On Friday, the three-time Major winner sank eight birdies and carded a bogey on the par-four 11th to post a seven-under-par 64, moving him to 10-under overall and into a one-shot lead.

Scheffler has been tipped to become the first world number one to win the Open in 19 years after Tiger Woods was the last to achieve it back in 2006 at Royal Liverpool.

Matt Fitzpatrick, who shared the lead after the opening round, signed for a five-under-par 66 to drop to second place on nine-under.

China’s Li Haotong, another joint leader from day one, shot a four-under-par round to slip into a tie for third alongside Brian Harman, both sitting on eight-under-par.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout, also among the first-round leaders, endured a tough second round. He shot a two-over-par 73 to fall into a tie for 17th on two-under. He opened with a bogey on the par-four 1st, recovered with a birdie on the 2nd, but struggled on the back nine, recording two more bogeys on the 11th and 16th.

Despite the setback, Bezuidenhout remains the leading South African in the field and is one of just three from the country to make the cut.

Former Bloemfontein professional Dean Burmester carded his second consecutive level-par 71. His round included five birdies and five bogeys, leaving him in a tie for 37th heading into the weekend.

Thriston Lawrence also made the cut, following a second-round one-under-par 70 with three birdies and a single bogey. He goes into moving day tied for 51st on one-over-par.

Among the South Africans who missed the cut were 2010 Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen, current SA Open Champion Dylan Naidoo, 2024 Nedbank Golf Challenge runner-up Aldrich Potgieter, and Sunshine Tour Order of Merit winner Daniel van Tonder.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport