Neither of the protagonists from the thrilling Sunday at last month’s U.S. Open will be playing the weekend at the 152nd British Open.
After an opening-round 78 at Royal Troon, Rory McIlroy saw any chances at a Friday rally vanish early with a bogey-triple bogey-bogey-double bogey stretch from the 3rd through 6th holes. A holeout from a pot bunker at the par-3 14th was a highlight but too little, too late as he finished at 11 over after rounds of 78-75.
A fighter until the end.
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 19, 2024
Rory McIlroy holes out from the bunker on the 14th. pic.twitter.com/gjhfQTB1Z9
The cut line fell at 6-over 148, with 80 players making the weekend at Royal Troon.
Bryson DeChambeau, who beat McIlroy by a shot at Pinehurst, also missed the cut after rounds of 76-75—151.
Tiger Woods missed his third straight major cut this season after rounds of 79-77 and said he won't play again until December.
Henrik Stenson, the winner at Royal Troon in 2016 in memorable duel with Phil Mickelson, missed the cut at 8 over. But Mickelson will continue, as the 2013 Open champ made the cut at 5 over.
Keegan Bradley, who has had a busy couple weeks since being named the 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup captain, missed the cut by one shot at 7 over after shooting 75. Zach Johnson, his predecessor as captain and the 2015 Open champion, missed the cut at 9 over.
Tony Finau and Viktor Hovland, two players often named as the game's best without a major title, went home after shooting 10 over. Ludvig Aberg, the rising Swedish star, missed the cut at 9 over.
Among the happier stories are Justin Thomas and Robert MacIntyre, who have Saturday tee times after both appeared to be going home midway through their Friday rounds. Thomas shot a ghastly 45 on his first nine but made three birdies coming in to salvage a round of 78 to get him through at 4 over.
MacIntyre, the winner last week on home turf at the Genesis Scottish Open, made the cut at 5 over despite playing his first four holes in 10 over Friday with two bogeys and two triples. But those would be his last squares on the scorecard as he made four birdies the rest of the round and shot 75.
“After four holes, I was staring 90 in the face if that wind had stayed up and it actually did stay the same,” MacIntyre said. “It was just I've got a lot of pride in myself.”
Max Homa birdied two of his last three holes to shoot 72 make the cut on the number, including the par-4 18th where he let out a roar.
This is what it means. @Maxhoma with a birdie on the last to keep his Open dream alive.
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 19, 2024
Clutch. pic.twitter.com/ANbcn3iOIc
“Maybe I'm just proud of myself. This is my favorite tournament in the world,” Homa said. “So to have the chance to potentially play two more days, I don't know, I had an out-of-body experience. I didn't really expect to yell like I won a golf tournament. It just felt really good. I felt like I fought all day.”
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bryson DeChambeau, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods Among Missed Cuts at British Open.
