Scheffler Dominates the Open: Ryder Cup in Play and Figures to Follow

Scottie Scheffler Wins at the Open Championship: What’s Next?

The last major of the season, the Open Championship, has concluded with a dominant performance by Scottie Scheffler. Scheffler consolidated his position as one of the greats of current golf, securing his second major of the year. With the FedEx Cup playoffs, the Tour Championship, and the Ryder Cup still to be played, the golf season promises intense emotions. What does the future hold for Scheffler? Who surprised and disappointed at the Open? We analyze the key questions after the tournament at Royal Portrush and anticipate what’s to come.

Scottie Scheffler has won four majors in his career.

“I don’t think the golf world expected to see someone as dominant as Tiger so soon, and here’s Scottie taking that throne of dominance,” commented Xander Schauffele, two-time major champion.

Xander Schauffele

Scheffler, at 29 years old, is positioned as the third youngest player to reach 15 victories on the PGA Tour and four majors. Only Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus were younger when they achieved this. Furthermore, he is the fourth golfer to win the Masters, the PGA Championship, and the Open Championship before turning 30, joining Woods, Nicklaus, and Gary Player in an elite group. With his impeccable game and improvement in putting, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Scheffler double his major wins, if not more. It wouldn’t even be surprising if he completed the Grand Slam at next year’s U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. Scheffler, with an admirable perspective on golf, family, and faith, demonstrates a competitive ambition that is rarely seen.

“It’s hard to describe what it feels like because, yes, I don’t feel different for having won a golf tournament. This isn’t the beginning and the end for me, but I’m extremely grateful,” Scheffler said. “I don’t think I’m special just because some weeks I’m better at scoring a lower score than others.”

Scottie Scheffler

Scheffler continues to outperform everyone on the field, and there are no signs of this changing anytime soon, whether in Memphis, the Tour Championship, the Ryder Cup, or in the upcoming majors. His favorite status will be consolidated, and he is likely to continue adding victories and major titles.

Other Highlights at the Open Championship

While the tournament was Scheffler’s, Rory McIlroy starred in a remarkable week. After missing the cut at the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush, McIlroy shone in his homeland. Although he finished seven strokes behind Scheffler, tied for seventh place, the week was a celebration of his victory at the Masters in April, which allowed him to complete the career Grand Slam.

“It’s been an incredible week,” McIlroy said. “I got everything I wanted from this week, apart from a Claret Jug, and that’s just because one person was a little bit better than the rest of us.”

Rory McIlroy

Another player to highlight is Harris English, who has been runner-up in two majors this year, only surpassed by Scheffler. English has achieved a victory on the PGA Tour and four top-10 finishes this season, placing him in the top-10 of the world ranking.

“I’m playing good golf. I just need to polish it up a little bit,” English said. “But one of my goals this year was to get to the Tour Championship and be on the Ryder Cup team, and I hope I’ve gotten a little closer to that, and I hope I can be in the top six to secure a spot.”

Harris English

English’s performance in Portrush puts him in sixth place for automatic qualification, bringing him closer to a spot on Keegan Bradley’s team for September at Bethpage.

Disappointments at the Open Championship

Three of the most recognized stars of the LIV Golf League, Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed and Cameron Smith, did not meet expectations at Royal Portrush. Koepka, after a promising performance at the U.S. Open, missed the cut at the Masters, the PGA Championship and the Open Championship. Smith, winner of the 2022 Open Championship, has not managed to stand out in the majors this season, missing the cut in all four. Patrick Cantlay, with a lackluster major history, failed to make the cut at Portrush, adding three consecutive missed cuts in majors this year. Expectations for Cantlay seem to be diminishing, and his performance on the PGA Tour has also declined.

Players to Watch

The captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup team, Keegan Bradley, will be watching Xander Schauffele’s performance closely, as he has shown good form in recent weeks. Schauffele, after recovering from an injury, has achieved an eighth place finish at the Scottish Open and a seventh at the Open. Chris Gotterup is the surprise factor that the American Ryder Cup team was waiting for. With a victory over Rory McIlroy at the Scottish Open and a third-place finish at the Open, Gotterup has climbed into the top 40 of the world rankings and has moved up 19 places in the Ryder Cup rankings.

“I expected to play well, but I don’t think I expected something this good,” Gotterup said. “I don’t know what’s happening here, but maybe my European blood has come alive.”

Chris Gotterup

Next month will be crucial for Gotterup, who seeks to establish himself as a key player on the Tour and a possible member of the Ryder Cup team.

Ryder Cup Perspectives

Scheffler has already qualified for the US team, and the following five players in the ranking (Schauffele, J.J. Spaun, Russell Henley, Bryson DeChambeau and English) are also expected to secure their place. The top six in the ranking after the BMW Championship on August 17 will qualify automatically, and Bradley will select six more players. DeChambeau is a key element for the team according to Bradley. Justin Thomas and Morikawa, Ryder Cup veterans, are also in contention, along with Ben Griffin, Maverick McNealy, and Brian Harman. Regarding the European team, Matt Fitzpatrick has shown improvement in his game, with four consecutive top-20 finishes, including a fourth-place finish at the Open. Robert MacIntyre is also emerging as a strong contender. The Hojgaard twins, Nicolai and Rasmus, could also be considered, although Nicolai needs to improve his ranking position.