World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler carded a two-over 73 in the opening round of the WM Phoenix Open, marked by untypical errors and frustration. The score ended his streak of 33 consecutive rounds of par or better and left him 10 strokes behind leader Chris Gotterup. Scheffler declined media interviews afterward and headed to the practice area.
Scottie Scheffler entered the 2026 WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale as the overwhelming favorite, fresh off a victory at The American Express. However, his first round on Thursday unfolded with unusual mishaps, resulting in a 2-over 73 that included five birdies, five bogeys, and a double bogey.
Starting on the back nine, Scheffler birdied the 10th hole as expected. But his drive on the par-4 11th veered left into the water hazard, leading to a bogey—just as he had warned in his pre-tournament comments: "The tee shot is easily the hardest on the golf course... If you hit up the left center of the fairway the ball is pretty much going to go in the water."
The struggles continued. After birdies on 13, 15, and 17, Scheffler missed the green on the par-4 18th from 114 yards and duffed his chip, watching it roll back to his feet in visible frustration. This capped three consecutive holes with bogey or worse, including a bogey on the first and a double on the second. A birdie on the par-5 third provided relief, followed by pars on 4 through 7, but a three-putt from 38 feet on the eighth sealed another bogey, ending his 33-round par-or-better streak.
Scheffler's round marked his worst performance in strokes gained around the green since the 2023 TOUR Championship, losing over two strokes there and 0.7 with irons. Playing alongside him, Chris Gotterup fired an 8-under 63, beating Scheffler by 10 strokes—the widest margin by a partner since 2021.
This was Scheffler's first over-par round since June 2025 at the Travelers Championship. Despite the setback, his form remains strong: no missed cuts since 2022 and no finish outside the top 20 since August 2024. He holds the PGA Tour's longest active cut streak at 65 events. Pre-tournament, Scheffler expressed support for LIV Golf defectors like Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed rejoining the Tour, saying, "Having those guys competing out here is great for the Tour, great for the fans, and great for our sponsors."
Scheffler's challenges shift focus to recovery for Friday, testing his renowned consistency in the desert heat.
