Which big names missed the cut at the 2024 Open Championship?

Which big names missed the cut at the 2024 Open Championship?

Troon showed its teeth at the 152nd Open Championship on Thursday and Friday, claiming the scalps of a host of the game’s biggest stars.

It’s been an Open Championship to forget for some of the world’s best players with Aryshire’s brutal crosswinds causing havoc across the opening two days of play at Royal Troon.

With only ten players sitting under par and a cut line of six-over, fans of a true links test couldn’t have asked for more. Players accustomed to shooting in the low 60s week-in-week-out on the PGA Tour have been sent packing with only the canniest of shape-shifters sneaking past Troon’s traps unscathed.

So, as we head into a fascinating weekend at Royal Troon, we take a look at the high-profile names that have bitten the dust and will have to wait another 12 months for their next Claret Jug campaign…

Rory McIlroy | +14 (78 / 78)

It’s been an absolute horror show for the man everyone was hoping to see bounce back following Pinehurst’s heartbreak at the US Open. Rory’s demise started on the iconic ‘Postage Stamp’ hole on Thursday with a double bogey that triggered a string of dropped shots around the turn and deep into his round.

The writing was on the wall for Rory from the third hole on Friday with six dropped shots in the space of four holes as his charge for the weekend all but ended after 27 holes. A consolation hole out from the bunker on 14 was about as good as it got this week, raising a rye smile. Rory’s wait for a fifth Major title will now extend to a decade.

Rory’s worst scores at The Open

Tiger Woods | +14 (79 / 77)

Tiger’s miserable run at the Majors in recent years continued at Royal Troon with the 15-time Major winner doing little, in fact – nothing really, to refute Colin Montgomerie’s belief that Tiger should call it a day. He shot rounds of 79-77 in Scotland to be +14 – his worst-ever score through two rounds at the event.

It was bogey central in Troon with just three solitary birdies for the man set to tee it up in the PGA Tour’s Signature Events next year after being granted lifetime entry into the lucrative series of tournaments. He’s said all year that he believes he can win again which we all want to believe…we just need to see some evidence. Perhaps he’ll prove us wrong in Portrush where he has already confirmed he will be playing.

Wyndham Clark | +16 (78 / 80)

It has been a year to forget in the Majors for the 2023 US Open Champion. He’s missed the cut in three out of the four, with a T56 finish in Pinehurst not really making the situation any brighter. His four birdies across 36 holes got lost among some pretty big numbers, including a couple of 7s on Friday. It looks like a case of back to the drawing board if Clark is to salvage anything from the back end of the season.

Cameron Smith | +12 (80 / 74)

It was a much better showing for the Aussie on Friday, limiting the damage to a +3. The 2022 Champion from St Andrews had a torrid time of it on Thursday, however, carding a nine-over round of 80 which could have been even worse be it not for two birdies in the final three holes. The Ripper GC captain now must wait until April for another chance to mix it with the PGA crowd.

Bryson DeChambeau | +9 (76 / 75)

He was many people’s pick for the Championship, but Bryson’s bid to go back-to-back in the Majors was over before it began, stumbling out the blocks en route to an opening nine holes of 42 on Thursday. Despite steadying the ship somewhat thereafter, three further bogeys on Friday’s back nine ended his Open for another year. Bryson and his LIV colleagues will head south of the border next week to compete at LIV Golf UK.

Henrik Stenson | +8 (77 / 73)

While the Swede may not be playing his best golf at present, he was the last Open winner from Troon and expected to harness some of the links magic that took him to the title in 2016. The Majesticks GC co-captain fared better than many this week but ultimately fell short by a couple of shots after three bogeys on the back nine on Friday.

Viktor Hovland | +10 (75 / 77)

For the second year in a row Hovland won’t be playing the weekend at The British Open, it’s the first time in his career that he’s been cut from the same Major in consecutive seasons. Had it not been for a third-place finish at the PGA Championship, 2024 would have been a year to forget for the Norwegian in Major Championships. He only managed one solitary birdie in 36 holes around Royal Troon.

Ludvig Aberg | +9 (75 / 76)

Who would have guessed that after his top-five finish in the Genesis Scottish Open last week that Ludvig Aberg would be leaving Royal Troon without playing the weekend? Not me! The Swede was many people’s picks to win this week and was one of the last players expected to miss the cut. Six dropped shots in five holes on Friday did the damage though, and two birdies on the back nine was too little too late.

Tommy Fleetwood | +9 (76 / 75)

Another player tipped to go well this week, especially after demonstrating his links proficiency in tough conditions at Royal Liverpool last year. Fleetwood ended up being just three shots short of making the weekend but can have no real complaints after 36 holes that saw him make 11 bogeys and a double bogey.

Sahith Theegala | +14 (77 / 79)

The World No.11 may not be a prolific winner on the PGA Tour yet but was nonetheless expected by many to put up a better fight this week. A birdie on Thursday’s third hole was subsequently followed by a horror run of eight dropped shots in nine holes with Friday’s card even worse, dropping an eye-watering 11 shots in the space of eight holes. Ouch!

Tyrrell Hatton | +8 (73 / 77)

The Ryder Cup and LIV Golf star was unable to build on a solid enough opening round on Thursday, collapsing on Friday’s back nine with four bogeys and a double to sign for a six-over 77. The Legion XIII player will be frustrated not to capitalize on a good run of form on the breakaway tour that has seen him win and finish third in his last two events.

About the author

Ross Tugwood

Senior Digital Writer

Ross Tugwood is a Senior Digital Writer for todays-golfer.com, specializing in data, analytics, science, and innovation.

Ross is passionate about optimizing sports performance and has a decade of experience working with professional athletes and coaches for British Athletics, the UK Sports Institute, and Team GB.

He is an NCTJ-accredited journalist with post-graduate degrees in Performance Analysis and Sports Journalism, enabling him to critically analyze and review the latest golf equipment and technology to help you make better-informed buying decisions.