AUGUSTA, Ga. — When Bryson DeChambeau walked to the 18th tee Friday, he needed only a bogey to make the cut at the Masters. He walked off 18 green with a triple bogey, and will not play the weekend.
The top 50 players and ties at the end of the second round make it to the weekend. After a troublesome Round 1, where he carded a triple bogey at No. 11, DeChambeau was in a tie for 56th.
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But a late birdie Friday at No. 15 put him at +3 for the tournament — inside the cutline of +4 — and it appeared one of the favorites heading in would survive, even if barely.
But disaster struck right off the 18th tee, when DeChambeau launched his ball into the woods on the right side. A punch out to the greenside bunker was a solid scramble, but then just as he had at No. 11 the day before, he failed to get it out of the bunker on his first try. His second bunker shot then rolled off the front of the green. A chip and two putts later, he was in with a 7 and out of the tournament.
Another co-favorite heading in, Jon Rahm, was more fortunate. After Round 1, Rahm found himself at +6, in a tie for 73rd. But a birdie at 16 Friday put him back to the good — +4, right on the number — and the 2023 Masters winner will play on.
The rally of the day goes to Brian Harman, who walked off the fourth green at +10 for the tournament. From there, he carded seven birdies (and a bogey) to get to +4.
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The heartbreak of the day goes to Akshay Bhatia. Sitting at +5 and in a bunker at 17, Bhatia needed something special. And so …
But like DeChambeau, he still had 18 to play, and there he carded a double bogey 6 to move him back on the wrong side of the cutline.
Others not so fortunate: former Masters champions Danny Willett (+5), Bubba Watson (+5) and Zach Johnson (+6). J.J. Spaun (+5) and Robert MacIntyre (+7) also missed the cut.
MacIntyre, the eighth-ranked player in the world, had his Round 1 go completely sideways at the 15th, when he put two balls in the water en route to a quadruple bogey. Frustrated, the Scotsman raised his middle finger, a gesture that reportedly drew a reprimand from Augusta National officials.
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