Several prominent golfers, including Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose, and Matthew Fitzpatrick, did not make the cut at the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. The tournament saw a number of well-known players depart early from the Lancashire Coast.
Jordan Spieth, who previously won the Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale, opened with a three-over 73 and followed with a 77 on Friday, resulting in a 10-over total. His Friday round included a three-putt from three feet and a quadruple bogey on the par-5 17th. Spieth had expressed hope earlier in the week that he could find his form at the site of his last major win.
Justin Rose, another player with previous positive memories at Birkdale, shot 75 and 68, finishing at three-over. His first round included six bogeys and a double bogey, which proved difficult to recover from. Royal Birkdale made Rose an honorary member.
Notable Players Miss Cut
Matthew Fitzpatrick, who entered the week as one of the top players globally with three wins this year, recorded rounds of 72 and 72, ending at four-over. He had a streak of 28 consecutive made cuts on Tour, which concluded at this event. Fitzpatrick commented on the challenging nature of links golf, noting that despite hitting good shots, he experienced unfortunate bounces and lies.
Viktor Hovland, a recent winner of the Travelers Championship, posted rounds of 70 and 74. He struggled on Friday, playing holes 4-10 in five over, which led to him missing the cut by two shots. Hovland also struggled with his tee shots and around the green play.
Wyndham Clark, the U.S. Open champion, shot 73 and 70. His first round put him behind, and two early double bogeys on Friday impacted his chances. Despite a late charge with a birdie-birdie-eagle run from 15 through 17, it was not enough to make the weekend. This marks his first missed cut since the PGA Championship.
Tom Kim, who recently won the Scottish Open, opened with an even-par 70 but followed with a 73 on Friday. He recorded six bogeys against three birdies on Friday, leading to an early exit. This was his first missed cut since the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in late April.
Cameron Smith, a former Open champion, began with a three-over 73. He rallied on Friday with four birdies in his first eight holes but made a double bogey on the par-3 15th. Smith attributed the double bogey to a single bad swing, stating that major championships constantly test players. He signed for a 69 but still missed the cut.
Joaquin Niemann, despite recent strong finishes, shot 76 and 68. He failed to record a birdie in his first round and struggled with his approach game and putting. This is the third time in the last four years that Niemann has missed the cut at the Open.
Padraig Harrington, a two-time Open champion, had an opening round of 80 but improved significantly with a 69 on Friday. He noted that the difference between his two rounds was primarily due to the nature of golf itself, rather than a substantial change in his play, and that he experienced more favorable breaks on Friday.
Other Notable Exits
Other players who missed the cut include Billy Horschel, Harris English, and Henrik Stenson. Harris English has missed the cut in his last three starts, including back-to-back majors, and has only one top 10 finish this season. Henrik Stenson, the 2016 Open champion, started with a 68 but struggled to a four-over 74 on Friday, attributing his difficulties to his putting.
Aaron Rai, the PGA Championship winner, missed the cut by one stroke after missing a 22-foot par putt on the final hole. He managed only two birdies throughout the championship. Akshay Bhatia also missed the cut, bogeying three of his last four holes on Friday, marking his third missed cut in the four majors this season.
The cut line for the tournament was one over par, with 79 golfers advancing to play the weekend.
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Source: golf.com
