HOYLAKE, England — Scottie Scheffler celebrates a bunker shot on the 18th hole on Day Two of The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club on July 21, 2023. | Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images
Scheffler, the number one ranked player in the world, needed to rely on his clutch gene on the final hole to make the cut at The Open.
Scottie Scheffler needed a birdie on the 18th hole to make the cut at The Open Championship.
It has been a while since the world watched Scheffler struggle like he did Friday, as the winds of Royal Liverpool got the best of the top-ranked player in the world.
Despite his poor play, he arrived at the last hole with a chance, needing a birdie four to get the job done.
After smoldering a drive down the middle of the 18th fairway, Scheffler had 275 yards to the pin.
He had to be aggressive.
But Scheffler put it into the right greenside bunker, diminishing the probability of making a birdie.
Yet, in typical Scheffler fashion, he got up and down, knocking his third shot a couple of inches from the pin, leading to a tap-in birdie.
Scheffler made the cut on the number, at 3-over-par.
Incredibly, he last missed a cut 50 weeks ago at the FedEx St. Jude Championship last August.
The former Texas Longhorn has had an incredible 2022-23 season, which has included two victories, 15 top-10s, and a pair of top-five finishes at The Masters and the U.S. Open.
Now that he made the cut this week, Scheffler has a chance to go out early Saturday and post a score, should the weather cooperate.
Scheffler flexed his muscles on Royal Liverpool’s 18th hole Friday, showing the rest of the world that the best can get the job done even without his best stuff.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.
