Scheffler Misses 2-Under Cut, Ending 78-Event Streak at Scottish Open

Q: Is Scottie Scheffler's shocking missed cut a secret weapon for his Open title defense on an unfamiliar course?

Possibly—but only in a narrow, practical sense. Scheffler’s missed cut at the Scottish Open is a setback, not an obvious advantage. It ended a 78-event weekend streak and exposed real issues in his ball-striking: he hit just 11 of 26 fairways, 23 of 36 greens, and lost nearly two strokes on approach. On its face, that is poor form heading into a major, especially on links terrain where trajectory control and precision matter. The potential upside is time. Because he is out early, Scheffler can get to Royal Birkdale sooner and prepare for a course he has never played. That matters more than usual because Birkdale has been altered since its last Open, with significant changes to holes including the 5th, 14th, 15th and 18th. Extra days to learn new sightlines, wind patterns and firm-running links conditions could be valuable. There is also some evidence that the Scottish Open is not a perfect predictor for Scheffler. The Renaissance Club is a modern seaside test that rewards elite driving and aerial control, but Birkdale is a more traditional, “no-nonsense” links examination. Scheffler himself suggested the issue in Scotland was not creating enough close birdie chances, rather than a broader collapse. Still, calling the missed cut a “secret weapon” overstates it. The real weapon remains Scheffler’s consistency, major pedigree and ability to adapt quickly. The early exit may help his preparation, but only if he turns that extra time into sharper links execution at Birkdale.

3 articles · Updated · Golfweek · Jul 10

Even-par Scottie Scheffler missed the Genesis Scottish Open weekend by two shots, ending his active PGA Tour-leading streak of 78 consecutive cuts made after 1,428 days.
A 2-over 72 on Friday erased his opening 68 at The Renaissance Club, while the cut line settled at 2 under; his run of 35 straight top-25 finishes also ended.
Patrick Cantlay and Bernd Wiesberger turned from first-round co-leaders into casualties, with Cantlay falling to 1 under after a 74 and Wiesberger crashing to 3 over with a 78.
Other notable exits included Ludvig Aberg at 1 under, Brooks Koepka at even par and Xander Schauffele at 3 over, underscoring a volatile leaderboard before The Open.