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Jordan Spieth of the United States acknowledges the crowd on the 11th green during the first round of the WM Phoenix Open 2026 at TPC Scottsdale on February 05.
The 2026 WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale delivered its fair share of drama through the first two rounds, but perhaps one of the bigger stories heading into the weekend isn’t who’s dueling for the title, but who won’t be around to compete for it.
A number of household names, past champions, and marquee stars fell short of the projected cutline after 36 holes on Friday, posting rounds that left them on the outside looking in as the weekend approaches. In a tournament known for loud crowds, fast scoring conditions and unpredictable results, frustration and surprise have ruled at the halfway point.
A Surprising List of Stars Out
One of the most stunning names to miss the cut was Brooks Koepka. The two-time Phoenix Open champion and five-time major winner looked out of sorts for much of the first two rounds. After a rough first round that saw him bogey frequently, Koepka could only muster a 2-under 69 in Round 2 – a score that wasn’t nearly enough to overcome his early deficit. For the first time in six WM Phoenix Open starts, Koepka won’t be teeing it up on the weekend.
Jordan Spieth also saw his week end early. Spieth came painfully close to making the cut, sitting at even par late into Friday’s action. But a costly sequence late, starting with a critical overshot putt on the 16th hole and compounded by a double bogey on the 17th, pushed him to +3 and off the cutline. His bid to climb back into contention evaporated quickly.
That mix of disappointment extended beyond the very biggest names. Billy Horschel, a seasoned veteran who often thrives at TPC Scottsdale, also failed to advance. A challenging start to his season continued in Phoenix, where he posted +3 through 36 holes, missing the cut for the second straight week.
Others Who Fell Short
Perhaps a more unexpected exit was that of Tony Finau. Though he has had mixed results at the Phoenix Open throughout his career, Finau showed enough talent in the past to at least flirt with the weekend. This year, however, he carded a +3 total through two rounds and saw his week come to an end when he couldn’t find enough late momentum to climb inside the cutline.
Joel Dahmen, Sam Burns, Aldrich Potgieter, Corey Conners, and Andrew Novak are just a few other favorites who will not be moving on. The projected cutline this year sat around 1-under par.
Round 2 Highlights That Defined the Week
Friday’s second round delivered plenty of standout moments that kept fans glued to the action. One of the storylines was the surge by Hideki Matsuyama. The two-time Phoenix Open winner caught fire at TPC Scottsdale, rattling off six consecutive birdies during his second round and vaulting himself up the leaderboard. He now sits in second place (-10) behind Ryo Hisatsune (-11). Matsuyama’s red-hot scoring not only showed the vintage form that’s helped him win this event in the past but also set him up as one of the weekend’s biggest threats.
Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler, who struggled during round one, seemed to find his stride. He rebounded with a 6-under-par 65, showcasing the kind of bounce-back performance that exemplifies the roller-coaster nature of golf at The People’s Open.
“I’ve been a proponent of saying you can’t really find it during the tournament week, but I found a little something in my grip yesterday that seemed to really help me get my hands more securely on the club,” Scheffler said. “Struck it much better today. Yeah, felt a bit lost out there at times yesterday, so today felt a lot better. Felt more in control of my game. You can obviously see that through the cleaner card today.”
Other highlights came from Hisatsune, whose chip-in birdie to take the solo lead provided one of the more memorable shots of the day and underscored just how competitive the leaderboard has become.
Alyssa Polczynski Alyssa Polczynski is a multimedia journalist covering Major League Baseball for Heavy.com. She has experience as an editorial producer for MLB.com and contributed to the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). More about Alyssa Polczynski
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