10 Big Names Missing The 2026 Genesis Scottish Open
Which notable PGA Tour names are not warming up for The Open at the Renaissance Club this week?
It's a huge week on both the PGA and DP World Tours, with the co-sanctioned Genesis Scottish Open returning to the Renaissance Club.
The exclusive east-coast venue has hosted Scotland's national open since 2019, and there's a strong field once again assembled as World No.1 Scottie Scheffler and No.2 Rory McIlroy headline.
However, the number of world top-10 players is down from eight last year to six this time around, although the addition of Jon Rahm playing his first PGA Tour-sanctioned event since he left for LIV Golf in 2024 adds plenty of intrigue.
Other LIV players, who are DP World Tour members, like Tyrrell Hatton, David Puig and Thomas Detry are also playing.
The Scottish Open often divides some of the world's best players, with the majority opting to play to get links prep for The Open and others preferring to practice in links conditions away from the limelight and without a scorecard in hand.
So, who are the biggest names missing this year's Scottish Open? Let's take a look...
Cameron Young
World No.3 Cameron Young is the highest-ranked player not in the field this week.
The Players and Cadillac Championship winner has played in just one Scottish Open and it resulted in a missed cut back in 2022.
He did go onto finish 2nd in The Open at St Andrews the following week, but since then he has opted to take the week off.
Russell Henley
Henley won his sixth PGA Tour title recently at the Charles Schwab Challenge, and at 5th in the world he is the second highest-ranked player not in the field.
That comes as no surprise as he has never played in the Scottish Open before.
The American has a good Open record, with T10th and 5th-place finishes in his last two appearances.
Collin Morikawa
Morikawa has played in four of the last five Scottish Opens but he has largely struggled, with a T4 in 2024 the only standout result.
The 2021 Open champion currently ranks 6th in the world and may be opting to preserve his body after tweaking his back at the Players Championship in March.
He last played at The Travelers Championship, where he was 3rd, meaning he will have had two full weeks off before The Open.
Justin Rose
Rose is the fourth world top-10 player not in the field this week, and it is somewhat of a surprise not to see him teeing it up considering he has played in each of the last four years and is a past champion.
The Englishman obviously feels taking the week off will prepare him best for Royal Birkdale, where he will be among the tournament favorites.
Rose has an excellent Major record in recent times, with six top-10s in the last four years including two runner-up finishes.
Jordan Spieth
Jordan Spieth is another big name missing this week's Scottish Open, and it comes as no real surprise after he skipped last year's tournament following missed cuts in 2024 and 2023.
He did have a good debut in 2022 to finish T10th but throughout the years he has tended to take the week off prior to the season's final Major.
The 2026 Open is set to be a special one for Spieth, as he returns to the scene of his Claret Jug triumph at Royal Birkdale nine years ago.
Joaquin Niemann
Joaquin Niemann is another big name taking a week off before Birkdale after a busy stretch.
The Chilean, who has eight LIV titles to his name, is in impressive form after a strong fortnight on the DP World Tour where he finished 3rd at the Italian Open and then T7th at the BMW International Open.
He hasn't played in the Scottish Open since 2022, which was his only appearance.
Hideki Matsuyama
Hideki Matsuyama misses the Scottish Open for the second successive year, and it comes as no surprise.
The 2021 Masters champion has only played in this tournament three times, and he has missed the cut on each occasion.
The World No.30, who is without a top-10 since February, has yet to better his T6 finish in his 2013 Open debut.
Rickie Fowler
The 2015 Scottish Open champion is not in the field for the second consecutive year after missing the cut in 2024.
Fowler also finished inside the top-10 in 2017 and 2018 but could only manage two missed cuts and two top-50s in his next four Scottish Opens.
The six-time PGA Tour winner has a good links record with three top-six finishes in The Open, including a runner-up to Rory McIlroy in 2014.
Keegan Bradley
The 2025 USA Ryder Cup captain missed the cut here in 2022 and has not played since.
That was Bradley's one and only Scottish Open appearance, so it is no surprise to see him not listed in the field once again this week.
The 2011 PGA Champion has an underwhelming Open record with no top-10s and five missed cuts in his last six starts.
Sam Burns
Burns has been a regular at the Scottish Open in recent times but is not in the field this week - for good reason.
The World No.17, who has five PGA Tour victories, is also skipping The Open next week as he and wife, Caroline, are expecting their second child.
He has gone close at Majors over the past two years, notably last month at Shinnecock Hills where he finished 2nd to Wyndham Clark in the US Open.
Other notables not playing in the 2026 Scottish Open
- Ben Griffin
- Akshay Bhatia
- Jacob Bridgeman
- JT Poston
- Gary Woodland
- Daniel Berger
- Jason Day
- Tony Finau
