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Christiaan Bezuidenhout at The 153rd Open: Image Credit - SA Tour Golf

CHRISTIAAN Bezuidenhout emerged as the top performing South African golfer at The 153rd Open Championship held at Royal Portrush, finishing tied for 34th on Sunday.

Bezuidenhout, who carded three-under-par 281, was one of only three South Africans, from a field of 11, to make the cut at the final major of the season. The other two were Thriston Lawrence, tied for 45 and Dean Burmester tied for 61.

A three-time winner on the European Tour, Bezuidenhout made a brilliant start to The Open, sharing the first-round lead with Jacob Skov Olsen, Haotong Li, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Harris English after all opened with rounds of 67. His opening round included three consecutive birdies on holes five, six and seven as well as an eagle on the par-five 12th, following a bogey on the 11th. However, his momentum slowed in the second round, where he shot a two-over-par 73, mixing a birdie on the second with bogeys on the first, 11th, and 16th holes. On moving day, he recovered with a two-under-par 69, again eagling the 12th. Bezuidenhout then signed for a closing 72, dropping 12 places down from the start of play. Thriston Lawrence returned rounds of 73, 70, 68, and 72 for a total of one-under-par 283, while Dean Burmester carded 71, 71, 76, and 69, finishing on three-over-par 287.

At the top of the leaderboard, world number one Scottie Scheffler produced a masterclass, securing a four-stroke victory over English to win his second major of the year and move one step closer to a career grand slam. Scheffler carded 17-under-par 267, with rounds of 68, 64, 67, and 68, cementing his dominance. The American previously won the Masters by three shots in 2022, again in 2024 by four shots, and added the PGA Championship in May with a five-stroke win.