Highlights of Round 3 of The Open 2025. Source: The R&A

Scottie Scheffler being the world's number one golfer is not just a number or a line of text on an official ranking.

That's the superiority he displays on the golf course when playing at his best. It's the feeling of complete control over every shot, making the ball seem mesmerized and obediently follow his every move.

It was an unbelievable simplicity in the way he mastered an extremely complex technical sport .

That's exactly what's happening at The Open Championship , at Royal Portrush – where Scheffler is leading overwhelmingly with a score of -14, four strokes ahead of Li Haotong, five strokes ahead of Matt Fitzpatrick, and six strokes ahead of Rory McIlroy, Chris Gotterup, Harris English, and Tyrrell Hatton.

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Scheffler dominated the match. Photo: Image Images

It was Scheffler, then the rest of the golf. An eagle on the 7th hole and two birdies afterward confirmed his absolute dominance.

If there's still something holding the game back, it's that the American golfer "held back," not closing the tournament early – even though opportunities were plentiful.

Scheffler's dominance reminded golf fans of Tiger Woods at his peak – who revolutionized the sport, both on the course and commercially.

For many, Scheffler is even making them forget about Tiger Woods . "Tiger" is still recovering from a series of surgeries and injuries, and is unlikely to be able to compete for the title.

Of course, Royal Portrush has many other stories to tell, many other dreams to pursue.

Scheffler scored an eagle on the 7th hole. Source: The Open

Li Haotong harbored hopes of becoming the first Chinese golfer to win a major tournament, scoring -2 in the third round (4 birdies and 2 bogeys).

Meanwhile, Fitzpatrick and McIlroy are eager to bring the British crown back to Europe – something no one has done since Shane Lowry in 2019.

But it all still depends on Scheffler. The 29-year-old golfer is aiming for his fourth major title after winning the green jersey at The Masters (2022 and 2024), and this year's PGA Championship.

If Scheffler completes The Open this time, he will only need the US Open to complete his prestigious Grand Slam collection.

Scheffler would then become only the second golfer in history to win a British major while being the world number one – the other being the great Tiger Woods.

“In terms of shot execution, he’s probably the best in golf right now,” McIlroy – who had the best round of the tournament so far (66 strokes) – praised Scheffler.

Indeed, it would be a huge surprise if Scheffler didn't lift the Claret Jug – in the 153rd edition of The Open.

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The standings after Round 3 of The Open 2025

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/vong-3-the-open-2025-scottie-scheffler-va-hinh-bong-tiger-woods-2423699.html