Scott Murray's Blog, page 3
July 19, 2025
The Open 2025: third round – as it happened
Rory McIlroy shot 66 in pursuit of Scottie Scheffler but the world number one powered on regardless
Ludvig Åberg has also made a fast start. Birdies at 2 and 3 bring him up to -4. The 25-year-old Swede’s short major career is very much one of contrasts: runner-up at the Masters on debut, tied for 12th at his first US Open, seventh on his second visit to Augusta. But he’s missed the cut in both appearances at the PGA, again at last month’s US Open, and last year at Troon, where he shot 75-76. A tie for eighth at last week’s Scottish Open showcased his ability on a links, though, and now he’s looking good for another of those high-placed major finishes. Will he ever finish in the middle of the pack?
Rory McIlroy’s second into 1, from the middle of the fairway, is distinctly average. He’s left himself with a tricky two-putt for his par from 36 feet. Well, that’s how the average player would process it. The putt has a huge right-to-left curl, but he judges it to perfection, the ball dropping into the hole at four o’clock. The crowd – and it is a crowd, a huge following – erupts in wild celebration. There’s barely a flicker on McIlroy’s face. No histrionics, just one finger pointing in the air, as if to say: that’s birdie number one, let’s go looking for the next. The start of one of his trademark leaderboard charges? Let’s see! He’s -4.
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July 18, 2025
The Open 2025: sensational second-round 64 gives Scheffler outright lead – as it happened
World No 1 Scottie Scheffler justified his status with a scintillating display to take the lead on 10 under par
Adam Scott should have won this Championship in 2012. But he bogeyed holes 69 through 72 at Lytham, handing the Claret Jug to Ernie Els on a silver platter. What the genial Scott would give to play that stretch again. Ah well, he’ll always have Augusta National, nine months later. What the Big Easy would give for a green jacket. Scott started this morning on +1 after a 72 yesterday, but he’s going backwards now, after a clumsy double bogey, his first of the week, at the short par-three 3rd. He over-clubs, his ball disappearing down the swale at the back … then he under-chips, his ball coming back towards his feet. A second chip doesn’t get close, and two putts later, he’s +3 and prodding the green with his putter in annoyance, not so genial right now.
Sergio Garcia missed a five-foot putt to win the Open at Carnoustie in 2007. He had his chance to win at Hoylake in 2014 too, but failed to get out of a bunker at the par-three 15th and that was that too. At 45 years of age, it’s not too late to right those wrongs, and yesterday’s opening round of 70 offered hope. But he’s started his second round horrendously, tugging his opening tee shot into the thick stuff down the left, finding a greenside bunker, failing to get onto the green, chipping short, then failing to make the eight-footer that remains for bogey. A double, and those shoulders are slumping already. We’ve seen this story too often before. Oh Sergio. He’s +1.
Continue reading...The Open 2025: second round updates from Royal Portrush – live
Latest updates from the second day of the 153rd Open
Live official leaderboard | And you can email Scott
Adam Scott should have won this Championship in 2012. But he bogeyed holes 69 through 72 at Lytham, handing the Claret Jug to Ernie Els on a silver platter. What the genial Scott would give to play that stretch again. Ah well, he’ll always have Augusta National, nine months later. What the Big Easy would give for a green jacket. Scott started this morning on +1 after a 72 yesterday, but he’s going backwards now, after a clumsy double bogey, his first of the week, at the short par-three 3rd. He over-clubs, his ball disappearing down the swale at the back … then he under-chips, his ball coming back towards his feet. A second chip doesn’t get close, and two putts later, he’s +3 and prodding the green with his putter in annoyance, not so genial right now.
Sergio Garcia missed a five-foot putt to win the Open at Carnoustie in 2007. He had his chance to win at Hoylake in 2014 too, but failed to get out of a bunker at the par-three 15th and that was that too. At 45 years of age, it’s not too late to right those wrongs, and yesterday’s opening round of 70 offered hope. But he’s started his second round horrendously, tugging his opening tee shot into the thick stuff down the left, finding a greenside bunker, failing to get onto the green, chipping short, then failing to make the eight-footer that remains for bogey. A double, and those shoulders are slumping already. We’ve seen this story too often before. Oh Sergio. He’s +1.
