The Northern Irishman is looking to make up for his missed opportunity at Royal Portrush six years ago as he seeks to win the Claret Jug for a second time.

The first round of the 2025 Open Championship saw Royal Portrush giving the 156-player field all it could handle as ever-changing weather conditions allowed the Northern Ireland course to show off its strength against the best players in the world.

Latest leaderboard and scores with McIlroy in contention as Scheffler leads Fitzpatrick at Portrush - Masters champion Rory McIlroy will hope to hunt down Royal Portrush leader Scottie Scheffler, with

For proof of this dynamic, look no further than the varied reactions to Scottie Scheffler's comments on Tuesday at Royal Portrush. His words revealed not a man searching for purpose, but one who had already found it—words that could help his fellow superstar return from an existential rut.

The early wave has the advantage. Rain has arrived at Royal Portrush, just as World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler hits the course. It's spotty around the course — it's pouring at 18, where Rory McIlroy is trying to finish — but clearly those already in the clubhouse — including leader Brian Harman — are the beneficiaries.

Two days after the eye-opening deep riff on the meaning of life that world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler delivered in his pre-tournament press conference, he posted a 3-under-par 68 in the first round of the British Open Thursday at Portrush.

Golf expert Sia Nejad has revealed his Open Championship 2025 picks and PGA best bets for Royal Portrush, beginning Thursday, July 17

Scheffler posted a 64 on Friday in the second round of the British Open, which had him just a shot off the course record in Northern Ireland. He left a birdie putt painfully short at the final hole, too. That moved the top-ranked golfer in the world into the solo lead at the midway point of the final major championship of the season.