Scheffler’s dominance, gamers to observe and extra following Open Championship

The ultimate main of the season — the Open Championship — is over, with Scottie Scheffler dominating the sphere on the best way to his second main of the season.

With the FedEx Cup playoffs, the Tour Championship and the Ryder Cup nonetheless to return, there’s a lot left to play for.

What’s subsequent for Scheffler? Who shocked and who dissatisfied on the Open? What is the X platform on the race for spots on the Ryder Cup groups? We reply a few of the greatest questions popping out of Royal Portrush and heading into the remainder of the season.

Mark Schlabach: Scheffler would not wish to hear comparisons to Tiger Woods, however maybe nobody has performed as constantly for thus lengthy for the reason that top of Tiger’s profession.

“I do not assume we thought {the golfing} world would see somebody as dominant as Tiger come by so quickly, and here is Scottie type of taking that throne of dominance,” two-time main champion Xander Schauffele mentioned. “You possibly can’t even say he is on a run. He is simply been killing it for over two years now. He is a tricky man to beat, and while you see his identify up on the leaderboard, it sucks for us.”

Scheffler, 29, is now the third-youngest participant with 15 PGA Tour victories and 4 majors; solely Tiger (24) and Jack Nicklaus (25) have been youthful. He’s solely the fourth golfer to win the Masters, PGA Championship and The Open earlier than turning 30; Woods, Nicklaus and Gary Player have been the others. That is elite firm.

Given Scheffler’s ballstriking and vastly improved placing, I would not be shocked to see him at the least double his 4 main victories — if no more. I would be shocked if he would not full the profession Grand Slam in subsequent 12 months’s U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. For a man who appears to have higher perspective than most in the case of golf, household and religion, he nonetheless has a red-hot aggressive fireplace that we have not often seen.

Paolo Uggetti: Effectively, you heard the person. He is on to Memphis (and finally the Tour Championship), the place he’ll begin even par and get again at it. Scheffler mentioned in our interview with him that he’ll take time to take pleasure in this but when there’s something we discovered about Scheffler this week — or quite have it confirmed — is that the method of changing into the most effective participant on the earth is extra pleasing to him than truly being the most effective participant on the earth.

“It is arduous to explain what it looks like as a result of, yeah, I do not really feel any completely different as a result of I’ve gained a golf match. This isn’t the be-all, end-all for me, however I am extraordinarily grateful for it,” Scheffler mentioned. “I do not assume that I am something particular simply because some weeks I am higher at capturing a decrease rating than different guys are.”

The factor is that Scheffler continues to shoot decrease scores than anybody else and there is no signal of that stopping anytime quickly — be it in Memphis, the Tour Championship, the Ryder Cup or finally the most important championships subsequent season. His propensity for being the odds-on favourite will get much more stark and chances are high, barring harm or in any other case, he’ll maintain including to his win tally and main championship document too.

Aside from Scottie, who have been greatest winners at The Open?

Schlabach: It was Scheffler’s match together with his dominance over 72 holes, however in some ways it was Rory McIlroy‘s week. After lacking the reduce on the first Open Championship at Royal Portrush in 68 years in 2019, Rory was round for the weekend this time, and he placed on fairly a present in his homeland.

Whereas McIlroy completed a distant seven pictures behind Scheffler for a tie for seventh at 10 beneath, the week was in some ways a celebration of his Masters victory in April, which allowed him to lastly full the profession Grand Slam.

With hundreds of followers following him on the hyperlinks course, McIlroy delivered a 5-under 66 within the third spherical that at the least gave him an oz of hope in making an attempt to chase down Scheffler. He mentioned the roars after his eagle on the par-5 twelfth have been the loudest he’d ever heard in a golf match.

“It has been an superior week,” McIlroy mentioned. “I’ve gotten every thing I wished out of this week other than a Claret Jug, and that is simply because one particular person was just a bit bit higher than the remainder of us.

“I really feel so grateful and simply so fortunate that I get to do that, I get to do that in entrance of this crowd. Hopefully, I will have one or two Opens left right here, if the R&A determine to maintain coming again, in all probability one whereas I am nonetheless aggressive and one other one whereas I am extra grey than I already am.”

