
