Scottie Scheffler finished the second round of The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale four shots behind leader Lucas Herbert, with an uncharacteristically cold putter preventing him from climbing closer to the top of the leaderboard.
Despite missing only two greens in regulation, Scheffler failed to convert five putts from inside 15 feet. Several attempts finished just short or caught the edge of the cup.
“I did a lot of good stuff,” Scheffler told Yahoo Sports. “I gave myself a lot of opportunities. Wish I holed a few more putts.”
Scheffler’s two missed greens both resulted in pars. The first came at the par-3 fourth, where his tee shot settled on the back fringe. The second came on the closing hole after he pulled his drive into the left rough, forcing his approach into a greenside bunker. He splashed out to 8 feet, 3 inches and converted the par save.
Putting was once the weakest part of Scheffler’s game, but he has made significant strides in recent seasons. After ranking 162nd in Strokes Gained: Putting in 2023, he improved to 77th in 2024, 22nd in 2025, and currently sits 19th this season. Through two rounds at Royal Birkdale, however, he has lost roughly two strokes to the field on the greens.
Following Bryson DeChambeau’s two-stroke penalty after officials ruled he improved the conditions affecting his stroke while assessing his lie in the fescue, Scheffler moved into the role of betting favorite entering the weekend.
“Just continue to knock on the door, continue to give myself opportunities,” Scheffler told Yahoo Sports. “If I continue to strike it like I did today and yesterday over the next couple of days, I’ll be in a good spot.”
Scheffler’s 2026 season has featured one victory, two playoff losses, and nine top-five finishes. He believes his ball-striking continues to put him in position to contend.
“I get really into, like, the heat of the moment, and I think that’s sometimes why you’ll see me get frustrated,” Scheffler said in a Yahoo Sports interview. “It would almost be easier if I didn’t want to win this badly. If losing didn’t hurt so much, it might be easier to come out and play. But then again, when I retire and I sit back, I’m going to miss the feeling of waking up in the morning and not being able to eat breakfast because your stomach hurts because you’re anticipating the day.”
Scheffler has been among the tournament’s best from tee to green through 36 holes. If his putting returns to the level it has shown throughout the season, he should remain firmly in contention entering the weekend.
Timothy is a founding member of Break80 Golf and a contributing golf and sports writer for Forbes with PGA Tour and LIV Golf media credentials. Timothy can be reached at [email protected] for inquiries or story leads.