In a surprising turn of events, Scottie Scheffler finds himself facing the very real possibility of missing the cut at the Phoenix Open, an outcome that many would not have anticipated. On February 5, 2026, while competing in Scottsdale, Arizona, this prominent golfer displayed a rare glimpse of frustration after a misplayed chip shot on the par-4 18th hole. He could be seen repeatedly tapping the shaft of his wedge against his legs, a clear indication of his dissatisfaction as the ball rolled back toward him.
But here's where it gets controversial: even the world's top-ranked player isn’t immune to pressure, and Scheffler's struggle was evident again on the eighth hole when he threw his hand up in disbelief after yet another bogey, muttering quietly to himself as he walked off the green.
Scheffler's performance during the first round of the Phoenix Open was anything but stellar, as he finished with a score of 2-over 73. This rocky start has placed him a staggering ten strokes behind Chris Gotterup, who currently leads the tournament, and could potentially mark the first time in over three years that Scheffler misses a cut.
Just to put things into perspective, Scheffler concluded his 2025 season triumphantly with a victory in Napa, California, and kicked off this current season by winning The American Express in Palm Desert, marking his 20th PGA Tour win. Remarkably, he boasted a remarkable streak of 33 consecutive rounds under par, with his last round of even-par or worse occurring back in June during the Travelers Championship.
As he entered the Phoenix Open, Scheffler was widely regarded as the favorite, having previously claimed victories at TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course in both 2022 and 2023. However, despite the ideal scoring conditions, his performance did not align with expectations.
He began the round promisingly, sinking a birdie from within 3 feet on the par-4 10th hole. Unfortunately, this momentum was short-lived; he quickly bogeyed the following hole after failing to recover. He managed to sandwich two birdies around another bogey on the lengthy par-4 14th but then faced a downward spiral that culminated on the 18th hole.
The double chip mishap on 18 led to a bogey, while a three-putt on the first hole added another stroke to his score. His troubles continued on the second hole, a challenging 449-yard par-4, where he drove into the right fairway bunker, advanced only 54 yards into the left rough, and struggled to reach the green on his third shot. His failure to salvage par there resulted in a double bogey, leaving him at 2-over for the day.
A birdie on the third hole offered a glimmer of hope, but a poorly executed chip on the eighth led to another bogey, resulting in a back nine score of 3-over 38. Now, Scheffler faces the urgent need for a strong performance in the next round if he hopes to avoid the embarrassment of missing his first cut since the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship.
After his round, Scheffler wasted no time heading to the practice range, determined to discover what adjustments might help him maintain his remarkable streak of 65 consecutive cuts made on the PGA Tour.
What do you think about Scheffler's current situation? Is pressure getting to him, or is this just a minor setback for a seasoned professional? We’d love to hear your thoughts!
