Scottie Scheffler's 78-tournament cut-making streak ended Friday at the Genesis Scottish Open, where a second-round 72 left the world No. 1 at level par — one stroke outside the projected cut line at The Renaissance Club. The American, three shots off the lead entering the day, missed a six-foot par putt on his final hole to fall nine shots behind a five-man leading group topped by Rory McIlroy.

The streak dated to the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship and ranked as the fifth-longest in PGA Tour history. Tiger Woods holds the record at 142 consecutive cuts made from 1998 to 2005. Scheffler admitted on Sky Sports Golf he "wasn't hitting it close enough to give myself enough opportunities" and conceded his ball-straying approach play produced an over-par round.

The early exit disrupts preparations for the 154th Open at Royal Birkdale, where Scheffler enters as defending champion. "It looks different than I was planning," he said of his revised schedule. With just two weeks until the year's final major, the world No. 1 must now decide whether to compete next week or use the unexpected break for focused practice at Birkdale.

Scheffler's rarity — missing a weekend — underscores how fine the margins remain at elite level. His Open defense now hinges on whether a compressed prep window sharpens or dulls the form that produced eight wins since that 2022 missed cut.