Not that anyone wants to miss the cut in a PGA Tour event, but if you did miss it this week at the 2023 Mexico Open at Vidanta, maybe you could console yourself with the thought there are worse places to be than near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Or maybe not. Like Kevin Kisner (not in the field this week) likes to say: “This ain’t no hobby” and no one wants to not get paid on the PGA Tour.
Tony Finau leads after 36 holes at 13 under. Erik van Rooyen and Brandon Wu are a shot back. World No. 1 Jon Rahm, easily the biggest name in the field, followed up his Thursday 67 with a Friday 68 and is at 7 under.
Wyndham Clark birdied three of his last seven holes, including making a 13-footer on 18, to make the cut on the number. He extended his consecutive cuts made streak to 15, tying Sahith Theegala for longest this season.
MEXICO OPEN: Leaderboard | Photos
Here’s a closer look at some of those not surviving the cut, which came in at 2 under, this week.
Kevin Streelman, 1 under
Kevin Streelman was flirting with the cutline most of the week. On Friday, he bogeyed Nos. 5 and 6 but came back with birdies on Nos. 7 and 9 to get back to even par. Another birdie on 12 got him to 1 under with six holes to go. A double bogey on the par-4 15th though really hurt. On the par-5 18th hole, his drive found a bunker, his second found a cart path en route to a closing par.
Kyle Westmoreland, 1 under
Kyle Westmoreland became the first graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy to earn his PGA Tour card. He’s still looking to find his groove on the highest level of pro golf, however. The 31-year-old has just five made cuts in 16 events, with his best finish a tie for 27th last November in Houston. He’s also among the group at 1 under.
Scott Harrington, even par
There were fewer than 20 scorecards over the first two days that beat Scott Harrington’s first-round 66. He had five birdies in a bogey-free opening round but on Friday, he was 10 shots worse, shooting a 5-over 76 and costing himself a pair of weekend tee times.
Sean O'Hair, 1 over
Like Scott Harrington, Sean O’Hair opened with a 66 and was sitting in a pretty good spot after 18 holes. But while Harrington was 10 shots worse Friday, O’Hair was 11 shots worse, posting a 77 that featured five bogeys and a double bogey. A day after carding five birdies, he managed only one Friday.
Matt Wallace, 2 over
Matt Wallace won for the first time on the PGA Tour a month ago at the Corales Puntacana Championship in the Dominican Republic.
He posted a 67 in the first round but Day 2 was nowhere near as productive, especially on Nos. 5-8 as he went bogey-bogey-bogey-double bogey to make the turn at 39. He would go on to shoot a 6-over 77. Only Sung Kang’s second-round 80 was worse.
Harry Higgs, 3 over
The popular Harry Higgs won’t be around for 36 more at Vidanta after scores of 70 and 75, which were five shots too many for the 2 under cutline. Higgs, in his 99th PGA Tour start, has one top-10 finish this season seven weeks ago in Puerto Rico. This week marks his eighth missed cut in 16 events.