Early exits at Royal Birkdale
The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale saw several notable golfers miss the cut, including Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick. Rose, who shot a 2-under 68 in the second round after an initial 76, acknowledged the strong reception he received on the 18th hole, reflecting on his past performance at the venue. He missed the cut by two strokes. Fitzpatrick also did not make the cut, attributing his struggles to the unpredictable nature of links golf.
Other prominent players who missed the cut included Jordan Spieth, who finished well outside the cutline after a quadruple bogey on the 17th hole. Spieth, a past winner at Royal Birkdale in 2017, had a challenging second round, including three-putting on two separate holes. Akshay Bhatia, despite a strong year, missed three of four cuts at majors. Cameron Smith, a previous Open winner, missed the cut in three of the four majors this year.
The cut was set at 1-over 141, following a day that saw record-tying scores of 62 from Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns. Masters champion Rory McIlroy was the only major champion from this year to make it to the weekend, while PGA champion Aaron Rai and U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark both missed the cut. Harry Hall became the only player to miss the cut in all four majors this year.
Rules dispute impacts Bryson DeChambeau
A rules controversy involving Bryson DeChambeau significantly impacted the tournament standings. DeChambeau was assessed a penalty after play concluded, following a discussion with Grant Moir, the executive director of governance for The R&A. The rule in question prohibits players from moving, bending, or breaking any growing or attached natural object while taking a stance.
DeChambeau’s agent, Brett Falkoff, stated that DeChambeau felt he was unfairly penalized, believing he was not careful enough in a sensitive area. The penalty changed DeChambeau’s signed score from a 4-under 66 with a bogey at the fifth hole to a 2-under 68 with a triple bogey. This adjustment dropped him from solo second at 7-under par to 5-under overall, placing him in a tie for fifth and out of the final pairing.
Weekend prospects and notable performances
With several favourites out, the stage is set for a competitive weekend. Tommy Fleetwood, an English golfer, shot a 67 to move to 4-under, keeping alive the hope for a hometown winner. No Englishman has won The Open since 1992, placing pressure on Fleetwood as the remaining English contender after Rose, Fitzpatrick, and Rai missed the cut.
Scottie Scheffler, despite being third in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green, struggled with his putting, ranking 126th in that category. McIlroy continued his aggressive play, driving the ninth green for the second consecutive day, a hole not typically considered drivable. Burns, after his record-tying 62, expressed his approach to the event, stating he is learning to “embrace the chaos.” Francesco Molinari, a past winner of the Claret Jug in similar conditions in 2018, is also performing well, sitting at 4-under and tied for sixth. Russell Henley demonstrated a unique shot on the par-3 14th, laying up short and then carving a long iron onto the green from 259 yards out.
Late heroics were seen from Min Woo Lee and Josele Ballester, both of whom birdied the 18th hole to make the cut. Lee noted that making cuts, while not the ultimate goal, builds confidence for the long run. The tournament continues with the next round of play.
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Source: pgatour.com
Ethan Brule is a Senior Hockey Writer at CasinoNews. He covered the NHL for a national Canadian outlet. He focuses on the NHL, the Maple Leafs and Team Canada and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. He holds a degree in Sports Media from Toronto Metropolitan University. Now based in Toronto, he plays beer-league hockey and follows the junior ranks. “Hockey in Canada is never only about the score.”
