Scottie Scheffler the man to beat as Rory McIlroy hunts World number one

Scottie Scheffler, the world's top-ranked golfer, maintained his steady performance to secure a two-shot lead halfway through his third round at The Open, with Rory McIlroy hot on his heels.

Despite six consecutive pars, the American managed to hold onto his overnight lead. Matt Fitzpatrick briefly joined him at 10 under before an eagle and birdie from Scheffler widened the gap.

Fitzpatrick remained Scheffler's closest competitor, trailing by two shots after completing the front nine in a two-under 34. However, six holes ahead, McIlroy was staging one of his signature thrilling comebacks.

The Northern Irishman had got off to a flying start with three birdies in his first four holes but, after a bizarre incident on the 11th when he hit out of the rough and dislodged a previously-buried ball, a bogey meant his challenge appeared to have stalled.

That was about the same time Scheffler eagled the seventh and the distance to the top was seven strokes.

However, on a Royal Portrush course where he shot 61 as a 16-year-old and backed by huge galleries, Masters champion McIlroy responded by draining a 56ft putt – his longest of the week – at the 12th to get back to seven under and still in contention.

Defending champion Xander Schauffele, who started the day two under having been in danger of missing the cut until a birdie run on his Friday back nine, played the three par-fives in five under with two eagles on the back nine after a birdie at the second to shoot 66 and close on seven under.

Another birdie at the 15th and he too was level with McIlroy in a tie for fifth place, with Englishman Tyrrell Hatton ahead of them on eight under, aided by an eagle chip-in at the seventh.

Ahead of him was Haotong Li, whose solitary birdie and