Shinnecock cut takes out big names
Four in top 10, Tiger going home
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — The U.S. Open cut sliced offsome huge names.
There won’t be an inspiring weekend return to the tournamentfor Tiger Woods, nor a fifth major championshipfor Rory McIlroy.
Jordan Spieth won’t get his fourth major, Martin Kaymer never contended for a third and Jason Day is goinghome without his second. Same deal for some other owners of one major title: Sergio Garcia, Adam Scott andKeegan Bradley.
Four players ranked in the top 10 in the world won’t be around come Saturday, missing the cut of 8-over 148: No.4 Spieth, No. 5 Jon Rahm, No.6 McIlroy and No. 8 Day.
Shinnecock Hills beat themall.
Failure to advance might have been most painful for Spieth, who rallied from a first-round 78 with four consecutive birdies on his back nine, then bogeyed his final twoholes to wind up at 9 over — and done. Aside from his 2015 win in this event, Spieth has a spotty record. He finished 37th and 35th in the pasttwo U.S. Opens.
Woods, who missed the previous two U.S. Opens with injuries and hasn’t won one— nor any major — since 2008 — had little chance of sticking around after firstround struggles. He opened witha 78, then shot 72.
“I’m not very happy the way I played and the way I putted,” said Woods, who also missed the cut three years ago at Chambers Bay. “I’m 10-over par. So I don’t know that you can be too happy and too excited about 10-overpar.”
McIlroy was even worse Thursday with an 80. He came in Friday with an evenpar70, not nearly enough.
“The conditions took me by surprise [Thursday] and that is what really got me,” said McIlroy, specifically referring to the shifting winds. “The conditions were a lot better today and I played well, the way I have been playing in decent conditions recently. Every time you come in to a U.S. Open you knowit’s going to be tough.”