Rory McIlroy has absolutely slashed the gap on Scottie Scheffler, making the favorite for the 2026 British Open a total nail-biter. After Scheffler unbelievably missed the cut at the Scottish Open, the difference in their odds is razor thin, telling us everything about how wild this Open Championship is gonna be.
Scheffler's Reign Is Shaking After That Missed Cut
Listen, we've watched Scottie Scheffler dominate for three seasons straight, a strong favorite in basically every single event. He even finally snagged that Claret Jug last year at Royal Portrush, running away with it on Sunday to get his first Open Championship and inch closer to the career grand slam. You'd think that would cement his spot as the undisputed favorite, right? Nope. Heading into his title defense, Scheffler is only favorite by a nose at 15/2 odds via BetMGM, with McIlroy right on his heels at 17/2. It's wild to see, and honestly, it says way more about Scheffler's recent game than anything else. He's had a pretty unreal season "struggling" by his standards, I mean, the guy still has four runner-up finishes, nine total top 10s, and 14 top 25s in 15 starts. That's why he’s stayed the favorite every week, even with a winless drought since January. But that missed cut last week at the Scottish Open? That rang some serious alarm bells. He straight up missed the cut at the Renaissance Club, snapping a ridiculous streak of 78 consecutive weekends played in PGA Tour events. Seventy-eight! His slow starts have been a thing this season, but he usually finds a way to flip the switch. Not in Scotland, and the "lack of sharpness" he mentioned at the U.S. Open last month was super clear. Oddsmakers are now giving him his longest major odds since the 2022 Open Championship at 16-1. The dude is still incredible, but that missed cut changes the whole vibe.Rory Is Lurking and the Field Is Wide Open
So, while Scheffler is trying to find that missing piece, Rory McIlroy is right there, ready to pounce. We’ve seen his odds surge after those Masters wins the last two years, even making him co-favorite with Scheffler for the 2025 PGA Championship. Now he's right next to Scheffler at 17/2, and you know he smells blood. It’s not just Rory either. This British Open is gonna be insane. Matt Fitzpatrick is sitting at 16-1, Tommy Fleetwood at 18-1, and Jon Rahm at 22-1. Guys like Chris Gotterup, Collin Morikawa, Ludvig Åberg, and Xander Schauffele are all at 28-1. With Scottie looking just a little off his absolute peak, this is seriously anyone's Claret Jug to win. Round 1 starts Thursday at Royal Birkdale, and honestly, anything could happen. Get ready!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.