Scottie Scheffler, the world’s top-ranked golfer, grabbed the lead at the 153rd British Open on Friday. This tournament is the final major of the season. Scheffler is now aiming for his first Open win. He has already won two Masters titles (2022 and 2024). He also took home the PGA Championship in 2025.
Scheffler started the day tied for sixth place. He was just one shot behind the leaders. But his second round was fantastic. He made eight birdies, which means he scored under par. He also had two bogeys, scoring over par. This brilliant play put him alone in first place. He sits at 10 shots under par. This gives him a one-shot lead over England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick won the US Open in 2022.
Scheffler has been on an incredible run. He has finished in the top 10 of every competition for the past four months. This impressive streak includes three victories. One of those wins was the PGA Championship.
The day saw more tricky weather. Storms rolled through, then clear skies appeared. Despite this, Rory McIlroy had a great second round. McIlroy is ranked second in the world. He has five major titles, including the 2014 Open and the 2025 Masters. He jumped from 20th to 12th place. He is still seven shots behind Scheffler.
American Brian Harman and China’s Li Haotong are close behind. They sit tied for third and fourth. Both players are only two shots off the lead. Harman won the British Open in 2023. Xander Schauffele is the defending champion. He was two shots back after the first round. Now he sits in 17th place. Schauffele is eight shots behind the leader.