Xander Schauffele Struggles at Scottish Open, Eyes on Royal Birkdale

Xander Schauffele's recent struggles at the Scottish Open have cast a shadow over his chances at the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

What happened?

Schauffele, a two-time major champion, missed the cut at the Scottish Open, his third missed cut in this year's majors. This comes after a solid showing in the majors, including a T9 finish at the Masters and a T7 finish at the PGA Championship.

Why it matters for Xander Schauffele

Schauffele's erratic Open record, with three missed cuts and two top-10 finishes in eight appearances, raises concerns about his ability to improve on his previous performances. His links strategy needs refining if he is to compete with the likes of Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler.

What comes next?

Schauffele will look to bounce back from his recent struggles at Royal Birkdale, where he will face stiff competition from the world's top golfers. With three PGA Tour victories in 2026, including a win at the John Deere Classic last month, Schauffele is confident in his abilities, but will need to refine his game if he is to challenge for the Claret Jug.

Schauffele's recent form has been a mixed bag, with a T7 finish at the Scottish Open serving as a well-timed riposte to his previous day's 73. However, his missed cut at the Scottish Open does not bode well for his prospects at Royal Birkdale.

The American has slipped out of the world's top 10 to number 14 since his career-high ranking of number two following his PGA-Open double in 2024. Just one PGA Tour victory has followed, at the Baycurrent Classic in Japan in 2025.

Schauffele's links credentials were established in stunning fashion in 2025, winning the Scottish Open at North Berwick's Renaissance Club, shooting a second-round 61 en route. He duly finished third on the Dunluce Links to celebrate his 26th birthday in style on the Sunday.

This year's lead-in to Birkdale has seen the American win three times on the PGA Tour in 2026, most recently last month at the John Deere Classic, while he claimed a credible tie for 11th last weekend in his Scottish Open title defence.

And, despite a solid showing in this year's majors, Schauffele's missed cut at the Scottish Open does not bode well for his prospects at Royal Birkdale this weekend.

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