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According to nearest challenger Matt Fitzpatrick, Scottie Scheffler is under more pressure than those who are chasing him to take his halfway lead to his first Open Championship victory.

At the conclusion of a second-day that mixed a blizzard of birdies with bursts of apocalyptic rain, late starter Scheffler quietly put together a best-in-class 64 at Royal Portrush to top the leaderboard.

The three-time major winner battled the worst conditions on the coastline of Northern Ireland, but he only managed one shot in a successful round, which included birdies at 16 and 17 to put the American in the lead.

Scottie, the 2022 US Open champion, said, “I expect her to go out and dominate.” He is the world’s number one player, and his work is “tiger-like.”

I believe he is under a lot of pressure. I wouldn’t say I experience the same level of pressure.

Scheffler questioned the value of “zealously pursuing victories” and claimed that playing professional golf was “not a fulfilling life.”

And before his round began in the middle of the afternoon, the 29-year-old skipped any of the day’s play.

After willing in a 24-foot par putt on the 18th for a 66, Fitzpatrick, who outperformed Scheffler to win his sole major at Brookline, is the closest competitor.

Following a run of just one top-10 finish in the previous year and a drop outside the top 80 in the world rankings, the 30-year-old has been in good form since posting 78 and 72 to miss the cut in The Players Championship in March, which he described as the lowest point of his career.

Changes in coaching resulted in consistency as spring replaced summer, with his fourth-place finish at the Scottish Open last week demonstrating his renewed confidence.

Fitzpatrick’s best Open finish occurs in Portrush, which is notable given that he finished in 20th place at the 2019 Antrim course.

He is also in the running to win the Claret Jug for the first time since Sir Nick Faldo did so at Muirfield in 1992, making his 10th appearance there.

There is still a long way to go, Fitzgerald said, “but I’ve given myself an opportunity.”

Nothing is better than being in trouble, they say. You want to feel that even though it may initially feel a little uncomfortable. You’re doing something right, that’s what.

Given where I was earlier this year, it’s an exciting position for me to be in.

American Open champion Brian Harman of the United States and Chinese Li Haotong, who are tucked one behind Fitzpatrick and two ahead of Scheffler, are at two points behind them.

Other Englishmen have symbiosis of Faldo, including Fitzpatrick.

Tyrrell Hatton’s opening round, which included a 69, is five back, but after the final round, he was thinking about making pints more than shots.

The 33-year-old revealed that his pre-Open preparations included a visit to a nearby pitch and putt course, followed by three pints of the well-known local stout.

The world number 23 responded, “Be rude not to,” when asked if he would use that formula after Friday’s round. Three, in my opinion, is the magic number.

In a bid for their first major victory, Robert MacIntyre of Scotland and Hatton both competed in the US Open last month.

Is Sunday a premature day? The 28-year-old isn’t convinced that his magnificent six-birdie 66 placed him just five points behind Scheffler.

“I’m not afraid,” The world number 14 declared, “I’m not going to back away.”

“I’m going to roll the dice if I have a chance,” he said. I have a lot more faith in myself and believe that I am capable enough.

Not long after Rory McIlroy and the swollen crowds that will unavoidably follow the local favorite, Hatton and MacIntyre will be making their way round.

The second-best player in the world believes he can “make a run” over the weekend after avoiding a ignominious early exit when the tournament’s final match was in Portrush in 2019.

Before Scheffler placed seven shots between them, McIlroy said, “I’ve been a little close to my best over the first two days in small bits here and there.”

Betfred Super League

Huddersfield (4) 10

Tries: Gagai, Swift Goal: Lolohea

Wakefield (30) 46

Wakefield Trinity moved back into the top six of Super League and secured their best ever victory against Huddersfield Giants in a 46-10 win at the newly renamed Accu Stadium.

Two first half-tries from Jayden Myers, and one each from Lachlan Walmsley, Mike McMeeken and Corey Hall saw the visitors put the match to bed before the break as they went in 30-4 up.

Wakefield full-back Max Jowitt jumped to the top of the Super League points leaderboard, adding seven goals and scoring a try of his own in the second-half.

Buoyed following a great ovation before the match for club captain Leroy Cudjoe, who made his 400th appearance last week against Wigan, Huddersfield took the lead after five minutes when Taane Milne cut out the Wakefield defence and found Gagai who dived over to finish a beautifully constructed move.

That was as good as it got for the hosts, however, as Wakefield ran in five unanswered tries before the break to take the game well away from the lacklustre Giants.

