Scottie Scheffler goes into The Open Championship at Royal Portrush as the clear favourite.
Scheffler’s Open journey began in 2021 at Royal St George’s. Since then, he has played in three more editions.
However, none have taken place at Royal Portrush – one of the toughest courses in the world – which could present new challenges for him
The Dallas native is an elite ball striker and when he putts even to an average standard, he usually wins.
Scheffler looked visibly frustrated during the Scottish Open, but one of his biggest strengths is how quickly he moves past a poor showing by his own standards.
He’ll need that resilience again this week in Northern Ireland.
Scottie Scheffler notices a unique feature at Royal Portrush
When it comes to Open experience, Scheffler is still relatively new to the scene.
Despite that, he’s a quick study and has never finished outside the top 23 in his four appearances so far.
This week marks his first time playing links golf in Ireland, and he told reporters on Tuesday that there was something about Portrush that stood out to him.
Scheffler said: “It fits my strengths because I like to do things very creatively but one of my weaknesses is that it’s still a bit fresh. My first time playing links golf was when I was a professional, I never came over when I was an amateur. I feel like I’m learning more and more each time I come over here.
“Each golf course is very different too. Irish links I would say so far is quite a bit different to Scottish links. It’s a bit greener over here, you have to play a lot more shots into the air. This golf course has some false fronts on the greens, which I would say is a bit unusual. People talk about running it up but it’s quite difficult to run it up when there’s a false front, especially if you’re playing into the wind.”
Scheffler makes an interesting point there as well because Portrush can be brutal in windy conditions.
If anyone has the game and mindset to handle those challenges though, it’s Scheffler.
Xander Schauffele’s stats from 2024 show why Scottie Scheffler is the man to beat at The Open
Xander Schauffele’s triumph at Royal Troon last year underscored his all-around excellence, arriving in Scotland as the only PGA Tour player ranked inside the top 40 across all major strokes gained categories – from tee shots to putting.
This season, it’s Scheffler who holds that distinction.
If Scheffler brings anything close to his A-game this week, there’s a strong chance he’ll be holding up the Claret Jug come Sunday afternoon.
He has every tool needed to thrive in these conditions, and another major title wouldn’t surprise anyone.
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