MASTER SCHEFF AT WORK

Tasty Scottie shows why he's top dish...but Rory's hungry, Fitzpatrick wants full English and Li fancies a Chinese

- BY NEIL McLEMAN at Royal Portrush

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER will today bid to emulate Tiger Woods by becoming only the second reigning world No.1 to win The Open.

And if the US PGA champion wins his second Major of the summer, he will leave his crushed rivals left thinking: “What's the point?”

The double Masters winner gave an extraordinary press conference before the tournament began, in which he revealed just how he “wrestles” with the meaning of life and golf and described his career as “an unsatisfying venture”.

But back on the safe ground of the golf course this week, the best player in the world has been back to his normal, reliable, even boring self.

After taking the 36-hole lead with a 64, the American superstar shot a bogey-free 67 yesterday which included one eagle, two birdies and endless par saves.

There is the same feeling of inevitably about today's outcome as when 15-time Major hero Woods was in his pomp.

China's Haotong Li is the nearest challenger, four shots back, while Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton and Rory Mellroy are in the optimistic chasing pack.