Scottie Scheffler's incredible 1,428-day streak ends after one costly missed birdie

Open champion Scottie Scheffler was unable to stay under-par on the last hole at the Scottish Open to bring about the end of a long-standing streak.

Scheffler failed to birdie the 18th at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick on Friday, ending his second round at two over after a first-round score of two under.

The American holed the last in four but paid the price for four bogeys, three in the back nine, after starting the round with a birdie.

As a result, the golf world number one has missed the cut for the first time since 2022 – a mammoth streak of 1,428 days.

In all, Scheffler made the cut in 78 consecutive events before falling short in Scotland.

The setback couldn't have been timed worse. Scheffler is set to defend his title at The Open between June 16 and June 19, his last opportunity to log a major win in the 2026 season.

"I got off to a tough start and then on the back nine I didn’t feel like I was hitting it close enough to give myself enough opportunities," Scheffler told DP World Tour after his disappointing second round at Renaissance.

"I think that’s what it really comes down to. I got off to a poor start and didn’t really hit it close enough to give myself a bunch of looks and that’s how you shoot over par.

"I was just trying to get some looks. I felt like I struck it better on the back nine.

"Overall, not quite good enough. Like I said, I felt like I was hitting it too far from the hole and wasn’t holing any of those putts."

The 30-year-old was circumspect about missing the cut and remains the bookies' favourite to win The Open at Royal Birkdale.

A different player has won each of the majors this year, with Rory McIlroy retaining the Masters before Englishman Aaron Rai took a first major at the PGA Championship and Wyndham Clark won the US Open for the second time in four years.

Scottie Scheffler missed the cut for the first time in four years

'Scheffler is level par at the halfway stage, with the cut expected to be two under,' reports BBC Sport.

'He fails to make the weekend of a PGA Tour event for the first time since the 2022 FedEx St Jude Championship. The next longest active steak of consecutive cuts made in the circuit is now Matt Fitzpatrick – on 28.'

McIlroy is also among the favourites for The Open along with Tommy Fleetwood, who tees off next week in search of a first major, and LIV Golf star Jon Rahm.

Xander Schauffele won The Open and the PGA Championship in 2024 and is expected to mount a challenge on Merseyside next weekend.

Scheffler has won four majors in total including both the PGA Championship and The Open in 2025. He is a two-time Masters winner.