Links Litmus Test: Whose Game Truly Translates to The Open Championship?

The Genesis Scottish Open marks the final stop before golf’s oldest major, but this week isn’t just about building confidence; it’s about answering a question few tournaments truly pose: can your game survive links golf? The Open Championship doesn’t reward highlight-reel drivers or textbook iron play alone. It demands creativity, trajectory control, mental agility, and the ability to play the ball low, allowing the ground to dictate the outcome. This is a litmus test week, where conditions mimic what awaits at Royal Troon and expose the gaps between great players and great links players. With the Claret Jug just around the corner, here are the contenders whose games are built for the bounce, breeze, and brutality of links golf, and those still searching for answers.

Rory McIlroy – Natural Fit, but Execution Is Everything

Rory McIlroy has long been considered one of the best ball-strikers of his generation, and that translates beautifully to links golf, at least in theory. His ability to control flight, work the ball both ways, and hit stingers off the tee is tailor-made for conditions like those at Troon. He won The Open once in 2014 and held the 54-hole lead in 2023 before heartbreak at Hoylake. The challenge for Rory isn’t adapting to links, it’s keeping his scoring sharp when conditions become unpredictable. If he can minimize errors on the ground game, particularly lag putting and tight-lie wedges, he remains the most complete threat on either side of the Atlantic.

Tommy Fleetwood – Links Pedigree Without the Hardware

If The Open were to decide on pure comfort in the elements, Tommy Fleetwood would already have a Claret Jug. The Englishman has finished second and fourth in the event and excels in wind, rain, and firm conditions. His low, controlled ball flight and elite scrambling skills give him a high floor at any coastal venue, especially one like Royal Troon that rewards precision over power. The only thing missing from his resume is the Sunday finish. Still, Fleetwood’s game has passed every links test over the years, and this week in Scotland could be his final polish before a career-defining major breakthrough.

Collin Morikawa – Can Calculated Precision Win on Turf?

When Collin Morikawa won The Open at Royal St. George’s in 2021, many questioned whether his American-style, high-trajectory iron play would translate. He answered with a masterclass in discipline and control. While his game may not scream “traditional links,” his ability to execute a game plan, commit to tempo, and trust the bounce makes him dangerous on any surface. Morikawa’s challenge isn’t talent, it’s rhythm. If he finds pace on the greens this week and sharpens his 50–125-yard wedge distances, he’ll arrive at Royal Troon with a game perfectly calibrated to contend again.

Xander Schauffele – Defending Champion and Proven on the Coast

Xander Schauffele arrives at The Genesis Scottish Open with a different kind of pressure; he’s no longer searching for validation in links golf. His 2024 Open Championship victory at Royal Liverpool silenced any remaining doubts about whether his game could withstand the nuances and adversity of coastal conditions. That breakthrough second major was a testament to his ball-striking consistency, mental discipline, and ability to shape shots in heavy winds. Now, as the defending Open Champion, Schauffele returns to Scotland looking to fine-tune his trajectory control and wedge feel ahead of Royal Troon. With a prior win at the 2022 Scottish Open and a full toolkit that thrives in firm, fast environments, Xander’s no longer seeking the formula; he’s working to repeat it.

Scottie Scheffler – The Best Player, but Still an Open Unknown

Scottie Scheffler is playing at a generational level in 2025, and there's little debate that he’s the best tee-to-green performer in the game. When it comes to links golf, however, the sample size remains small. Scheffler has yet to truly contend deep into a Sunday at The Open, and while his trajectory control and course management are elite, his putting and short game in windy, firm setups haven’t always translated. If he handles this week’s expected gusts and crusty fairways with confidence, he’ll shed the last remaining question mark on his resume. Until then, he’s a favorite by form, not necessarily by fit.

Final Thoughts

This week at the Genesis Scottish Open isn’t just a stopover on the way to Royal Troon, it’s a magnifying glass. It reveals the nuance of who can handle links golf and who can’t. The names are familiar: McIlroy, Schauffele, Scheffler, Fleetwood, Morikawa, but the test is different. It’s about adaptability, trust in feel, and patience over perfection. The Claret Jug won’t be handed out in Scotland, but the blueprint for winning it will be written here. By Sunday evening, we’ll have a much clearer picture of whose game truly belongs on the coast, and who still has work to do before the last major of the season.