Full Breakdown
Record-Low Cut Line Sends Top Stars Home Early at the 2026 U.S. Open
6/20/2026, 7:11:37 AM
Record-Breaking Cut Line and Its Context
The 126th U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills concluded Friday with the cut set at +4, the lowest since the 2023 Open at Los Angeles Country Club and the lowest ever recorded at Shinnecock Hills in its five previous editions. The tournament rules state that the top 60 players and ties advance, which resulted in 72 golfers earning a weekend slot. Early in the day, DataGolf projected the cut could be as low as +2, but the final line settled at +4 after Dylan Wu’s decisive birdie on the 18th.
Notable Players Who Missed the Cut
The stringent line eliminated a cluster of high-profile competitors:
- Bryson DeChambeau – former two-time U.S. Open champion, finished +5 (70-75).
- Jon Rahm – 2021 U.S. Open champion, posted +6 (68-78).
- Brooks Koepka – 2018 U.S. Open winner, +10 (73-77).
- Viktor Hovland, Rickie Fowler, Shane Lowry, Patrick Cantlay, Cameron Smith, Si Woo Kim, Sepp Straka, and Adam Scott also fell short, each finishing +5 to +10.
These exits included the LIV Golf trio DeChambeau, Rahm and Koepka, underscoring a broader struggle for the league’s marquee players in major-championship conditions.
Scores and Statistics
- Cut line: +4 (72 players).
- Leader after 36 holes: Wyndham Clark, -7 (133).
- Average score of those missing the cut: +6.5.
- Number of double-bogeys on Friday: 22 (including DeChambeau’s back-to-back on holes 3 & 4).
Impact on LIV Golf and Future Majors
The early exits raise questions about LIV Golf’s ability to translate tour success into major-championship performance. DeChambeau’s miss marks his third straight major cut, while Rahm’s collapse follows a runner-up finish at the PGA Championship. Both players remain atop the LIV points race, but their major-season prospects appear jeopardized. Koepka’s double-digit score also highlights the difficulty of defending a U.S. Open title on a course that, despite being “easier” than anticipated, still punishes errant shots.
Official Statements & Responses
- The United States Golf Association reiterated that the +4 cut reflects the tournament’s “standard 60-and-ties rule” and noted the line was “the lowest in Shinnecock Hills history.”
- Tournament officials cited “windy conditions and firm greens” as factors that kept scoring tight despite lower-than-expected overall numbers.
- Player representatives summarized the situation: DeChambeau acknowledged the missed cuts as “part of the game,” while Rahm’s camp described the back-nine as “uncharacteristically volatile.”
Criticism & Opposition
Analysts pointed to DeChambeau’s “right-miss with irons and left-miss with driver” and his 111th ranking in Strokes Gained: On Approach as evidence of a deeper swing issue. Critics also highlighted Rahm’s “seven bogeys and a double-bogey on the back-nine” as a lapse in putting that “undermined his otherwise solid start.” Some commentators argued that the cut line, while low, still allowed a relatively large field (72 players), suggesting the course may not have been as punitive as past U.S. Opens.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Early projections listed the cut line at +2, later adjusted to +4; sources differ on whether the final line was reached before or after Wu’s birdie.
- While most outlets report 72 players made the cut, the official rule of “top 60 and ties” implies a variable total, leaving a minor discrepancy in the exact count.
- No direct comments from the USGA regarding the historical significance of the low cut were found, leaving a gap in official contextualization.
Verbatim Quotes
- “No. To be honest, missed cuts are gonna happen,” Bryson DeChambeau told *Flushing It*. “I might miss all four of them in majors this year. That’s just golf… I’m playing great. I just haven’t shown up when it mattered most.”
- “Golf is just not agreeing with me at the moment; I’m not enjoying it,” Shane Lowry said via the *Irish Independent*.
What’s Next
The next major, The Open Championship, begins on July 16 at Royal Birkdale. DeChambeau, Rahm and Koepka will look to rebound, while Clark aims to extend his four-stroke lead into the final rounds of the U.S. Open.
