EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsWorld No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler will get an earlier start in his preparation for his defense of the Open Championship, as he's expected to miss the cut in the Genesis Scottish Open on Friday, ending his nearly four-year streak of 78 consecutive events in which he played on the weekend.After carding a 2-under 68 at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick in the opening round, Scheffler posted a 72 on Friday for a 36-hole total of even par.The projected cut is 2 under.Scheffler, a 20-time winner on the PGA Tour, had last missed the cut in the FedEx St. Jude Championship in August 2022. His streak of consecutive cuts was 51 starts longer than the next closest golfer, Matt Fitzpatrick.It's also the first time Scheffler will finish outside the top 25 in a PGA Tour event since tying for 33rd in the 2024 BMW Championship."I got off to a tough start and then on the back nine I didn't feel like I was hitting it close enough to give myself enough opportunities," Scheffler told reporters in Scotland on Friday. "I think that's what it really comes down to. I got off to a poor start and didn't really hit it close enough to give myself a bunch of looks and that's how you shoot over par."The 30-year-old hit only 11 of 26 fairways and 23 of 36 greens in two rounds in the Scottish Open, losing nearly two strokes on approach.Scheffler captured his fourth major championship in the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland.He'll again be the favorite in next week's Open Championship at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England. There hasn't been a back-to-back winner of The Open since Padraig Harrington in 2008-09.Scheffler hasn't won on tour since his first start of the season in the American Express. He had still played amazingly consistently, with nine top 10s and four runner-ups. He played in the final group on Sunday in last month's U.S. Open and tied for fourth.Two weeks ago, Scheffler lost to Viktor Hovland in a Monday playoff at the Travelers Championship.Now, he'll get a little more practice time to get accustomed to Royal Birkdale, where he has never played."It's a little different now with some of the Signature Events not having cuts," Scheffler said. "But you know, I don't think I finished outside of the top 20 or something like that many times this year."I'm definitely proud of the consistency and wish I had a couple days over the weekend to make up some ground. But overall, get down to Birkdale a little earlier than expected and get used to a new course."
