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As golf’s final major of the season looms, anticipation is building for who will claim the Claret Jug at this year’s Open Championship. With a stacked leaderboard expected and the unique demands of links golf, players and analysts alike are weighing in on who can handle the challenge best. While the world’s top-ranked players all seem primed for the moment, history shows not all have thrived in the unpredictable crucible of The Open, including World No.1 Scottie Scheffler.

On a recent episode of the 5 Clubs Podcast, PGA Tour veteran Billy Horschel shared his perspective on who might emerge victorious at Royal Portrush this week. Horschel, who will be skipping playing at the Open this week, citing an injury as he is about to get hip surgery, reflected on what it takes to win on a links-style course. While the host emphasised that players need a unique set of traits beyond raw skills to succeed in links golf, Horschel added that players also need to have guts —“You listen, to be a great player in this game of golf, you have to have talent and skill, but you’ve got to have guts. You got to have acceptance. You got to, you know, you got to be someone who grinds it out when you don’t have it have your great stuff.” 

That mindset, according to Horschel, is essential for taming the challenging elements of The Open — the wind, the rain, the firm fairways, and the sheer unpredictability of it all. And as the conversation went forward, it came to discussing Scottie Scheffler. While Horschel praised Scheffler’s dominance over the years and his incredible stats, he also pointed out a lingering question mark about Scheffler’s biggest challenge on a links-style course. “I do believe, though, that his biggest challenge is the links-style golf course. Because of the conditions, because of the weather… you know, he was up near the lead after 36 holes last year, but it’s just a different style, and it’s something that you learn over time..” Horschel expressed.

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Horschel reflected on Scottie Scheffler’s last year’s performance at the Open when it was hosted at the Royal Troon. Scottie Scheffler had a dominant run last year with 6 wins on the PGA Tour before entering the final major. But he finished tied 7th in Scotland after faltering over the final two days, and it was his best performance at a links-style course since his debut in 2021. But Horschel believes that Scheffler is capable of producing a victory this year —”He’s such a quick learner that yes, it wouldn’t shock me he was up near the lead um come come Sunday, because of all the things we have talked about for the last several years. So, um, yeah, he’s such a great guy and he’s the best player over the last three or four years hands down.”

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Horschel was quick to point out that Scheffler’s immense talent and adaptability could still carry him far. Scheffler has also been widely regarded as the most consistent and well-rounded player in the game over the past few seasons, and has earned plaudits for his iron play, mental strength, and unshakable demeanor. If Scheffler does win the Claret Jug, he’ll silence what little doubt remains about his place in the modern game. But as Horschel hinted, success at The Open isn’t just about technical excellence — it’s about embracing chaos, enduring discomfort, and mastering a style of golf where control is often an illusion.

While Scheffler’s proven nearly untouchable across other major venues, his statistical record at The Open reveals a subtle, yet notable, dip in performance.

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Scottie Scheffler’s record at The Open vs other majors

While Scottie Scheffler has firmly established himself as the dominant force in professional golf over the past three seasons — including multiple wins, two Masters titles, and an enviable stretch of top-10 finishes — his record at The Open Championship remains his most underwhelming among the majors. In his four Open appearances, Scheffler’s best result came only last year, where he finished T-7. Aside from that, his performances have ranged from modest to forgettable, including a T-23 at Royal Liverpool in 2023.

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His scoring average at The Open (hovering just under 71) trails slightly behind his numbers at Augusta and the U.S. Open, where his precision off the tee and elite iron play shine more consistently. Contrast that with Scheffler’s track record in the other three majors, and a clear pattern emerges. He has finished in the top 10 in seven of his last four starts at the Masters, which includes two wins. At the U.S. Open, Scheffler has finished in the top 10 four times in the last five starts, including a tied 7th finish at Oakmont this year.

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At the PGA Championship, he has had only top-10 finishes apart from his missed cut in 2022. This year, Scheffler won the PGA Championship when he shot 11-under over four days. His elite game has made him nearly automatic on American-style major setups. But links golf hasn’t yet yielded the same returns. While not a glaring weakness, the Open remains the one major where Scheffler hasn’t fully imposed his dominance — and it’s exactly this statistical gap that adds intrigue heading into Royal Troon.

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Can Scottie Scheffler finally conquer the links and claim the Claret Jug this year?

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