Flawless Scottie Scheffler leads at The Open but Rory McIlroy threat remains

Relentless Scottie Scheffler kept his head as others around him were losing theirs, but while his main rivals fell away, the spectre of Rory McIlroy loomed in the distance.

However, the Northern Irishman’s six-shot deficit may be too far back even for someone who completed the career Grand Slam at the Masters earlier this year, considering the quality of his quarry.

McIlroy’s description of Scheffler as “inevitable” summed up the situation perfectly, as while the American was not as spectacular as he was on Friday in assuming the lead, his progress to a 67 and a four-shot advantage was serene.

Matt Fitzpatrick, who began the day one behind, briefly drew level after an eagle at the second but he was never able to edge himself in front, and every time he slipped up he was punished by his playing partner, either by moving another shot away or saving an unlikely par.

McIlroy, six groups ahead, rode the wave of home support hyped by three birdies in his first four holes, and while his momentum stalled it was reignited by a monster 56-foot eagle putt – his longest of the week – at the 12th which produced the loudest roar of the tournament.

It was important as he had bogeyed the previous hole in a bizarre incident when his shot from the rough dislodged a previously buried ball.

But it was a stroke of good luck at the 15th which brought his final birdie of the day as, coming out hot from the rough, it bounced against the flagstick and dropped four feet from the hole.

McIlroy mania reached its peak at the 17th. With his burnt orange shirt appearing red on television screens, the sight of him marching out of the packed gallery surrounded by thousands of fans was reminiscent of Tiger Woods.

The crowd were so ramped they went wild