Matt Fitzpatrick Sends Honest Message on Scottie Scheffler Amid Open Championship

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sahil Goswami | Last updated Jul 19, 2025 7:06 AM ET

The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush has officially entered the weekend, and the action is heating up. With tough conditions and major stakes, golf’s elite are battling it out for the coveted Claret Jug and leading the charge is none other than the world number one, Scottie Scheffler.

Scheffler put on a clinic in the second round, carding a sizzling 64 on Friday afternoon to move to 10 under par. That score not only marked the best of the day but also helped him leapfrog Matt Fitzpatrick to grab the halfway lead. The American is chasing his second major title and his fourth PGA Tour win of the season, and he’s showing exactly why he came into the tournament as the pre-event favorite.

Just behind him sits Fitzpatrick, who fired an impressive five-under 66, making eight birdies along the way to set the initial clubhouse target. The Englishman is hoping to end a long drought no Englishman has won The Open since 1992.

Despite Scheffler’s dominance, Fitzpatrick remains upbeat about his position. “He’s an exceptional player, he’s world number one, you know, seeing Tiger-like stuff,” Fitzpatrick said, acknowledging the challenge ahead. “I hope to have some more home support than him, but it’s an exciting position for me to be in, given where I was earlier this year.”

"He's world No. 1, and we're seeing Tiger-like stuff."@MattFitz94 will play in Saturday's final pairing @TheOpen alongside Scottie Scheffler ... and he intends to embrace the challenge. pic.twitter.com/trRMiuyKb5
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 18, 2025

Close behind is last year’s champion Brian Harman, tied for third with Haotong Li at eight under. The field remains stacked with contenders Rory McIlroy, chasing a fairytale home win in Northern Ireland, sits at three under, while Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau are also battling through. As the weekend rolls in, one thing’s certain: Scheffler may have the lead, but the Claret Jug is far from decided.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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