Scottie Scheffler cemented his dominance on golf’s grandest stage by capturing his first Open Championship at Royal Portrush and adding a fourth major to his CV.
After winning the Masters in 2022 and 2024, and the 2025 PGA Championship, the world No 1 now stands one shy of golf’s career Grand Slam, having conquered every major except the US Open.
Behind him, the chasing pack struggled to apply real pressure. Harris English and Chris Gotterup finished closest, but neither could ultimately lay a glove on their American.
Local favourite Rory McIlroy gave fans hope with an impressive round on Saturday, but could not keep up the momentum, finishing tied for seventh at 10 under par.
For much of the final day, it felt like everyone else was playing for second place.
Here, Mail Sport’s James Sharpe brings you some of the stories from Royal Portrush that you might have missed.
Scottie Scheffler won his first Open Championship on Sunday and is one major away from a career Grand Slam
Local boy Rory McIlroy finished the final day an unremarkable tied for seventh at 10 under par
Hey, big spenders
The giant megastore on course has been doing roaring trade this week with spectators queuing for over half an hour to get into the Aladdin’s cave inside.
One worker told Mail Sport the shop made £5million profit over the first three days while another said sales on Thursday surpassed those on the opening day at St Andrew’s three years ago.
According to shop staff, the most lavish spending spree was one customer who burned more than £13,000 in one purchase! That’s a lot of £7 tees, £15 ball markers, £45 umbrellas and £20 towels.
Garcia’s bad break
A furious Sergio Garcia had to play the last 16 holes without a driver after the Spaniard snapped it in two after a wayward drive on the second.
Garcia hooked his tee shot into the rough before slamming his driver into the turf causing the shaft to break in half.
As it was deliberate, he wasn’t allowed to swap it for another. ‘I was surprised, I wasn’t trying to break it,’ insisted Garcia. Okay, Sergio…
One megastore worker at Royal Portrush told Mail Sport the shop made £5million profit over the first three days, with one customer spending over £13,000 in one purchase
Sergio Garcia played the last 16 holes without a driver after snapping it in two on the second
Golden oldies
For all the young bucks scrambling for the limelight, there was a lot to enjoy for the old swingers in town this week.
A day after a tuna sandwich inspired Lee Westwood to shoot the joint-best back nine score in Open history, Phil Mickelson became the oldest player at 55 to post a bogeyless round at the Championship since Tim Watson in 2009.
That was after former Open champion Justin Leonard, now 53 and ranked 4,689 in the world, made the cut in only his second major in the last nine years.
Golf mourns Bubka
Legendary golf commentator Bob Bubka has died aged 83.
Bubka, TalkSPORT’s ‘voice of golf’, had led the station’s coverage since 2000 and was greeted by Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods when he worked his last Open at St Andrews three years ago.
‘You could spend every day on the beach,’ one colleague said when he asked why Bubka didn’t want to retire. ‘This is my beach,’ he replied.
Phil Mickelson became the oldest player at 55 to post a bogeyless round at the Open since Tim Watson in 2009
Legendary golf commentator Bob Bubka has died aged 83, having led talkSPORT’s coverage since 2000
US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley put a personal message inside the lockers of the American players in contention for selection ahead of this year’s tournament
Keegan fires up USA
US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley put a personal message inside the lockers of the American players in contention for selection.
Bradley wrote individual messages on a picture of Justin Leonard from the US victory in 1999 at Brookline. It was Leonard who holed the 45-putt on the 17th that sparked infamous premature celebrations on the green.
‘It was pretty inspirational,’ said Bryson DeChambeau. ‘It meant a lot. This year’s no joke. We’re tired of it. We’re tired of losing.’
