Scheffler carded a final-round 68, three-under-par, to finish on 17-under and secure a three-shot victory – clinching his fourth major title in the process.

The American became the first world number one in 16 years to lift the Claret Jug. The last top-ranked player to win the Open was Tiger Woods in 2006 at Royal Liverpool.

Fellow American Harris English finished runner-up on 13-under after an impressive final-round 66, while Scottish Open winner Chris Gotterup – also from the USA – ended third on 12-under following a final-round 67.

Speaking after his win at the world’s oldest and most prestigious major, Scheffler said that maintaining a steady lead throughout the final round made it a bit easier to finally lift the iconic trophy.

“It’s a very special feeling. It takes a lot of work to get to this point in my career, and this was a tough week,” said Scheffler.

The winning putt.

This is the one. pic.twitter.com/uZd6bhtkNF

— The Open (@TheOpen) July 20, 2025

“The course was playing really tough, and I had to stay mentally locked in over the weekend. Really, the only blemish over the last 36 holes was the double on eight, but I did a good job of resetting and coming back with a birdie on nine.”

Comparing this victory to his previous major wins, Scheffler noted the contrast with the PGA Championship.

“This one felt different to the PGA. There, I started the day struggling a bit on the front nine before turning things around.

“Today, I had a decent lead from the start. It got a little close after the double on eight, but I bounced back on nine and managed to keep a solid lead for most of the day.”

Scheffler added that walking up the 18th with the win all but secured was a special moment, particularly given the support for the local hero and Master champion, Rory McIlroy. “It’s a very cool and special walk,” he said.

“To be honest, walking up 18, I wasn’t sure how much support I’d get from the crowd. They probably wanted someone else to win – maybe Rory – so I got to play the spoiler, which is fun too.

Scottie Scheffler. Photo: The Open

“Still, the reception was great. I definitely felt a lot of support, both from local fans and from people who came over from the States. It was a really cool environment to play in.”

McIlroy did, however, manage to finish in a tie for 7th on 10-under-par.

On the South African front, Christiaan Bezuidenhout was the top finisher, carding a final-round one-over-par 72 to end tied for 34th on three-under overall.

Thriston Lawrence also shot a 72 to finish tied for 45th on one-under-par, while Dean Burmester closed with a two-under-par round to finish tied for 61st on three-over.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek cg