A rare misjudgement from runaway Open leader Scottie Scheffler offered a glimmer of hope to the chasing pack but his advantage was still five shots as he entered the back nine at Royal Portrush.
Birdies at the first, after a brilliant approach to a foot, the fourth and fifth had opened up a seven-shot gap and his procession to a first Claret Jug looked even more of a formality for the world number one.
