Supreme Scheffler wins fourth major to line up shot at career grand slam

Never in doubt. Never remotely in doubt. It was Scottie Scheffler: why on earth would it be?

- Ewan Murray

Anybody hoping for a keenly contested Open Sunday was to be sorely disappointed. Make that 10 times Scheffler has held a 54-hole lead and 10 times he has converted.

Scheffler tugged his opening tee shot into the rough, triggering some sharp intakes of breath. The new champion's next act was to fire an iron to within a foot of the cup. Scheffler enjoyed a sun-kissed procession on the Dunluce Links. Had the R&A been so minded, it could have broken with tradition and handed over the Claret Jug on the 5th tee. By that point, he was seven strokes clear.

Scheffler does not bother with major jousting. Direct combat? No thanks. He four-putted the 72nd green at Augusta National in 2022 and still won by three. The 2024 Masters was claimed by four, the 2025 US PGA Championship by five.

This triumph was by a quartet of shots when in reality it felt like so much more. Late yesterday afternoon, the Old Tom Morris record from 1862 – he saw off a distraught Willie Park by 13 shots at Prestwick – appeared to be under threat. Scheffler missed back-nine chance after back-nine chance when it barely mattered.

A 68, Scheffler's joint-highest score of the competition, meant 17 under par as an aggregate. His family surrounded him on the 18th green, in the latest reminder the world No 1 does not particularly prioritise golf.

His understated brilliance and shunning of the spotlight is intriguing. Scheffler recognises he is excellent at golf but he is unwilling to be defined by that.