The ultimate main of the season — the Open Championship — is over, with Scottie Scheffler dominating the sphere on the way in which to his second main of the season.
With the FedEx Cup playoffs, the Tour Championship and the Ryder Cup nonetheless to come back, there may be a lot left to play for.
What’s subsequent for Scheffler? Who stunned and who upset on the Open? What is the newest on the race for spots on the Ryder Cup groups? We reply a few of the largest questions popping out of Royal Portrush and heading into the remainder of the season.
Mark Schlabach: Scheffler does not wish to hear comparisons to Tiger Woods, however maybe nobody has performed as persistently for therefore lengthy because the 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 this is Scottie kind 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 if you see his identify up on the leaderboard, it sucks for us.”
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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 Participant have been the others. That is elite firm.
Given Scheffler’s ballstriking and vastly improved placing, I would not be stunned to see him at the least double his 4 main victories — if no more. I might be stunned if he does 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 terms of golf, household and religion, he nonetheless has a red-hot aggressive hearth that we have not often seen.
Paolo Uggetti: Properly, 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 get pleasure from this but when there’s something we realized about Scheffler this week — or moderately have it confirmed — is that the method of turning into the very best participant on the planet is extra pleasurable to him than truly being the very best participant on the planet.
“It is laborious to explain what it appears like as a result of, yeah, I do not really feel any totally different as a result of I’ve gained a golf event. 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 not any signal of that stopping anytime quickly — be it in Memphis, the Tour Championship, the Ryder Cup or finally the foremost 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 hold including to his win tally and main championship report too.
Apart from Scottie, who have been largest winners at The Open?
Schlabach: It was Scheffler’s event along with his dominance over 72 holes, however in some ways it was Rory McIlroy’s week. After lacking the lower 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 underneath, 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 1000’s 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 attempting 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 event.
“It has been an superior week,” McIlroy mentioned. “I’ve gotten the whole lot I needed out of this week aside from a Claret Jug, and that is simply because one individual 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 resolve to maintain coming again, most likely 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 at least one man: Scottie Scheffler. You aren’t getting 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 slightly bit,” English mentioned Sunday. “However one in all my — my two targets this 12 months have been to make it to the Tour Championship and make that Ryder Cup staff, and hopefully I’ve moved myself slightly 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 automated qualifier, however even when he slips under the sixth spot, it is protected to say English is almost a lock to be part of Keegan Bradley’s staff come September at Bethpage.
Most disappointing at The Open?
Schlabach: To not decide 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 lower within the Masters, PGA Championship and The Open. He hasn’t completed within the prime 10 in one of many huge 4 since successful the 2023 PGA Championship.
Smith captured the a hundred and fiftieth Open Championship at St. Andrews in Scotland in 2022, however apart from successful 3 times within the LIV Golf League and as soon as in his native Australia, he hasn’t finished a lot of something. He’s the one golfer who missed the lower 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 discuss that he would possibly sneak his means again onto the U.S. Ryder Cup staff. There’s zero probability of that taking place now after he missed the lower at Royal Portrush. And, to be trustworthy, given Reed’s controversial historical past within the Ryder Cup, Greg Norman most likely had a greater probability at hitting the ceremonial opening tee shot at Bethpage Black.
Uggetti: Patrick Cantlay’s main report was already missing a lot substance in the way in which of top-10s, not to mention wins, however after lacking the lower 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 may 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 type 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 will be watching the closest over the subsequent few weeks?
Schlabach: U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley must be glad about Xander Schauffele’s type in current weeks. The 2-time main champion missed about six weeks with a painful rib harm in the beginning 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 nicely 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 staff has been ready for. Suppose Ludvig Åberg forward of Rome. Or Scottie Scheffler forward of Whistling Straits. OK, possibly not fairly to that degree. 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 nicely, however I do not assume I anticipated fairly this nicely,” Gotterup mentioned. “I do not know what is going on on over right here, however possibly my European blood in me slightly 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 lower, 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 never considered 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 nicely, and it might be a miracle. Now I imply, I do not know. Northeast is my house, and we’ll see what occurs.”
Gotterup’s subsequent month or so will probably be essential to solidifying himself not simply as a possible Ryder Cup staff member but in addition a prime participant on Tour. Despite the fact that his finest stuff has come throughout the pond on hyperlinks programs, his sport 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. staff, and I might guess that the subsequent 5 golfers within the factors standings — Schauffele, J.J. Spaun, Russell Henley, Bryson DeChambeau and English — will most likely find yourself making the squad.
The highest six within the factors standings after the BMW Championship on Aug. 17 will robotically qualify for the U.S. staff, after which Bradley will make six captain’s decisions. I feel the aforementioned golfers have finished sufficient to be chosen, even when they are not within the prime six after the second FedEx Cup playoffs occasion.
Bradley advised Sports activities Illustrated at The Open that DeChambeau has all however made the staff: “Bryson goes to be a vital piece to us successful the Ryder Cup. He brings a lot. He brings power, ardour, however most significantly, he is probably the greatest gamers on the planet.”
As for Bradley’s captain’s decisions, 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 successful the Vacationers Championship in June, there is a sturdy risk that Bradley may be a taking part in captain. He tied for thirtieth at Royal Portrush, and a strong end or two within the FedEx Cup playoffs would possibly solidify his place. He could 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. staff, it seems that the European staff 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 type, 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 huge 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. Numerous great things to construct on, realizing that my sport is there to provide it a go.”
If there was any slight doubt that Fitzpatrick could be on the staff at Bethpage, he has now quieted it.
The identical can probably be mentioned for Robert MacIntyre who was a captain’s decide final Ryder Cup and has now had a second-place end on the U.S. Open and a T-7 end on the Open. Presently, 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 nicely at Portrush — Nicolai (who didn’t make the Ryder Cup staff in Rome) completed in 14th place whereas Rasmus (who did make the staff final time) completed sixteenth. Rasmus is seventh within the rankings, only one spot outdoors of the automated qualifiers, whereas Nicolai (twenty fifth) most likely has some extra work to do if he desires to be thought of.
“We could not deal with one another’s success once we have been youthful, however we will do this now and help one another and get motivated by one another,” Nicolai mentioned this week. “If you become older, you get barely extra mature.”
