Scottie Scheffler, the world number one, missed the cut at the Genesis Scottish Open, finally snapping an absolutely wild streak of 78 consecutive cuts made. This isn't just a blip on the radar for the 30-year-old, it’s the end of an era, and now everyone is wondering how he’ll respond heading into The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale this week.
The 2026 "Struggles" That Nobody Saw Coming
Let’s be real, even though Scheffler has one win and nine top-5 finishes across his 15 starts in 2026 and is still crushing it at the top of the FedEx Cup points list, the source says it plain: he definitely hasn’t been at his absolute best. There have been seriously concerning signs from the world number one at various points throughout the season, and he's struggled with his game at times. He dominated 2024 and 2025, winning three times in 2023, including the unofficial Hero World Challenge. So for him to miss a cut now, especially after that incredible 78-cut streak, feels like a pressure cooker that finally blew. He obviously didn’t want to miss that cut in Scotland, but after that kind of run, you gotta wonder if it was exactly the wake-up call he needed.The 2022 Comeback Story That Matters Most Right Now
Now, how does the world number one bounce back from something like this? The good news is, we've seen him do it before, and the blueprint is clear. His previous missed cut before this Scottish Open? You have to go all the way back to August 2022 at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, just under four years ago. And what happened *after* that? He came out absolutely blazing! He finished tied for third at the BMW Championship the very next event. The week immediately after that? He tied for second at the Tour Championship. Then, after a T-45 finish at the CJ CUP in South Carolina in October, he bagged another T-3 at the World Wide Technology Championship and a T-9 at the Cadence Bank Houston Open, both in November. Those are some serious, rapid-fire results, showing he knows exactly how to flip the switch and get back in contention fast.Royal Birkdale Beckons: A Fresh Start?
So, here we are, facing Royal Birkdale, a course he's never played before. Scheffler will be walking onto that course with significantly lower expectations than usual, which honestly might be a secret weapon. He clearly knows he needs to improve his mechanics; his impressive 2026 results have, in a way, masked some of his underlying issues. But with that massive burden of the 78-cut streak finally lifted? That could be a huge mental advantage. He obviously wouldn’t have wanted to miss the cut in Scotland, but it might end up being a blessing in disguise for him. He's got the talent and the mentality required to win The Open, no doubt. The question is, can he channel that ferocious 2022 comeback fire and prove once again why he’s at the top of the heap? The whole golf world is absolutely glued to Royal Birkdale to find out.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.