Scottie Scheffler closed out a great Thursday round with two birdies at the Open Championship despite a dismal driver day at Royal Portrush.

Another major championship means another opportunity for Scottie Scheffler, but success at the Open Championship and golf in general isn’t what fulfills the American.

As for his performance at The Open Championship, Scheffler finished the first round tied for sixth spot through 18 holes with a 3-under score. He had bogeys on the ninth and 11th holes, but recovered down the stretch, with a pair of birdies on the final three holes.

Rory McIlroy, meanwhile, scrambled to an opening-round 70 to leave him in contention for the title on home turf, six years on from his struggles at the same venue. His opening tee shot in 2019 saw him go out of bounds, registering a quadruple-bogey on that hole on his way to 79 before going on to miss the cut.

Scottie Scheffler tied for eighth in the Scottish Open and while Rory McIlroy cut into his margin with a tie for second, McIlroy still trails Scheffler by 836 points. Winning the Open in his home country and Scheffler missing the cut won't be enough to make up that difference: the Open winner will get 750 points.

Golf expert Sia Nejad has revealed his Open Championship 2025 picks and PGA best bets for Royal Portrush, beginning Thursday, July 17

The British Open on Thursday at Royal Portrush ended with a five-way tie atop the leaderboard. Here are highlights and scores from the first round.

Round 1 of the 2025 British Open golf tournament is in the books at Royal Portrush. Harris English and Matt Fitzpatrick are among 5 tied for the lead.

It was a return six years in the making, and it was a return that perfectly encapsulated Rory McIlroy. Making the trek back to Royal Portrush for The Open Championship -- now as a career grand slam winner -- the Northern Irishman experienced a topsy-turvy day as the hard stuff came easy and the easy stuff came hard.

In a now-viral speech, Scottie Scheffler questioned the fulfillment of winning tournaments and why it matters at Royal Portrush Golf Club ahead of the British Open.

Scottie Scheffler joked about driving Royal Portrush's 418-yard 13th in brutal wind, as The Open's toughest test quickly approaches.