6 surprising players who missed cut at 2026 Players Championship

Shane Lowry knew it the second he let it fly on the 18th gap on Thursday.

The 2019 Open Champion tried to will his ball to maneuver proper and miss the water, however he rapidly gave up that fruitless effort and watched it splash down, changing into the 1,000th tee shot hit into the water on TPC Sawgrass’ ending gap since 2003.

Lowry was at even par when he arrived at the 18th tee on Thursday. He walked off at 4-over par following a quadruple bogey and by no means recovered.

The 2025 Ryder Cup hero was a well-liked decide at this week’s Players Championship. He practically gained the Cognizant Classic two weeks in the past earlier than he imploded late to hand the trophy to Nico Echavarria. He has 5 top-20s in 10 appearances at TPC Sawgrass and loves taking part in golf in Florida.

But this was not Lowry’s week. That quadruple bogey despatched him down the leaderboard, and he was unable to climb out of that gap on Friday.

Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy barely made the cut. Ludvig Aberg and Xander Schauffele are on high of the board. Most of the PGA Tour’s massive names have a Saturday tee time, however Lowry leads our checklist of notables who won’t play the weekend at TPC Sawgrass.

Notable players who missed the cut at the Players Championship

Honorable point out: Collin Morikawa

Morikawa was one of many pre-tournament favorites and for good purpose. He gained at Pebble Beach and adopted that up with a T7 at the Genesis and a runner-up at the API. But Morikawa tweaked his back on his second gap on Thursday and needed to withdraw. Had he performed 36 holes, he’d high this checklist. But because it’s injury-related, he simply will get an honorable point out to begin us off.

6. Joel Dahmen

What have I shot: 77-73

Notable as a result of: He has been taking part in good golf when he has gotten into the sphere. Dahmen missed the cut at brutally tough Bay Hill, however posted top-10s at the Farmers and Cognizant to begin the season. His golf has been stable, however a first-round 77 spelled the tip for him at TPC Sawgrass.

5. Kurt Kitayama

What have I shot: 74-75

Notable as a result of: Kitayama got here in taking part in good golf. I’ve backed as much as T2 at Riviera with a top-20 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, however by no means received going this week at Sawgrass.

4. Jake Knapp

What have I shot: 75-72

Notable as a result of: Knapp has been taking part in wonderful golf to begin the 12 months. He went T11-T5-T8-T8-6 throughout his first 5 begins of the season, together with a powerful exhibiting at the Genesis Invitational. But he was a late WD from final week’s Arnold Palmer and clearly did not have his finest stuff this week.

3. Harris English

What have I shot: 73-77

Notable as a result of: The No. 16-ranked participant on this planet hadn’t missed a cut since final 12 months’s API. English had completed no worse than T28 in six begins this season earlier than this week. The quadruple bogey 8 he made on the 18th gap (his ninth of the day) on Friday spelled the tip of his event.

2. Ben Griffin

What have I shot: 70-78

Notable as a result of: Griffin was one of many hottest players on the PGA Tour final 12 months. He gained two particular person occasions, gained the staff occasion at the Zurich Classic, got here in second at the Memorial and made the Ryder Cup staff. His play has tailed off to begin the 12 months. His finest end is a T19 at the Sony Open, and he is shedding strokes off the tee and on method.

1.Shane Lowry

What have I shot: 76-73

Notable as a result of: Lowry was three holes from profitable two weeks in the past at the Cognizant and again to high kind. He has imploded and now you could have missed two cuts in a row. Lowry has had success at TPC Sawgrass previously, however a quadruple bogey to complete his first spherical put him behind the eight ball, and he could not get well on Friday.