Uggetti: There’s not sufficient discuss Harris English, who has completed second place at two main championships this 12 months and misplaced solely to 1 man: Scottie Scheffler. You do not get a trophy for second place however the mark is a testomony to the form of golf English is taking part in as of late.

This season, English has one PGA Tour win and 4 top-10 finishes. He is now ranked contained in the top-10 within the OWGR.

“I am taking part in some good golf. Simply want to scrub it up a little bit bit,” English mentioned Sunday. “However one among my — my two objectives this 12 months have been to make it to the Tour Championship and make that Ryder Cup workforce, and hopefully I’ve moved myself a little bit bit nearer to that, and hopefully I can get in that prime six to lock up a spot.”

English’s end at Portrush does get him into that coveted sixth spot for an computerized qualifier, however even when he slips beneath the sixth spot, it is protected to say English is almost a lock to be part of Keegan Bradley’s workforce come September at Bethpage.

Most disappointing at The Open?

Schlabach: To not choose on the LIV Golf League, however three of its most recognizable stars — Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed and Cameron Smith — have been three of the worst flops at Royal Portrush.

Koepka gave us a glimmer of hope when he was within the combine and tied for twelfth within the U.S. Open. However the five-time main champion missed the reduce within the Masters, PGA Championship and The Open. He hasn’t completed within the prime 10 in one of many massive 4 since profitable the 2023 PGA Championship.

Smith captured the one hundred and fiftieth Open Championship at St. Andrews in Scotland in 2022, however apart from profitable thrice within the LIV Golf League and as soon as in his native Australia, he hasn’t completed a lot of something. He’s the one golfer who missed the reduce in all 4 majors this season.

After Reed was solo third on the Masters and tied for twenty third on the U.S. Open, there was speak that he may sneak his method again onto the U.S. Ryder Cup workforce. There’s zero likelihood of that occuring now after he missed the reduce at Royal Portrush. And, to be trustworthy, given Reed’s controversial historical past within the Ryder Cup, Greg Norman in all probability had a greater likelihood at hitting the ceremonial opening tee shot at Bethpage Black.

Uggetti: Patrick Cantlay‘s main document was already missing a lot substance in the best way of top-10s, not to mention wins, however after lacking the reduce at Portrush, he has now missed three straight main championship cuts this 12 months and has solely completed inside the highest 20 at a significant as soon as within the final two years. Expectations appear to dwindling for Cantlay, who could be one of many higher gamers to not win a significant in his profession, and it seems that he has fallen off even simply his customary kind on the PGA Tour — he hasn’t gained a tour occasion since 2022. The majors have merely been additional proof of that.

Who’s one participant you may be watching the closest over the subsequent few weeks?

Schlabach: U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley needs to be joyful about Xander Schauffele‘s kind in latest weeks. The 2-time main champion missed about six weeks with a painful rib harm firstly of the season, and he is been looking for his placing stroke ever since.

Schauffele tied for eighth on the Scottish Open and for seventh at The Open. It isn’t like Schauffele hasn’t carried out effectively within the tournaments that mattered most this season: he tied for eighth within the Masters, twenty eighth within the PGA Championship and twelfth within the U.S. Open. There are dozens of golfers who would fortunately take these outcomes.

Uggetti: Chris Gotterup is the X issue the U.S. Ryder Cup workforce has been ready for. Suppose Ludvig Åberg forward of Rome. Or Scottie Scheffler forward of Whistling Straits. OK, perhaps not fairly to that stage. However Gotterup has burst onto the scene with a win over Rory McIlroy on the Scottish Open and a third-place end at The Open this previous week — solely his fourth main championship begin.

“I anticipated to play effectively, however I do not assume I anticipated fairly this effectively,” Gotterup mentioned. “I do not know what is going on on over right here, however perhaps my European blood in me a little bit bit has come to life.”

