Shane Lowry offers hope to chasing pack at Open with final-round 66

Shane Lowry offered hope to Rory McIlroy and the rest of the chasing pack praying for an uncharacteristic Scottie Scheffler slip by shooting a final-round 66 at The Open.

The best conditions of the week, sustained sunshine and very little wind, left Royal Portrush vulnerable to some low scoring and the 2019 champion here made the most of it with a 66.

In reality Scheffler’s rivals are going to have to shoot lower than that if they are to challenge the world number one, who did not have a bogey on Saturday in extending his lead to four strokes.

Matt Fitzpatrick, five back, and McIlroy and Tyrrell Hatton, six behind, represent the biggest threat, albeit a small one.

Lowry recovered from a bogey at the par-five second to dial in his seven-iron with a birdie at the short next and a hole-out from the fairway at the fourth.

Four more birdies followed and he almost finished in style but his attempted chip-in did not drop.

“The course is gettable today – but then that gives Scottie the chance to shoot three or four under and if he shoots three of four under he won’t be caught I don’t think,” said the Irishman.

England’s Justin Rose was two under through three holes despite missing a seven-footer for birdie at the first but his move up to seven under still left him seven off the top.