While expectations are always high in anticipation of the year’s first major championship, inevitably some will fall short of their goals. Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Bryson DeChambeau are among the big names who will be leaving Augusta National Golf Club early after poor performances the first two days at the 2023 Masters saw their names drift outside the +3 cutline.
Of the bunch, only Thomas received the short end of the stick from a weather perspective. Needing to return to the golf course Saturday morning to finish his second round, the two-time major champion struggled to deal with the cold, rainy conditions engulfing Augusta National.
Beginning the day at 2 under, Thomas immediately fell back when he found water on the 11th. This double bogey was followed with four additional bogeys — including three in his final four holes — to set up a second round 78, bouncing Thomas from the tournament by just a single stroke and marking his first missed cut in his eight appearances at the Masters. (Thomas’ late failures moved the cut line for the rest of the field sending those at +3, among them Tiger Woods, into the weekend.)
Meanwhile, McIlroy entered the week with eyes on completing the career grand slam in his ninth attempt at the Masters. Coming off a runner-up finish in the 2022 tournament and playing some fabulous golf, the Northern Irishman fell woefully short. Signing for rounds of 72-77, McIlroy was an early exit from the Masters for the second time in the last three years. From 2009-20, McIlroy had been an omission from the weekend just once.
McIlroy strolled into Augusta National with the ever-important course history factor on his side, but a player who did not is DeChambeau. The 2020 U.S. Open has yet to figure out the riddle that is this par 72 and once again found himself befuddled. A pair of 74s put DeChambeau one ahead of McIlroy but one outside the cutline of 3 over.
DeChambeau’s departure was foreseeable, but the same cannot be said for the Canadian. Claiming his second PGA Tour title just last week at the Texas Open, Conners entered the tournament with the wind beneath his sails. These winds were of little help as his top-10 streak of three at Augusta National was put to a screeching halt with rounds of 73-79.
2023 Masters notable missed cuts
|
Justin Thomas |
+4 |
|
Bryson DeChambeau |
+4 |
|
Tom Hoge |
+4 |
|
Rory McIlroy |
+5 |
|
Danny Willett |
+6 |
|
Min Woo Lee |
+6 |
|
Sergio Garcia |
+7 |
|
Corey Conners |
+8 |
| Kurt Kitayama | +8 |
| Bubba Watson | +9 |