Scottie Scheffler Leaves LIV Golf Pro Questioning His Own Game at The Open

Scottie Scheffler's exceptional iron play leaves LIV Golf pro Travis Smyth questioning his own game at The Open Championship. On Wednesday, Smyth played a nine-hole practice round with the defending champion, who showcased his precision and shot versatility with his irons.

What happened?

Smyth earned the opportunity to play alongside Scheffler at the Open Championship thanks to a breakthrough 2025-2026 season, where he won the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit. This also got him the DP World Tour status for 2027. Smyth last played The Open in 2023 at Royal Liverpool, his debut. This is his second appearance, but at a different venue: Royal Birkdale.

Smyth detailed his experience after his opening round at the 2026 Open Championship. "Yeah, yesterday was sweet, playing with Scottie for the first time. Watching the precision of his iron play was amazing. It was kind of demoralizing a little bit. It was like, damn, when I play good, I don’t think I have that in me. But it was good. It lights a fire in my stomach and makes me want to work hard. Now that I’ve seen what No. 1 in the world looks like, a little bit of a taste: it was only nine holes, but it was a great experience watching him play. He’s a lovely guy, really down to earth, which I’m happy about. He’s not like a d--ead or anything. So it was good."

Why it matters for Scottie Scheffler

Scheffler's calm nature and exceptional iron play have been praised by his rivals, including Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy. Spieth has said that Scheffler "doesn’t care to be a superstar," showing how grounded he is despite being one of the best golfers at the current time. McIlroy has also noted something similar about the four-time major champion. "He just goes about his business, doesn’t do anything overly flamboyant, but he’s the best at executing in the game right now," the Northern Irishman said.

What comes next?

Scheffler's focus on his game has inspired Smyth to work harder and improve his own skills. Smyth's round wasn’t all that bad, scoring three bogeys and two birdies in the opening round. As a result, he finished with a one-over-par 71 and tied for 59th, with many players left to finish their rounds. Smyth's experience playing with Scheffler has given him a new perspective on his own game and has motivated him to push himself to be the best.

Scheffler's iron game is the core of why he is considered a complete player. He is also known for shot versatility with his irons. Scheffler has said he likes his TaylorMade P7TW irons because they let him flight the ball lower or higher while keeping distance control. Smyth earned the opportunity to play alongside the World No. 1 at the Open Championship thanks to a breakthrough 2025-2026 season. He won the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit. This also got him the DP World Tour status for 2027.

Smyth last played The Open in 2023 at Royal Liverpool, his debut. This is his second appearance, but at a different venue: Royal Birkdale. While he was confident, he didn’t look that comfortable ahead of the 154th edition of the event. "I’ve never honestly played a tournament this baked out, so I don’t really know what to expect, but I’m excited for the challenge," he said. "It’s a unique thing that we don’t get to play on very often."

Smyth's experience playing with Scheffler has given him a new perspective on his own game and has motivated him to push himself to be the best. He is now more determined than ever to improve his skills and compete at the highest level.

category: player_focus