Continue reading...July 17, 2025
The Open 2025: Fitzpatrick in five-way tie for Open lead as Scheffler and McIlroy lurk – as it happened
Matt Fitzpatrick is joint-top of the leaderboard after the first round, with Rory McIlroy within touching distance
Padraig Harrington bogeys the par-three 3rd as well. Two putts from 42 feet far from a gimme … and he doesn’t make them. His place at the top is taken by Jacob Skov Olesen: the 26-year-old Dane, making his professional debut at the Open – he finished in a tie for 60th at Troon as an amateur – tramlines a 40-foot putt on 1. Had that not hit the cup, it was halfway to Giant’s Causeway. A sizzling Danish start to the Open.
-1: Højgaard (3), Olesen (1)
E: Harrington (3), Migliozzi (2)
The Open 2025: first round updates from Royal Portrush – live
Latest updates from the opening day of the 153rd Open
Live official leaderboard | And you can drop Scott a mail
Padraig Harrington bogeys the par-three 3rd as well. Two putts from 42 feet far from a gimme … and he doesn’t make them. His place at the top is taken by Jacob Skov Olesen: the 26-year-old Dane, making his professional debut at the Open – he finished in a tie for 60th at Troon as an amateur – tramlines a 40-foot putt on 1. Had that not hit the cup, it was halfway to Giant’s Causeway. A sizzling Danish start to the Open.
-1: Højgaard (3), Olesen (1)
E: Harrington (3), Migliozzi (2)
July 12, 2025
Women’s Euro 2025: Sweden 4-1 Germany – as it happened
Sweden top Group C after inflicting on Germany their worst-ever defeat at the Euros
5 min: A really fast-moving, open start to this game. Brand wins a corner down the left. The set piece is hit long, then returned into the middle for Schüller, who heads over from six yards. The flag pops up for offside to save her blushes. Schüller missed from a yard out against Poland, but went on to score later, so perhaps this augurs well?
3 min: Holmberg makes good down the right and finds Asllani just inside the box. Asllani drags a shot across the face of goal from 12 yards. She should have worked Berger at the very least. Somewhere in the multiverse, it’s already 2-1.
Continue reading...July 9, 2025
PSG 4-0 Real Madrid: Club World Cup semi-final – as it happened
Fabián Ruiz scored twice as the champions of Europe made the final by swatting aside Real Madrid with ease
At last … here come the players! One by one. PSG first, in their new blue shirts with red-lattice stripe that [squints] “pays tribute to Paris’s architectural heritage.” Then out come Real Madrid in white shirts that [narrows eyes again, adjusts pince-nez] “mark the Bernabéu’s latest refurbishment with a design featuring subtle shapes, textures and colours borrowed from its long and storied history … a performance-focused construction for quick-fire football with heat-applied club crest for unparalleled inspiration.” Soccer!
Kick-off has been delayed until 3.10pm local time, 8.10pm UK time. That’s because both teams got caught in traffic on their way to the stadium from their Manhattan hotels, and rocked up 20 minutes later than expected. Real have had no luck whatsoever on their travels: their flight to NYC was delayed for three hours last night due to storms.
Continue reading...July 8, 2025
Fluminense 0-2 Chelsea: Club World Cup semi-final – as it happened
João Pedro scored two crackers on his full Chelsea debut to send his new club to the final
3 min: Rene makes his presence felt down the left and loops long. Cano slices a wild effort miles left of target. Rene tries to resurrect the move but Gusto deals with the situation. Flu clearly trying to hit Chelsea early, the tactic that did for Inter.
2 min: Chelsea pop it around the back for a bit. A low-key start. Fluminense get irritated and Arias clanks into Cucurella from behind, just to let him know he’s there.
Continue reading...July 5, 2025
France 2-1 England: Women’s Euro 2025 – as it happened
England nearly completed an outrageous comeback to scramble an undeserved draw, but France held on for the win their play merited
Our man Tom Garry is at the game tonight. Here’s his pre-match missive.
The England men’s team boss Thomas Tuchel is here in the stands in Zurich tonight, to watch Sarina Wiegman’s team in action. He has been getting around to a lot of fixtures this summer, including the men’s Under-21s final too. His colleague Wiegman has won every single match she has overseen at European Championships so far.
Continue reading...July 4, 2025
Germany 2-0 Poland: Women’s Euro 2025 – as it happened
Germany improved after a disappointing first-half display to see off major-tournament newbies Poland in St Gallen
… but before kick-off, there’s a minute of silence to be perfectly observed. Both teams huddle. Then the warmest round of applause. Oh Diogo. Oh André. Our hearts break for you. xx
The teams are out. Germany in white shirts and black shorts, Poland decked out from head to toe in red. We’ll be off once coins have been tossed, fists bumped, and pennants exchanged.
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