​The perfect microcosm of Scottie Scheffler’s day came on his penultimate shot.His ball essentially straddling the green and the fringe at Royal Birkdale’s 18th hole, Scheffler’s putter bounded the ball as it trundled across the putting surface, its dimples never losing sight of the hole. Scheffler perked up as the ball got closer, the whispers and murmurs of the fans growing louder and the ball seemed destined for its chance to drop for a closing birdie. And then right as it got to the cup, the ball stopped. One roll short.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt took a little less than 90 minutes for Scheffler to take the solo lead at the 2026 Open Championship on Thursday. Yet the first round in his title defense of the Claret Jug left him asking “what if” as he walked off the course in the afternoon sun in Southport, England. The World No. 1, coming off his first missed cut in nearly four years, signed for 2-under 68 in a round that seemed much better than that but left plenty to be desired.’I felt like I could have gotten a little bit more out of it, but yeah, if I continue to do what I did today with the ball-striking I’ll be in a good spot as the week goes on,” Scheffler said after his round.1 / 5Matthew Baldwin tees off on the first hole on day one of the The 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on July 16, 2026 in Southport, England.(Andrew Redington/Getty Images)Scheffler began scorching hot, making birdies on four of his first six holes, the best being a 43 footer on the sixth to take the solo lead. Playing alongside Bryson DeChambeau and Tyrrell Hatton and taking the course when the winds were lights in the late morning, the round had the makings of a special one for the defending champion.That birdie on his sixth was the last of the day.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMore: Our hub for The Open: Photos, stats and moreHe immediately bogeyed the par-3 seventh and added another on the par-5 17th after his second shot came up in thick fescue – Scheffler even saying he thinks someone accidentally stepped on the ball while searching, but no one would fess up – leaving him with a sliding 5-footer for par that he couldn’t bury. Then came the putt on 18, which looked to be an incredible cap to a strong start in the Open that just wasn’t quite enough.”It was just one of those things,” Scheffler said of the lie on 17. “I was just shocked at how deep the ball was in that grass. It looked like a lot of good spots around there, and then all of a sudden you get to one area where my ball is — I considered actually taking an unplayable. I didn’t think I was going to be able to get the ball out of the grass that it was sitting in, but was able to get it out. Just didn’t get it up-and-down. Just one of those deals; sometimes you hit it over there and you get a clean lie and you’re able to give yourself a look, and then other times like today, you pay a pretty severe price. But I guess don’t hit it offline.”Scheffler gained 2.23 strokes