No 1 Johnson, McIlroy and Koepka miss Masters cut
AUGUSTA: Top-ranked defending champion Dustin Johnson has more time to prepare for next week’s US PGA Heritage Classic than he really wanted after missing the cut at the 85th Masters.
Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy also failed to reach the weekend for only the second time in 13 trips to Augusta National, missing his chance to complete a career Grand Slam for another year. And four-time major champion Brooks Koepka, who battled to play after right knee surgery a month ago, wasn’t among the 54 who reached the weekend at the year’s first major championship. “I worked my ass off just to get here and then to play like this is pretty disappointing,” said Koepka.
Johnson and Koepka each cited putting woes as their reason for being done, although Koepka will get weekend physical therapy and Johnson must put the green jacket on the shoulders of the new Masters champion today.
“Mostly just the putter. Six three-putts in two rounds, you just can’t do that,” said Johnson.
“Didn’t drive it great but drove it good enough, and I felt like I never was really too bad out of position. Just the three-putts killed me.
Koepka and Johnson both shot 75 to finish on five-over 149 while McIlroy, who did not speak after, was on 150 after a closing 74.
Koepka putting woes were major as well.
“Putter was ice cold. Didn’t make any putts,” he said.
“I don’t want to say the speed was off, maybe the reads a little bit.
“Maybe the start line. A lot of them felt like good putts, and they weren’t even hitting the hole.
“They felt good coming off the face, but they didn’t even sniff it.”
Koepka will play in next month’s PGA Championship at Kiawah Island but wasn’t sure if he would play a US PGA event before the next major tournament.
“Tough to say. Just for how it feels, how rehab goes and everything.
“I wouldn’t have been playing for another month if it wasn’t (Masters) week. So I’ll take a nice long break after this.”