LAS VEGAS — Crapped out. No dice. Busted.
That’s how it feels to miss the cut at the PGA Tour’s annual visit to Sin City.
The third stop, and the second West Coast trip, on the fall slate of nine events, the Shriners Children’s Open still has a shot at a repeat champ, as Sungjae Im shot 65-70 and is five shots back of the lead. Mito Pereira shot a Friday 63, a career low on the PGA Tour to take a two-shot lead.
The tournament has a slew of golfers fresh off the Presidents Cup, and they all made the weekend as the cut came in at 4 under.
Here’s a closer look at some of those who did not. Maybe now they’ll be free to hit the poker room or go see a show.
James Hahn, 3 under
James Hahn is among 11 golfers at 3 under, just missing the cut by a shot. At a course where you need birdies, Hahn had just seven of them over 36 holes. He made a birdie on the 16th on Friday to get to 3 under, but bogeyed the 17th to slide back to 2 under. A birdie on 18 was too little, too late.
Rickie Fowler, 2 under
Fowler’s tie for third nearly a year ago in the CJ Cup was one reason he was able to squeak into the FedEx Cup Playoffs. So far in the 2022-23 season, Fowler has a tie for sixth at the season opening Fortinet Championship but now a missed cut in his second outing of the year.
Fowler opened with a 1-under 70 on Thursday, a round punctuated by a double-bogey 6 on the 18th hole, his ninth of the day. He birdied the 16th Friday as he tried to make a late charge but he missed birdie opportunities on the last two holes to shoot another 70 and miss the cut by two shots.
Garrick Higgo, 2 under
After missing the cut at the Fortinet Championship, big-hitting lefty Garrick Higgo placed solo third at the Sanderson Farms last week. This time around in Vegas, he just couldn’t get it going. He opened with a 72 and while he was four shots better Friday, he needed to be six shots better to make the weekend. A double bogey on his third hole Thursday was perhaps the most costly.
Cameron Champ, even
Cameron Champ missed the cut at the season opening Fortinet Championship and hasn’t played since.
Rounds of 70 and 72 in Vegas though was only good enough for even par and that’s four shots off the cut. Champ only made eight of 19 cuts last season. He did have back-to-back top 10s last season, at the Masters (T-10) and the Mexico Open at Vidanta (T-6) but it’s been a tough slog since then as he’s now missed the cut in eight of his last 10 starts.
Cole Hammer, 8 over
Cole Hammer, a former Texas Longhorn now on the Korn Ferry Tour, is continuing to learn what it takes to play at the game’s highest level. Hammer shot 73-77 in Vegas to finish tied for dead last. He’s now missed 11 straight cuts on the PGA Tour, dating back to when he made the weekend at the 2019 Houston Open.
