Blaring TV commentary distracts Scottie Scheffler at Open

Scottie Scheffler revealed that television commentary distracted him at the 151st Open as headed to his worst result of the year.

After making the cut with nothing to spare thanks to a birdie on the 18th on Friday evening, Scheffler could only add a third round of 72 at Royal Liverpool to finish four over par.

Scheffler had to birdie two of the last three holes to achieve that score, while his first birdie of the day on the fifth came despite a "weird moment" on the par five.

"Yeah, that was strange," Scheffler said after his round. "I was standing over my shot and they had the TV going full volume over there (in the spectator village) and it was commentating my shot.

"So I heard my name in the distance and I was like, all right, I've got to back off. I've never heard a distraction like that before. Usually something that loud it's music or something.

"Hopefully they turn that down as the leaders get back there. I've never been so distracted by something like that before.

"It was pretty funny, just hearing your own name on the coverage. It was a weird moment for sure."

Scheffler, who also hit his second shot on the 18th over a handful of spectators crossing the fairway, has been consistency personified in 2023, winning twice and finishing no worse than 12th in any event.

A share of 10th in his title defence in the Masters is also his worst result in a major, the 27-year-old finishing second in the US PGA and third in the US Open.

It would take an extraordinary final round for those statistics to remain true, but remarkably Scheffler was asked if he thought he could still win a second major title at Hoylake.

"Win? (Not) unless a hurricane happens this afternoon," Scheffler laughed. "A hurricane and then some I think is what it's going to take for me."