The winds calmed just enough at Royal Portrush on Friday for Scottie Scheffler to remind the golf world why he remains the game’s undisputed No. 1. After starting the day a stroke off the lead, Scheffler surged ahead late in Round 2 of the 2025 Open Championship, carding two crucial birdies on the back nine to finish at 10 under par and claim the outright lead heading into the weekend.
It capped a day that began with five players sharing the top spot at 4 under par: Georgia native Harris English, England’s 2022 U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, Denmark’s Jacob Skov Olesen, South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout, and China’s Haotong Li. All five had hopes of pulling away, but Scheffler’s consistency and poise under pressure set him apart.
The defining moment came on the par-5 16th, where Scheffler made a deft up-and-down for birdie. But it was his approach on the par-4 17th — a powerful strike from the thick, damp rough — that left him about 15 feet for birdie. Scheffler calmly rolled it in, pumping his fist as he moved to double digits under par, a mark no other player could match by day’s end.
Behind him, the leaderboard remains crowded with both familiar names and compelling stories. Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana, one of the tournament’s early surprises, stayed in contention after a steady second round. Justin Rose, Rickie Fowler, and Maverick McNealy were also within striking distance, while Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, and Phil Mickelson kept themselves under par after two days, clinging to hope for a weekend charge.
But as the field of 156 trims down to about 70 after the cut, some of the game’s biggest stars teeter on the brink. Bryson DeChambeau, Ludvig Åberg, Brooks Koepka, and Collin Morikawa all struggled to find rhythm and birdies on a Royal Portrush course softened by rain but still demanding in its complexity.
With the wind forecast to return over the weekend, Scheffler’s two-shot lead could prove fragile. Yet, his calm execution and relentless ball striking make him the man everyone else is chasing — again.
The Open Championship’s oldest truth remains unchanged: survive the cut, stay in the hunt, and anything can happen over the final 36 holes. But as Friday ends, it’s Scottie Scheffler who once more stands atop golf’s most storied stage, reminding everyone why he wears the crown.
