Mickelson, Smith among notables to miss cut at U.S. Open
The U.S. Open is known for being played at difficult courses that produce high scores from even the world's very best golfers. This week at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, has been no different, and there was no shortage of notable names that failed to make it to the weekend.
Phil Mickelson struggled in his first tournament on the PGA TOUR schedule since January, shooting rounds of 78 and 73 to finish the tournament at 11-over. Only 16 players finished with a higher score this week than the six-time major champion.
The 52-year-old had only played in one recent professional golf tournament heading into the week: The inaugural LIV Golf event in England, where he finished 34th at 10-over in the no-cut 48-player tournament.
The Players Champion Cameron Smith is also among those to miss the cut this week at the U.S. Open. The World No. 6 recorded rounds of 72 and 74 to end the tournament at 6-over - three strokes short of the cutline.
Smith made just one birdie at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, on Friday en route to missing the weekend. It marks the 28-year-old's third cut in 14 events so far this season.
Viktor Hovland will also miss the weekend in Brookline this year. The Norwegian player had a bogey-filled scorecard on Friday after shooting an even-par 70 on Thursday, recording seven bogeys in a nine-hole stretch and nine total for the round. He started just four shots back of the 18-hole leader.
The 24-year-old's 42 on his back nine - the course's front nine - on Friday tied the highest nine-hole score he's recorded since turning professional, according to Twenty First Group's Justin Ray.
Billy Horschel, who grabbed his seventh PGA TOUR win two weeks ago at the Memorial Tournament, came up one short of making the cut at 4-over. Corey Conners, Shane Lowry, and Sergio Garcia were also among those to miss the cut by one.
Tony Finau, who finished solo second last week at the Canadian Open, missed the cut after rounds of 73 and 72.