Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler have both been competing in the Genesis Scottish Open this week, setting aside their differing opinions on playing the week before a major championship. The American's decision to participate, even though he missed the cut on Friday, means he is putting aside his reservations about featuring in a tournament before a major, with The Open at Royal Birkdale commencing next week.
McIlroy Favours Pre-Major Play
Speaking in 2025, McIlroy said he favoured playing ahead of a major, but not directly afterwards, contrasting with Scheffler's perspective. "Before, I'm all for. After, I wouldn't - I'm not a huge fan of it, but there's only so many weeks in the year. I really like playing the week before if it makes sense," McIlroy, who won the Scottish Open in 2023, said.
"I think, again, this week was a great indication of where my game is and what I need to think about and what I need to work on going into next week. But the weeks after majors are tough."
Scheffler Changes Stance
Scheffler, meanwhile, is contradicting his established position at The Renaissance Club this weekend. The defending Open champion had said: "I typically don't love playing the week before a major. It's nice to have so many tournaments that are really good. If I had it my way I would play every single week out here. But just the nature of our sport and the demand on our time and everything it's not really possible."
"If y'all were to walk with me each day of the tournament and see what we have to do in order to play one week, having to do that four weeks in a row... I wouldn't be able to perform my best. So when I show up at a tournament I want to be able to give it my best and I have to set up my schedule in a certain way and, you know, the chips kind of fall where they do."
Scottish Open as Perfect Warm-Up
The Northern Irish star claimed The Open title at Royal Liverpool in 2014 and believes the Genesis Scottish Open represents the perfect warm-up for the following week's championship. "For these strong National Opens, this, to me, is the blueprint of what it can be and what can happen. This is a perfect lead-in to The Open Championship," McIlroy said.
"Nice to play a little bit of links golf the last couple weeks and enjoy the run up to obviously this event and The Open," McIlroy explained. "Always good to be back. It [Scotland] is not home, but feels like home in a way and excited to get a little bit of links golf under my belt these next few days."
"It's nice, you start hitting the ball off links turf again and start to play in a little bit more wind. Your links instincts come back, even if it is for fun. The stuff that you've grown up with starts to come back to you."
"Obviously Birkdale is a little bit different from what it was back in 2017. Getting an early look at new holes just takes pressure off the start of the week and not feel like you have to play 18 holes any day. If you want to just play nine, you I feel like you can and not feel like you're underprepared."
