54 Holes? No Thank You, Only 36: LIV Golfers Who Missed the Cut and Suffered Embarrassment at the Open Championship

Day 2 of the Open Championship, and the nail-biting fun is at its peak. The event hosted by Royal Liverpool in Hoylake this season has already succumbed to a lot of controversies, including if LIV Golfers should play at the event.

PGA Tour loyalists expressed their objection to LIV defectors appearing at the 151st Open. Even though most of these golfers had a significant claim to the title, sadly, they did not get the best results at the final major tournament of the season.

LIV Golfers who are unlikely to make the cut

There has been a lot of hype around LIV Golfers playing PGA Tour and European Tour events. Fans have often criticized the defectors, claiming they are unable to make the cut at major events namely the US Open, PGA Championship, and Masters. They credited their disappointing finishes to the fact that LIV golfers are accustomed to playing 54 holes, and cannot take the pressure of par-72.

Also read: 2023 Open Championship: Power Rankings, Defending Champion, Prize Money, and Major Details

Although LIV Golfers have defended that statement, most recently Henrik Stenson making a statement, it looks like most of them will not be making the cut after round 2 at Hoylake. Here are some of the LIV Golfers with the least chance of making the cut according to the player estimate model of Datagolf:

• Phil Mickelson – Lefty received a lot of backlash when practicing his strokes at Royal Liverpool earlier this week. However, the six-time Major champion earned his exemption with his winner’s title at the 2013 Open Championship and the 2021 PGA Championship. Nevertheless, his performance at this year’s Major events hasn’t been the best and Mickelson finished in Hoylake with 9-over par. Currently, he has a 0% chance of making the cut.

• Dustin Johnson – The captain of the 4 Aces earned his exemption into the 2023 Open Championship with two major wins namely the 2016 US Open and the Masters Tournament in 2020. However, at Hoylake, he finished round 1 with 3-over par and round 2 with 10-over par. He is currently estimated to have a 0% chance of making the cut with 13-over par.
• Branden Grace – The 35-year-old golfer qualified for the Open Championship with a remarkably low score of 62 at the 2017 Open Championship and a great output at the qualifying at Royal Cinque Ports. Unfortunately, at this year’s event at Hoylake, the now-LIV golfer scored 10-over par after round 2, leaving him in hot water with a 0% chance of making the cut.
• Charl Schwartzel – Aside from Grace, his comrade and former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel earned his spot at the Open Championship via the qualifying event at Royal Cinque Ports. Sadly, at Royal Liverpool, his scorecard plummeted to 7-over par, ranking him with a 0% chance of making the cut for the weekend at Hopylake.

• Talor Gooch – The LIV Golfer qualified into the Open Championship 2023 with him ranking in the top 30 during last year’s FedEx Cup. His deliverables at Royal Liverpool stand at 5-over par after round 2, still allowing him a 15% estimation of making the cut, although the chances are bleak in light of his score ranked among the zero percentile.

Despite their competitive nature and spectacular performances in the past, these 5 LIV Golfers couldn’t make it past 36-holes at the Open Championship 2023. The event which is one of the oldest golf tournaments featuring the very best golfers from around the world, has a slim qualifier to begin with. It is difficult to earn an exemption into the event.

Nonetheless, even with their exemptions, the golfers playing on the 54-hole circuit were unable to make the cut and qualify for the final rounds this weekend. Several other LIV golfers including Brooks Koepka, defending champion Cameron Smith, Patrick Reed, and many others are estimated to make it to the final round with 98% and higher chances at the end of Round 2.

Why do you think these LIV Golfers missed the cut? Share your opinions with us in the comments below.

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