First, a well-weighted high kick from Jake Trueman was gathered smartly by Myers who climbed above Gagai before wriggling over the line for his first try in Super League to put Trinity on the board.

Just moments later, Myers raced clear down the left before the ball was recycled and Mason Lino picked out Walmsley to dive over in the opposite corner before a fantastic kick from Jowitt extended Trinity’s lead.

Lino was then in the thick of it once more when his perfect pass found front row McMeeken who strolled in to score next to the sticks.

Giants faced waves and waves of attacks in the first 40 minutes and following a simple move, Hall was the next to power over the line when he shimmied to the right past a couple of weak challenges from the Giants defence.

Myers then claimed his second of the night with some wonderful footwork, changing direction from right to left to bamboozle the returning Niall Evalds to finish and score the try of the night.

Seven minutes into the second half, Giants scored their second try when Adam Swift cut inside past the diving Jowitt to touch down before Lolohea added the extras from the touchline.

Any chances of an unlikely comeback quickly evaporated however when Lino’s clever kick was gathered by Jowitt who dotted down to score his side’s sixth of the night before adding the extras with another outstanding conversion from the left touchline.

After another terrific kick from Lino earned Wakefield a 40-20, Cam Scott then weaved out of trouble past five listless Giants defenders before stretching out to score.

Huddersfield: Evalds; Gagai, Milne, Halsall, Swift; Lolohea, Frawley; Powell, Woolford, Burgess, Rushton, Jake Bibby, Rushton, Cudjoe

Interchanges: Golding, English, King, Rush

Wakefield: Jowitt; Walmsley, Hall, Scott, Myers; Trueman, Lino; McMeeken, Hood, Faatili, Storton, Griffin, Pitts

Interchanges: Hamlin-Uele, Atoni, Vagana, Smith

Betfred Super League

Leeds (10) 42

Trys: Connor 7 . Miller, Miller, Newman, McDonnell, Jenkins

Salford (6) 6

Leeds Rhinos defeated bottom-place Salford 3-2 in the Super League on Sunday to reclaim their winning ways with a hat-trick.

The winger did well in the first half to repel a combative Salford side, who responded through Ryan Brierley and had an obstruction-related try that was blocked.

Salford ran out of steam in the second half as the Rhinos stretched out in the middle.

Harry Newman, James McDonnell, Cooper Jenkins, James McDonnell, and Lachie Miller piled on the tries before Edgell grabbed his third.

The victory lifts Leeds, who lost to St Helens last week at home, back into fourth place, and restores its three victories against the troubled Red Devils.

Earlier in the week, rumors of a strike by Salford players had been spread due to the club’s ongoing financial difficulties, including late pay, a salary cap, and the exodus of 11 senior players.

Without the key players Esan Marsters, Jayden Nikorima, and Loghan Lewis, they responded by touching down Brierley’s own chip over the defence after Leeds had already sprung up with Edgell’s first two tries.

Due to injury issues, Salford gave Declan Murphy, who impressed on his debut against Cas last week, his first start. He had a magnificent solo try that was blocked by a team-mate, and they thought they had just before half-time.

Leeds themselves struggled with injuries, losing Tom Holroyd and Mikolaj Oledzki to last week, but they showed their true form in the second half.

After Connor had chosen to kick a penalty, which Miller had already done, the visitors had Matty Foster sin-binned for tackling Brodie Croft off the ball.

After Edgell scored his eighth try of the season, Newman started and completed the move for his second.

Presley Cassell, a youngster making his debut off the bench, drew a penalty with his first run as Leeds made full use of numerical advantage.

McDonnell added another try to the four tries he had earlier scored at Salford in the season.

Brad Arthur, the Leeds coach, stated to BBC Radio Leeds:

“We scored some excellent tries, but I want to get to the point where we can enjoy a scoreless tries because they’re all worth the same.”

For the first time in a year, I had to spray the guys a rocket and then dive in. At half-time, I gave it to them for about 30 seconds before going away and leaving it alone.

“I’m really proud that they know what our standards and expectations are, and that they went out and did it in the second half without me having to explain what was required,” I said.

Ackers, Lisone, Smith, and Cassell exchange.

Salford: Murphy, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Ryan, Whitehead, Shorrocks, Connell, Brierley, O. Russell, Ormondroyd, Mellor, C

Morgan, Wilson, Glover, and Chan exchange.