The Open Championship: Winners and Losers at the Halfway Point
Alright, so we’ve seen the cut line at Royal Birkdale. That means, yeah, the list of tournament losers just got longer. But don’t get it twisted, there are winners all over the place if you’ve got the eyes to see ’em. Let’s break down who’s killing it and who’s… well, not.
Now, before we get into the nitty-gritty, we gotta talk about the elephant in the room. Bryson DeChambeau. This whole penalty-or-not thing, the bizarre reenactment by the 5th hole? It’s something else. For the sake of content, it’s fascinating, right? It’s drama. But honestly? It feels like a damn shame. A weird, unfortunate sideshow that could totally take away from what should be a glorious major. We’ll call it a winner for the sheer spectacle, and a loser for the potential distraction. Now, back to the usual suspects…
The Halfway Champs: Shooting Lights Out
Let’s start with the literal halfway champs. Lucas Herbert. Dude made his ninth birdie of the day at the 16th. For a hot minute, you thought he was gonna shatter the major scoring record of 62. But nah, he settled for par on the easy par-5 17th, tugged a five-footer on the last, and tapped in for bogey. Still, an eight-under 62. He said he’s “absolutely disappointed, and at the same time, so proud of today.” Can’t blame him. Hell of a start.
And then, just 22 minutes later, Sam Burns joins the 62 club. How? Birdie-birdie-birdie finish. And not just tap-ins. A made 20-footer, then two hole-outs from off the green. Pure magic. For context, Burns wasn’t even sure he’d make it here. His baby daughter, Belle, was born on July 3rd. Just in time for him to jet over. Talk about commitment. You love to see it.
This whole “two guys shooting 62s” thing is becoming a trend, isn’t it? Branden Grace did it in 2017. Then Fowler and Schauffele at the 2023 U.S. Open. Lowry and Schauffele again at the 2024 PGA. And now Burns and Herbert. Augusta National is the only major that hasn’t seen a single 62. Let alone two in the same week. That’s gotta be next, right?
The Rising Stars and the Stumbling Giants
The Summer of Alex Fitzpatrick is still going strong. He shot a Friday 67, putting him on the first page of the leaderboard. This kid’s been on fire since winning the Zurich Classic with his brother, Matt. He’s validating that new PGA Tour card with a string of top 10s. Can he snag his best major finish yet? We’ll see.
Speaking of his brother, Matt Fitzpatrick’s summer hit a temporary speed bump. He posted his second straight 72 on Friday and missed the cut by a few shots. This is the guy who’s won three times on the PGA Tour this year, was ranked World No. 3, and was a popular pick this week. Ouch. And to make it worse, he has to deal with his brother, who’s also his roommate for the week. When asked about performances, Alex just said, “No, no, I just leave him to do his stats, and I’ll just watch my TV.” Brutal. Tough break for Matt.
Bryson's Balancing Act: Winner and Loser?
We talked about Bryson DeChambeau’s drama, but let’s be clear: his strategy for conquering Birkdale has been surprisingly effective. Nick Faldo was chirping about how you can’t attack a links course, but Bryson picked his spots. He got aggressive. And it’s paid off. He followed up a 67 with a 66, finishing birdie-birdie in front of massive crowds. He’s just one shot off the lead. He even put on a show for the World No. 1. But still… that penalty ruling? Still up in the air. What the hell is going on there?
Jon Rahm's Near Miss and Steady Play
Jon Rahm. The guy tested his club’s structural integrity after pulling his tee shot way left of the green on 16. Got a warning, dodged a two-stroke penalty. Close call. But his other irons? They picked up the slack. A towering 5-iron into the par-5 17th, a dialed-in 7-iron into 18. He’s right in the mix at four-under heading into the weekend. He can definitely contend.
Fleetwood's Home Advantage and Rose's Disappointment
Tommy Fleetwood is another one who’s looking good. Four-under par, inside the top 10. The energy around his group was already nuts on Friday. Imagine Saturday and Sunday if he’s still in contention. That’s gonna be insane.
On the flip side, Justin Rose. No fairytale ending here. He moved up the board with a Friday 68, but that opening 75 bit him. He missed the cut by two shots. He had a nice moment with the crowd after an up-and-down on 18, but you know he wanted that reception on Sunday, not Friday. He said, “I think the overriding emotion is disappointment because I want to play two more rounds. Not just that I want to be in contention, I want to want to win the tournament. I actually want to play two more rounds.” Yeah, we get it, Justin. It’s a tough pill to swallow.
The Late Chargers: Making the Cut in Style
We had a bunch of guys who scraped into the weekend right on the number. Min Woo Lee birdied 18 to make it. Aldrich Potgieter finished eagle-par to get in. Naoyuki Kataoka birdied 16, 17, and 18. Pure clutch. But the real miracle? Josele Ballester. Eagle-birdie finish. He was four-over, pulled it back to one-over. That’s some serious magic for his weekend tee times.
Spieth's Struggles and the New Kids on the Block
Jordan Spieth. Came in hoping for some 2017 magic at Royal Birkdale. Entered Friday hoping to rally and make the cut. Instead? He limped off the 18th, 14 shots worse than his playing partners Fleetwood and Rahm. Two three-putts from short range, a quadruple-bogey 9 on 17. Just brutal. Absolutely brutal.
But hey, there are always new faces making noise. Jackson Suber and Ryan Gerard are on the first page of the leaderboard, tied for third at six-under. And what’s their common thread? They’ve never played in a major before! That’s the beauty of golf, right? Anyone can get hot.
Major Champs Sitting at Home
And then you have the guys who won the last two majors. Aaron Rai (PGA) and Wyndham Clark (U.S. Open). They’ll be watching the weekend from home. Rai went two-over, Clark a shot behind him. Rory McIlroy is the only one left with a chance at a multiple-major season, sitting at one-under, T39. He’s the lone wolf.
The Lurking Big Names and Unsung Heroes
There are so many damn good stories unfolding. Marcus Plunkett’s charge to the cut line, considering where he’s been, is right up there. It’s an electric leaderboard, a classic Open test. And the big names lurking? You name it. Cameron Young, Robert MacIntyre, Scottie Scheffler, Ludvig Aberg, Tyrrell Hatton, Patrick Reed, Chris Gotterup, Collin Morikawa, Adam Scott… the list goes on and on. This is what The Open is all about. Pure drama, unpredictable outcomes, and a test of true grit. We’ll see who comes out on top.
You can find more on the players and the course on The Open’s official website.