The Biggest Names to Miss the Cut at the British Open

Several tournament favorites either missed or barely made the cut at Royal Liverpool.

It’s no surprise that Royal Liverpool's tricky links test is taking unlikely victims, but it’s always jarring to watch the stars miss the weekend at major championships. 

This week at the British Open, the cohort of big-name players who didn’t make the top 70 and ties at Hoylake includes Collin Morikawa, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Tony Finau and Phil Mickelson. 

The cut line landed at 3 over par on Friday. 

Thomas's and Johnson’s missed cuts will perhaps be the most consequential of the bunch, as both are vying for spots on the U.S. Ryder Cup team. 

After an 11-over 82 on Thursday, Thomas went on to post a round of even par on Friday but it wasn't nearly enough to help the two-time PGA champion move back within the cut line. 

That makes three out of four missed cuts in major championships for Thomas this season, a record that could give U.S. captain Zach Johnson some pause come time for captain’s picks. 

“There's nobody that shot 82 that hit some of the quality shots that I did yesterday. It doesn't make sense,” Thomas said. “I'll hit shots like a No. 1 player in the world, and then I'll make a 9 on my last hole of the tournament.”

Johnson, on the other hand, looked to be in decent form on Thursday when he carded a 3-over 74, but he fell apart during Round 2 with a 10-over 81. The abysmal score will not help his case to make the U.S. squad, especially since the Open marked the last chance for LIV golfers to move up the Ryder Cup standings. 

Finau's and Morikawa’s rounds will also impact their chances of making the team. Finau, who missed the cut by three shots, hasn’t posted a top-25 finish in his last eight major starts and although he has Ryder Cup experience, he currently sits 18th in the standings. Morikawa missed by just one shot and currently stands at No. 9. If the current Open leader Brian Harman goes on to win the tournament, both Finau and Morikawa could pose a potential captain’s pick dilemma for Johnson.  

Mickelson won’t be a contender for the Ryder Cup, but his missed cut was just as painful as the rest. On Thursday, the LIV golfer found himself at even par for the tournament until he unraveled on Royal Liverpool’s grueling 17th and 18th holes. 

Mickelson finished with a double and triple bogey and couldn’t find form again after the last-minute disaster, finishing at 9 over for 36 holes. 

The group of players who made the cut on the number is perhaps more shocking than the list of names who won’t see the weekend. A total of 15 players stand at 3 over par, including five major champions: Padraig Harrington, Brooks Koepka, Scottie Scheffler, Adam Scott, and Danny Willett. 

Scheffler pulled off an unbelievable up-and-down from the greenside pot bunker on No. 18 to make the cut, as did Rickie Fowler. 

Pressure brings out prowess.

The world number one has it in abundance. pic.twitter.com/3E630NJHvZ

— The Open (@TheOpen) July 21, 2023