McIlroy’s hoped-for charge failed to materialise over the front nine as he did not get the fast start he had on Saturday, when he carded three birdies in four holes. He turned in 34, at 10 under, but having failed to gain any momentum he needed to stand a chance of a dream win in his home Open. The writing was on the wall for the Holywood native when a mis-hit chip at the 10th cost him a double bogey and with that his chances were over. He has since gained a stroke back at the 12th to move to -9. He followed that birdie up by consecutive pars at 13 and 14, before landing another birdie at the 15th for -10. Whilst for Scheffler, birdies at the first, after a brilliant approach to a foot, the fourth and fifth had opened up a seven-shot gap and his procession to a first Claret Jug looked even more of a formality for the world number one. However, he got too greedy with a fairway bunker shot at the eighth and left the ball in the sand, resulting in a double-bogey six and his first dropped shot in 33 holes. But, typically, he responded with two further birdies to get to 17 under, which was still just about in range of last week’s Scottish Open winner Chris Gotterup who had turned in a three-under 33. He is currently on -12, alongside American Harris English. America’s Wyndham Clark is currently third on -11, with Bob MacIntyre, Xander Schauffele, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Haotong Li and McIlroy on -10.