Masters Cut Line 2015: Full List of Players Removed from 1st Major
Friday at the Masters is about doing two things—surviving the cut line and staying within shouting distance of the leaders.
Jordan Spieth has made the latter nearly impossible for the majority of the field after setting a 36-hole scoring mark at 14-under par through two rounds. A number of marquee players failed to make the cut as well.
It really shouldn't come as much of a surprise that notable names missed the 2015 cut considering how loaded the Masters field is every year. It happens every time golf's best players show up at Augusta National Golf Club, and the 2015 edition of the tournament wasn't going to be any different, especially with the cut line at just two-over par.
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Here is a look at everyone who missed the cut.
| Bernhard Langer | +3 |
| Jim Furyk | +3 |
| Shane Lowry | +3 |
| James Hahn | +3 |
| Mikko Ilonen | +3 |
| Luke Donald | +3 |
| Gary Woodland | +3 |
| Stephen Gallacher | +3 |
| Matt Every | +3 |
| J.B. Holmes | +3 |
| Brandt Snedeker | +3 |
| Ben Martin | +4 |
| Billy Horschel | +4 |
| Branden Grace | +4 |
| Brian Harman | +4 |
| Camilo Villegas | +4 |
| Joost Luiten | +4 |
| Ian Woosnam | +5 |
| Padraig Harrington | +5 |
| Victor Dubuisson | +5 |
| Corey Conners | +5 |
| Sandy Lyle | +6 |
| Byron Meth | +6 |
| Jose Maria Olazabal | +6 |
| Kevin Sadler | +7 |
| Thomas Bjorn | +7 |
| Larry Mize | +7 |
| Brendon Todd | +7 |
| Miguel Jimenez | +7 |
| Antonio Murdaca | +7 |
| Martin Kaymer | +7 |
| Matias Dominguez | +8 |
| Tom Watson | +8 |
| Trevor Immelman | +9 |
| Fred Couples | +9 |
| Robert Streb | +12 |
| Scott Harvey | +13 |
| Bradley Neil | +13 |
| Ben Crane | +13 |
| Gunn Yang | +15 |
| Mike Weir | +19 |
| Ben Crenshaw | +32 |
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Among the marquee names who missed the cut were Luke Donald, Jim Furyk, Brandt Snedeker, Tom Watson and Fred Couples.
While someone like Donald had a much better chance at actually competing heading to the Masters, the biggest storyline from that group was the performance of the 65-year-old Watson. He struggled Friday and finished with a nine-over 81 and failed to capitalize on the opportunity he had after a brilliant showing Thursday.
Watson looked to be in the middle of his prime in the first round with a one-under 71. He became the oldest man to ever finish a round under par at the Masters and had the chance to become the oldest one to make the cut as well. Alas, he missed his chance, but he still deserves plenty of credit for an impressive two days.
Watson commented on his performance. “That was the high," Watson said, per Rustin Dodd of The Kansas City Star. "The low was today, the way I played. I just didn’t perform today. I didn’t drive like I did yesterday. I didn’t putt like I did yesterday."
Dave Shedloski of Golf World Magazine noted that plenty of Watson's struggles came in the early going Friday:
Outside of those players, the cut line nearly claimed one of the biggest names in all of sports Friday in Rory McIlroy.
He shot an abysmal four-over 40 on the front nine that included a double bogey on No. 9 to bring his score to three-over par for the tournament. With the projected cut line looming at two-over par, McIlroy was certainly in some trouble.
All he did was turn in a five-under 31 on the back nine to play his way up into the top 20. He doesn’t really have much chance to catch Jordan Spieth atop the leaderboard, but it was the type of clutch performance that reminded fans just how special McIlroy truly is on the course and how dangerous he can be when he is at his best.
Included in the back nine was an eagle on No. 13 and a chip-in for a birdie on No. 17. Golf personality Shane Bacon chimed in on the showing from McIlroy:
Now that the cut line is in the rearview mirror, it is only natural to look ahead to the weekend.
Spieth is the clear-cut favorite to take home the green jacket after he broke the tournament’s 36-hole scoring record with a 14-under-par performance. Nobody is closer than five shots in the entire field, and there is more separation between Spieth and second place than there is between 19th place and 50th place.
The key to Spieth’s round is the fact that he played the eight par fives at six-under par in the first two rounds.
That is critical with such a big lead because he just has to play solid golf the final two days. If he continues picking up strokes on the par fives, it will give him more breathing room to simply play for safe pars on the other holes. It will ultimately help him minimize mistakes and take home the green jacket.
Given the fact that he is only 21 years old, it could be the first of many.
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