Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler Get Some Help to Make Cut at Players Championship

Collin Morikawa, Patrick Cantlay, Brooks Koepka and Jordan Spieth were among those who will not be around for the Monday finish at TPC Sawgrass.
Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler Get Some Help to Make Cut at Players Championship
Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler Get Some Help to Make Cut at Players Championship /

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Scott Piercy’s inglorious departure from The Players Championship on Sunday afternoon allowed a couple of top-ranked players to survive the 36-hole cut at TPC Sawgrass.

Fifth-ranked Scottie Scheffler and sixth-ranked Rory McIlroy appeared to be out of the weather-plagued tournament with just a few players left to complete the second round when Piercy stood on the par-3 17th tee at 2 under par and in contention, just five shots behind leaders Sam Burns and Tom Hoge.

But Piercy made a quadruple-bogey 7 at the 17th, hitting his tee shot over the green, then coming up short with his third shot from the penalty drop area. From there again, he hit his fifth shot onto the front of the green and two-putted for a 7 that dropped him onto the cut line.

He then bogeyed the 18th hole – playing the last two holes in 5 over par – to miss the cut.

His misfortune allowed all of the players who were at 146, 2 over par, to qualify for the final two rounds.

The third round began at 3:15 p.m. with the final group of Burns, Hoge and Harold Varner scheduled for 5:16 p.m.

The plan is to complete the third round on Monday morning and the proceed with the final round.

Among some of the big names who missed the cut were past Players winners Jason Day, Matt Kuchar and Adam Scott. Second-ranked Collin Morikawa as well as fourth-ranked Patrick Cantlay also missed the cut, along with Jordan Spieth and Brooks Koepka.

More Players Championship Coverage:

- Finally Finding an Identity in a Trying Week
- Watch: Shane Lowry Aces Island-Green 17th
- Eye-Popping First Prize Impossible to Ignore
- Anirban Lahiri Leads by 1 with Busy Monday Ahead
- Weekly Read: How a Longshot Alternate Got In


Published
Bob Harig
BOB HARIG

Bob Harig is a senior writer covering golf for Sports Illustrated. He has more than 25 years experience on the beat, including 15 at ESPN. Harig is a regular guest on Sirius XM PGA Tour Radio and has written two books, "DRIVE: The Lasting Legacy of Tiger Woods" and "Tiger and Phil: Golf's Most Fascinating Rivalry." He graduated from Indiana University where he earned an Evans Scholarship, named in honor of the great amateur golfer Charles (Chick) Evans Jr. Harig, a former president of the Golf Writers Association of America, lives in Clearwater, Fla.