Ahead of the 2024 PGA Championship, many of the world’s best players appeared to have found their best form at the right time, making for the prospect of an intriguing second Major of the year.
At the halfway stage of the Valhalla tournament, that is certainly playing out, with big names including Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler all heading into the weekend eyeing realistic chances of lifting the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday evening.
However, for many other notable names, the last two days have not been nearly as satisfying, with some even failing to make it as far as Moving Day. Here are 10 of the biggest names to miss the cut at the PGA Championship.
Tiger Woods (+7)
The American couldn’t reproduce the form that has seen him claim the title four times, including at Valhalla 24 years ago.
That was not wholly unexpected given his lack of action in recent years due to injuries. However, Woods will still surely be disappointed that he couldn’t make his second Major cut of the year, after achieving the feat at The Masters.
After a one-over 72 gave Woods something to build on, he wasn’t nearly as assured in the second round, which included two triple bogeys.
On the plus side, he appeared to walk relatively freely, and will now be focusing on working on his game ahead of the third Major of the year, the US Open, where he has been granted a special exemption.
Jon Rahm (E)
The Spaniard has had an encouraging start to his LIV Golf career, with top-10 finishes in each of his seven tournaments in 2024. However, that form has not translated into success at the Majors.
Rahm only just made the cut at The Masters before finishing an underwhelming T45, but he couldn’t make the weekend’s action at Valhalla, with rounds of 70 and 72 leaving him one shot shy of the cut line.
Wyndham Clark (+4)
For the second Major in succession, the 2023 US Open champion failed to make the cut. After suffering a similar fate at The Masters, the World No.4 has been sent packing despite an encouraging enough even-par 71 in the opening round.
Clark couldn’t match that consistency in the second round, though, eventually succumbing to a 75 that included five bogeys and a double bogey to leave him five away from the projected cut line.
Phil Mickelson (+4)
Phil Mickelson misses the weekend just three years after he become the oldest player to win a Major with victory at the event – his second PGA Championship title.
Unlike another great on the list, Woods, Mickelson has been playing regularly in recent months with LIV Golf. However, like his opening two seasons with the circuit, he has generally struggled to find his best form in 2024, and that continued at Valhalla, with rounds of 74 and 72 leaving him four-over and out of the tournament.
Matt Fitzpatrick (E)
The 2022 US Open winner missed the cut at the PGA Championship for the second year in succession. Like Rahm, he only fell one shot beneath the cut line, but after heading into the second round on two under, he will feel as though it is a chance missed.
Despite that encouraging start to his tournament, Fitzpatrick struggled for consistency in the second round, with three birdies undermined by five bogeys to leave him heading home early.
Ludvig Aberg (E)
In 2023, finishing even-par would have been enough to stand five shots above the cut line, but, like Rahm and Fitzpatrick, Aberg became another high-profile name to miss out by one shot despite not finishing over-par.
The Masters runner-up got off to a slow start with a 72 in his opening round, and despite going two better in the second round, it wasn't quite enough to get him to Moving Day.
Adam Scott (+3)
The Australian has finished third at the tournament twice, but his last top-10 at it came five years ago, and that will stretch to at least six after a disappointing second round, in particular.
Scott was remarkably consistent in the opening round, with just one bogey interrupting 17 pars, but by the turn on Friday, his one over for the tournament had become four over, and he couldn’t claw it back.
The 2013 Masters champion eventually finished three over for the tournament, four shots adrift of the projected cut line.
Michael Block (+7)
The popular club pro may not have the pedigree of the other players on this list, but it would be remiss to leave out a man who created a sensation at the 2023 tournament by finishing T15, which included a slam dunk hole-in-one in the final round.
There was no repeat of those heroics at the 2024 edition. Instead, Block followed a 76 in the first round with a 73 in the second to leave him seven-over for the tournament. One consolation? That's identical to the score achieved by the great Tiger Woods.
Sam Burns (+3)
The American may have five PGA Tour wins and an appearance at the 2023 Ryder Cup under his belt, but he has largely failed to shine at Majors, with a T20 at the 2022 PGA Championship his best effort so far.
Last year, he couldn't make the cut, and he endured the same fate at Valhalla, finishing on three over after rounds of 72 and 73 to leave him to ponder what he needs to do to become a force at the game's big four tournaments.
Sepp Straka (+2)
The Austrian finished his final round at sunset, but his last-ditch effort to make the cut went awry.
A few minutes earlier, Tommy Fleetwood had eagled the 18th to squeeze above the cut line, but, needing a similar finish, the Team Europe Ryder Cup star bogeyed the hole to leave him two-over for the tournament and out of the weekend's action.
Other notable names who have missed the cut include LIV Golfer David Puig, who played thanks to a special invite and Chris Gotterup, who won the Myrtle Beach Classic. The likes of Chris Kirk, Adrian Meronk and Matthieu Pavon also miss out.
