Check in after each round of the 2025 Open Championship for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics of the championship, and join the conversation by tweeting us @golf_com.
Scottie Scheffler will start the final round of the 2025 Open Championship with a four-shot lead over his closest rival, Haotong Li. Five shots behind Scheffler is Matthew Fitzpatrick, and six shots back are four players tied at eight under par: Rory McIlroy, Tyrrell Hatton, Chris Gotterup and Harris English.
Who’s your pick to win?
Zephyr Melton, associate game-improvement editor (@zephyrmelton): Scott Alexander Scheffler. The best player in the world with a four-stroke 54-hole lead? There’s no other way this ends than with Scottie holding the Claret Jug tomorrow evening.
Jessica Marksbury, senior editor (@jess_marksbury): Agree, Zeph! I don’t see this one going any other way. Barring an historic final round from, say, Rory — (hey, ya never know!) — and an untimely (and unlikely) collapse by Mr. Scheffler, it certainly feels like this one is already in the books.
Scottie Scheffler *could* lose this Open Championship. But he won’t
Josh Schrock, news editor (@schrock_and_awe): My esteemed colleagues are likely correct, but where’s the fun in that? I don’t think Scottie ejects on Sunday, but even the best have days where they are stuck in neutral and someone else steals one from them. It has happened to Rory McIlroy, and this time, on home soil, Rory is the one who chases the leader down and steals a major. Give me a final-round 63 from McIlroy to nip Scottie, who shoots 70, by one. Dare to dream, right?
Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): Scheffler wins and this question should actually be about who finishes second.
Jack Hirsh, associate equipment editor (@JR_HIRSHey): You know what Schrock, I love that answer. What if I say McIlroy fights his way into a playoff with with another 65 and Scheffler makes a clutch par on 18 for a a 71 to give us one of the most electric major playoffs in golf history? Then they both tie in the four hole aggregate and McIlroy finally wins it with a birdie in the first sudden death playoff hole. Wouldn’t that be something? Yeah, too much… Scheffler by three over a charging McIlroy.
Josh Sens: (@joshsens): Shocked and disturbed that no one has picked Haotong Li. Links golf is wildly unpredictable except in this case. They can start engraving Scheffler’s name on the jug now. Rory will make a run but something strange will derail him. Ditto Hatton, which ensures us some demonstrative entertainment on the way to the inevitable.
