Scottie Scheffler ‘couldn’t care less’ about being British Open favourite

PORTRUSH – Scottie Scheffler said on July 15 that he does “not care” about being the tournament favourite as he prepares for his latest tilt at a maiden British Open title this week at Royal Portrush.

The world No. 1 has never seriously threatened to win a Claret Jug, but is again enjoying a run of supreme form and arrives in Northern Ireland as the PGA Championship holder.

The American has emphatically rebounded from a slow start to 2025 after suffering a freak hand injury while preparing Christmas dinner, reeling off 10 successive top-10 finishes, including three victories.

“I could not care any less about being the favourite or not being the favourite,” he said.

“We all start even par and the tournament starts on Thursday. That’s pretty much all that matters.”

Scheffler produced his best Open finish in 2024 with a tie for seventh, but ended his tournament at Troon in ignominious style with an embarrassing topped tee shot on the 18th en route to a closing double-bogey.

He has never missed the cut at the Major before though, and believes he has what it takes to lift the Claret Jug.

“In terms of links golf, I love the style of golf. I think it’s really fun and you have to be creative,” Scheffler added.

“You have to hit a lot of really good shots. There’s a challenge to it, but I think it’s a lot of fun.

“We’ll see how the weather turns out this week. Weather has a pretty dramatic effect on how the golf course is going to play.”

Scheffler won seven PGA Tour titles last season and also clinched the Olympic gold medal in Paris.

His third Major title at the PGA Championship in May is one of his three victories so far in 2025, but he says he does not set himself specific targets.

“I don’t look at wins and losses or stuff like that.

“I don’t sit down at the beginning of the year and say I want to win X number of times; I want to win this many Majors; I want to win this many tournament events. That’s not something I do.

“That’s not something that works for me.”

Meanwhile, a raucous reception will greet Rory McIlroy as the event returns to Northern Ireland on July 17 for the first time since Shane Lowry’s 2019 triumph.

McIlroy will be heralded by an expected crowd of 200,000 across the four days after ending his 11-year wait to complete the career Grand Slam at the Masters in April.

But a long list of contenders, including Scheffler and reigning champion Xander Schauffele, stand between the hometown hero and a second Claret Jug.

“I’m so happy it’s back so soon because I want to have another crack at it. I’m a better player, manage my game better,” said McIlroy.

“The fact that I’m here at Portrush with the Green Jacket, having completed that lifelong dream, I want to do my best this week to enjoy the reaction of the fans. But at the same time, I want to win this golf tournament and I feel like I’m very capable of doing that.”

McIlroy will be desperate to at least put on a better show than in 2019 when he opened his tournament with a ruinous quadruple-bogey on his way to a first-round 79, missing the cut despite a second-round charge.

“The golf on Thursday feels like a bit of a blur. I try to forget that part of it,” said the 36-year-old, who famously shot a 61 at Portrush in 2005 when was only 16.

“But I remember the run on Friday. I remember I was making a charge and making a run to try to make the cut, and I hit a six-iron into the 14th, second shot, and I remember the roar from the crowd...

“It was really special.” AFP