Scottie Scheffler faces Collin Morikawa threat as The Open tees off

Scottie Scheffler set for major fight as McGinley names Morikawa his biggest Open threat

The Open Championship fires up at Royal Birkdale on Friday with Scottie Scheffler under pressure to end his 2026 title drought. Paul McGinley, the 2002 Open winner, has tipped Collin Morikawa as the man most likely to knock Scheffler off his perch in Southport.

What McGinley said about Scheffler’s 2026 form

McGinley reckons Scheffler’s iron play-once off the charts-has moderated slightly this year, though the world No. 1 remains the game’s best driver in accuracy. “The bar the last two years was incredibly high, particularly for his iron play,” McGinley told Sky Sports. “I mean, it was off the scale high. Now he’s come back, he’s still the 13th best iron player in the game.”

Scheffler’s putting has improved sharply since five years ago, McGinley added, while his consistency and mental game stay elite. “Everything is there for him. It’s just the golfing gods haven’t given him a big week in these majors yet,” he said.

Morikawa’s iron edge could decide the Claret Jug race

McGinley believes Morikawa’s “sublime iron play” makes him a genuine threat to Scheffler’s crown. Morikawa’s recent form dipped after a back injury at The Players, yet he nearly stole the Travelers Championship last month-finishing second in a playoff that included Scheffler and Viktor Hovland.

“This is not going to be so much about driving,” McGinley said. “It’s going to be more about controlling the irons and threading the needle.”

Why The Open’s conditions favor Scheffler-and Morikawa

Royal Birkdale’s firm fairways and swirling winds reward precision over power. McGinley argues that Scheffler’s strategic patience and improved putting-plus Morikawa’s iron mastery-will decide who lifts the Claret Jug on Sunday.

Scheffler’s only 2026 win so far came at The American Express in January. His slow starts in majors-nine back at The Masters-have cost him chances. But McGinley insists the world No. 1 remains the man to beat if he can start fast in Southport.

What comes next for Scheffler at Royal Birkdale

McGinley’s forecast sets up a clash of styles: Scheffler’s power and precision against Morikawa’s surgical iron game. With the UK gripped by a heatwave, firm turf could blunt big hitters and hand the edge to the player who masters the irons.

Scheffler’s next shot comes Friday at 7:35 a.m. local time. A strong opening round could silence McGinley’s warning-and keep the Claret Jug in American hands.