Scottie Scheffler surged into contention Sunday at The Open, while Pierceson Coody finished strong and Jordan Spieth endured a brutal missed cut.
The University of Texas had three former golfers enter the 2026 Open Championship, but by Sunday afternoon, only one still had a chance to leave Royal Birkdale with the Claret Jug.
That player was Scottie Scheffler.
Scheffler began the final round at 4-under, six shots behind leader Sam Burns and seemingly buried beneath too many names on the leaderboard.
The world’s top player didn’t treat the deficit like an impossible one, but in true Scottie form, he attacked it.
Scheffler opened with birdies on the first two holes, added another at No. 5 and suddenly found himself back in the championship conversation.
A birdie at the par-3 12th pushed him to 8-under and within two shots of the lead.
Royal Birkdale finally punched back at the 13th.
Scheffler drove his ball into a sandy dune and needed multiple attempts to escape the trouble.
The mistake resulted in a bogey, dropping him to 7-under and slowing a charge that had quickly transformed Sunday’s final round.
Even with the setback, Scheffler once again proved why he’s become the face of Texas golf.
He entered the day defending the Open title he won in 2025 and refused to quietly surrender his crown.
Pierceson Coody wasn’t fighting for the lead, but his first Open Championship still qualifies as a meaningful success.
The former Texas All-American opened with a 3-under 67 and followed it with a 70, reaching the weekend at 3-under. Coody completed the tournament at 2-under and was tied for 34th when he signed his final scorecard.
That may not generate the same attention as a run at the Claret Jug, but surviving all four rounds in an Open debut is no small achievement.
Coody showed he could handle links golf, difficult weather and the pressure of a major championship.
Jordan Spieth experienced the opposite emotion.
Spieth returned to the course where he won the 2017 Open Championship, but his latest trip to Royal Birkdale became one he’ll want to forget.
He shot 73 and 77 to finish at 10-over, missing the cut for the first time in 13 career Open appearances.
The most painful moment came at the par-5 17th, where Spieth made a quadruple-bogey nine. It was a stunning reversal on the same hole where he made a crucial eagle during his famous 2017 victory.
Spieth exited early. Coody gained valuable experience. Scheffler, however, gave Texas one final reason to keep watching.