Gotterup hasn’t fairly come out of nowhere — he had three top-30 finishes earlier than this run and apart from one missed reduce, his worst end since April is T-28 — however that is nonetheless a little bit of a shock. He has now leaped into the highest 40 of the world rankings and jumped 19 spots within the Ryder Cup rankings.

“I have not thought of it in any respect. I imply, it actually wasn’t ever on my radar,” Gotterup, a New Jersey native, mentioned of the Ryder Cup. “I clearly hoped to play effectively, and it might be a miracle. Now I imply, I don’t know. Northeast is my house, and we’ll see what occurs.”

Gotterup’s subsequent month or so will likely be essential to solidifying himself not simply as a possible Ryder Cup workforce member but additionally a prime participant on Tour. Though his finest stuff has come throughout the pond on hyperlinks programs, his recreation clearly has a excessive potential ceiling.

Ideas on the Ryder Cup popping out of The Open

Schlabach: Scheffler has already certified for the U.S. workforce, and I would guess that the subsequent 5 golfers within the factors standings — Schauffele, J.J. Spaun, Russell Henley, Bryson DeChambeau and English — will in all probability find yourself making the squad.

The highest six within the factors standings after the BMW Championship on Aug. 17 will routinely qualify for the U.S. workforce, after which Bradley will make six captain’s selections. I believe the aforementioned golfers have completed sufficient to be chosen, even when they don’t seem to be within the prime six after the second FedEx Cup playoffs occasion.

Bradley instructed Sports activities Illustrated at The Open that DeChambeau has all however made the workforce: “Bryson goes to be a vital piece to us profitable the Ryder Cup. He brings a lot. He brings power, ardour, however most significantly, he is among the finest gamers on the planet.”

As for Bradley’s captain’s selections, Justin Thomas and Morikawa rank seventh and eighth in factors, respectively, and are Ryder Cup veterans. Ben Griffin, a two-time winner on tour this season, is ninth in factors, adopted by Bradley, Maverick McNealy and Brian Harman.

After profitable the Vacationers Championship in June, there is a robust risk that Bradley could be a taking part in captain. He tied for thirtieth at Royal Portrush, and a stable end or two within the FedEx Cup playoffs may solidify his place. He can be the primary player-captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963.

Andrew Novak (thirteenth in factors), Patrick Cantlay (14th), Sam Burns (fifteenth), Wyndham Clark (sixteenth), Lucas Glover (seventeenth), Daniel Berger (18th), Gotterup (twenty second) and others stay within the combine.

Uggetti: Although there’s nonetheless a lot to determine with the U.S. workforce, it seems that the European workforce is crystallizing into one thing fairly much like what it had in Rome.

Although he started the 12 months slowly, Matt Fitzpatrick has picked up his kind, totaling 4 straight finishes inside the highest 20, together with three contained in the top-10 and a powerful T-4 end at The Open this previous week.

“First time being in competition for The Open. It is a massive step ahead,” Fitzpatrick mentioned. “I have been in competition for 2 of the 4 majors this 12 months, which is very nice. Final time I did that was 2022. Lots of good things to construct on, figuring out that my recreation is there to offer it a go.”

If there was any slight doubt that Fitzpatrick can be on the workforce at Bethpage, he has now quieted it.

The identical can doubtless be mentioned for Robert MacIntyre who was a captain’s choose final Ryder Cup and has now had a second-place end on the U.S. Open and a T-7 end on the Open. At the moment, MacIntyre would qualify on factors as he stands comfortably in second place within the rankings.

Maybe the one query mark stays with the Hojgaard twins, who each performed exceptionally effectively at Portrush — Nicolai (who didn’t make the Ryder Cup workforce in Rome) completed in 14th place whereas Rasmus (who did make the workforce final time) completed sixteenth. Rasmus is seventh within the rankings, only one spot outdoors of the automated qualifiers, whereas Nicolai (twenty fifth) in all probability has some extra work to do if he needs to be thought-about.

“We could not deal with one another’s success once we have been youthful, however we are able to try this now and assist one another and get motivated by one another,” Nicolai mentioned this week. “If you become old, you get barely extra mature.”