There was plenty of cut-line drama on Friday at the 2025 Open Championship. While much of the attention was on Scottie Scheffler’s ascension to the lead in Round 2, there were a number of players sweating out the cut line that bounced around throughout the afternoon. For much of the day, the line was projected to fall to 2 over, but thanks to some favorable conditions that arrived in the late afternoon after rain passed through and settled the winds at Royal Portrush, the cut ended up at just 1 over.
Players were sweating Matti Schmid on the 18th hole as he was the 70th man inside the cut line. When he rolled in a 4-footer for par, he ended the hopes of those at 2 over of making the weekend. That sent a group of players including Joaquin Niemann, Jason Day, Ben Griffin and Ryan Fox packing, as all four had high hopes of a strong finish this week but will now be watching from home.
There were other stars who missed the cut without as much drama as the group at 2 over. The winners of the 2021 and 2022 Open Championships struggled mightily this week at Royal Portrush, as Collin Morikawa (+7) and Cameron Smith (+8) respectively continue their major struggles this year. Morikawa has steadily trended downward all season and missed the cut last week at the Scottish Open, while Smith, once a top threat, made it a golden sombrero of four missed cuts at the majors this season.
They weren’t alone as Patrick Reed (+5), Brooks Koepka (+7) and Adam Scott (+9) are all headed home early with Scott being the most shocking of that group after shooting a 78 on Friday morning.
2025 Open Championship missed cuts
- Joaquin Niemann (+2)
- Jason Day (+2)
- Ben Griffin (+2)
- Ryan Fox (+2)
- Corey Conners (+2)
- Patrick Cantlay (+3)
- Si Woo Kim (+3)
- Tom Kim (+3)
- Cameron Young (+4)
- Min Woo Lee (+5)
- Patrick Reed (+5)
- Collin Morikawa (+7)
- Brooks Koepka (+7)
- Cameron Smith (+8)
- Adam Scott (+9)