2023 U.S. Open missed cuts: Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Phil Mickelson headline stars to exit early

Records were overturned and a new chapter in history was written, but it wasn’t all birdies and good times for the players in the first two rounds of the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club. A host of big names, including Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Phil Mickelson, failed to secure tee times for the weekend. Los Angeles native Max Homa was also packed early, as the LACC’s firm stance hit back late Friday afternoon and claimed he was a victim.

Earlier Friday, both Spieth and Mickelson were battling to reach the final 2-over. The former major champion found himself at the elimination line before LACC’s tough back nine forced its will on the duo.

Mickelson started his day with red numbers and even shot as low as 3 under early in his first round. A poor finish came Friday, with the six-time Grand Slam champion winning 2-2. Still in the comfort zone, the birthday boy’s mishap on the backside’s only par-5 proved costly and was one of two errors in his final four holes, which ended at 3-over Contest. Mickelson will continue to pursue the U.S. Open as he looks to complete a career Grand Slam.

Spieth’s downfall was even more capricious. After an opening 72, he kept his start with two birdies and two bogeys on his first five holes. A birdie on the par-5 8th and a long par-3 11th put him back on tie and with a chance to move up. A three-shot miss on holes 13-17 derailed all of Spieth’s efforts and ensured he left Los Angeles early.

Homa was in the red for the first 25 holes of the tournament until disaster struck the turn. Back-to-back double bogeys at Nos. 17-18 put the hometown favourites on their heels. Homa kept making and making clutch par putts when he needed to, but his sails were blown away when a third double bogey hit the par-3 7th. A second-round 76 gave Houma his eighth elimination in 15 major tournaments.

Unlike the other three, Thomas never fought. The two-time PGA Championship champion opened with a 73 and then made four straight bogeys to start his second round. A double on the 17th left him with a 41, allowing Thomas to walk easily on the backside as the top 60 was too far-fetched as he shot 81.

Thomas’s game at LACC continued some of the more unremarkable American golf. Memorably, he missed the playoffs at the Masters in pouring rain Saturday morning and needed an 8-foot putt on the 36th hole to play in the PGA Championship over the weekend. The 30-year-old’s putters are still cold, and his irons are trending towards the same temperature. With the PGA Tour playoffs looming, Thomas watched from the outside.

Other notables who didn’t make the cut in the Official World Golf Ranking’s top 50 include Sungjae Im, Coulter Kitayama, Jason Day, Keegan Bradley, Nick Taylor and Adam Scott.

2023 U.S. Open conspicuously missed cut