Matt Fitzpatrick has put himself in position to challenge for a second Major win after hitting EIGHT birdies in a brilliant second round at Royal Portrush. The 30-year-old Englishman carded a second round 66 to put himself at nine under after two rounds of the 153rd Open, trailing world number one Scottie Scheffler by a single shot.
And Fitzpatrick, who pipped Scheffler to win the US Open in 2022 and will head out with him in round three at Portrush, said: “He's going to have the expectation to go out and dominate. I wouldn't say I necessarily feel as much pressure.
“He's an exceptional player. He’s world number one and we’re seeing Tiger-like stuff.
“I think the pressure is for him to win the golf tournament. For me, I hope I'm going to have some more home support than him, but it's an exciting position for me to be in given where I was earlier this year.”
Scheffler posted a sensational seven-under par 64 on Friday - his lowest Major round - and is bidding for his fourth Major victory.
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But even though Scheffler is seven ahead of Rory McIlroy, the Northern Irishman believes he can mount an Open charge over the weekend after banishing the demons of 2019.
McIlroy missed the cut at Royal Portrush six years ago but a second round 69 means he goes into the weekend on three under par.
And the 36-year-old grand slam champion clearly believes he can put pressure on the frontrunners, declaring:
“I didn't have this opportunity six years ago, so to play an extra two days in this atmosphere in front of these crowds, I'm very excited for that. I feel like my game's definitely good enough to make a run.
“I’ve been close to my best over the first two days and I'm going to need to have it all firing over the weekend to make a run.”
Meanwhile, sickened Shane Lowry reluctantly accepted a two-shot penalty at the Open because he did not want to be called "a cheat".
The defending champion was ruled to have moved his ball during a practice swing on the 12th hole. The Irishman did not call the infringement on himself but was slapped with the penalty after a video review following his round.
Asked if he felt the ruling was unfair, Lowry said: "A little bit. If the ball moved and I caused it to move and it moved, it's a two-shot penalty. The last thing I want to do is sit there and argue and not take the penalty and then get slaughtered all over social media tonight for being a cheat.
"I think they had their decision made (before he reviewed the video). If the ball moved, I would have called it on myself. My head was definitely looking down at the ball and I didn't see it moving. But I'm out there signing for a 72 there now."
