Why is Scottie Scheffler not competing in the 2024 Genesis Scottis Open?

Runaway World No.1 Scottie Scheffler has decided to shake things up ahead of the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon by skipping the Genesis Scottish Open for the first time since it became a PGA Tour event. This move aims to enhance his preparation for a chance to etch his name on the famous Claret Jug next week.

At 28, Scheffler has experienced a range of outcomes at The Renaissance Club since the DP World Tour’s Scottish Open merged with the PGA Tour in 2021. He finished T12 in 2021, missed the cut in 2022, and secured T3 behind winner Rory McIlroy in 2023. Despite these mixed results, the World No.1, who has already claimed six PGA Tour victories this season, has opted for a major change ahead of Troon.

Scheffler, who donned the green jacket for the second time in three years this April, has endured a rollercoaster few months. His six wins in the last ten starts have coincided with significant life events, including becoming a father for the first time. Additionally, he was briefly arrested during a turbulent week at the US PGA in May, where he finished T8. The charges were dropped last month.

The golfer admitted to feeling mentally exhausted after a lackluster T41 finish at the US Open last month, just a week after winning the Memorial Tournament. He revealed that he only participated in the Memorial Tournament out of respect for host Jack Nicklaus. “I think maybe my prep would have been a little bit better for this week if I was at home,” Scheffler said after the US Open. “But I’m obviously not going to skip Jack’s tournament. It’s a tournament I love playing. It’s a tournament that I’m humbled to be the champion at.”

Scheffler added, “I feel like going forward, I’ll maybe do things a little bit differently in the weeks leading up to the majors, especially when you know it’s going to be a challenging setup at a US Open.”

In light of his subpar performance at the US Open, Scheffler has decided to skip this week’s star-studded $9 million Scottish Open in North Berwick. The tournament was initially on his early 2024 schedule, but he decided against it at the last minute. Instead, Scheffler and his family have taken a short break with friends in Colorado, where he has continued to practice his golf skills.

Scheffler needs three more wins this season to match the record of nine wins in a PGA Tour season, set by Tiger Woods in 2000 and Vijay Singh in 2004. With only four more tournaments on his schedule—The Open, FedEx St Jude Championship, BMW Championship, and Tour Championship—he must win three of them to emulate Woods and Singh.

Already a record-breaker, Scheffler has demonstrated remarkable form in his last ten PGA Tour starts:

1. Arnold Palmer Invitational – WON
2. The Players Championship – WON
3. Texas Children’s Houston Open – T2
4. The Masters – WON
5. RBC Heritage – WON
6. US PGA Championship – T8
7. Charles Schwab Challenge – T2
8. The Memorial Tournament – WON
9. US Open – T41
10. Travelers Championship – WON

Scheffler will head to Royal Troon later this week, aiming for his third career major title and first Open Championship win. His previous Open appearances, all following the Scottish Open, have resulted in T8, T22, and T23 finishes. In the form of his life and with a well-behaved putter, bookmakers have made him the 9/2 favorite at Royal Troon.

Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy, the World No.3, is set to compete in the Scottish Open this week and aims to defend his title before heading to The Open, seeking to end a 10-year major winless spell.