Nine Major Stars Who Failed to Make the Weekend at the Open de España
Several of the DP World Tour’s biggest names have missed the cut at the Open de Espana in Madrid, with the field now heading into the final stretch of the season and a PGA Tour card for 2027 on the line.
The early exits carry extra weight because of the Race To Dubai. The Open de Espana also offers places in the season-ending playoffs, and a national open title is at stake.
The most significant casualty is Patrick Reed, who had hoped to extend his lead over Rory McIlroy in the Race To Dubai standings. Missing the cut could leave him vulnerable to losing top spot. Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra, who is playing with a broken toe, is still in contention on home soil. Only a victory will be enough for Chacarra to overtake Reed, but a second or third-place finish would be enough to overhaul McIlroy and move into second. Reed, who is recovering from the injury that forced him out of the BMW PGA Championship, shot an opening 73 before a level-par 71 on Friday. He missed out by a single stroke, finishing at two over par.
Justin Rose
Justin Rose missed the cut by a single shot after rounds of 72 and 72, finishing at two over par. His return to Europe has been difficult. He finished in a tie for 18th at the Tour Championship on the PGA Tour, but he then finished tied for 51st at the BMW PGA Championship and missed the third-round cut at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. This is his second consecutive missed cut.
Jayden Schaper
Jayden Schaper has endured a sharp dip after a strong start to the season, when he won back-to-back tournaments at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and the Mauritius Open. He has since managed only a tied 36th at Wentworth. He missed the cut in Madrid after rounds of 73 and 71, finishing at two over par. It is his second consecutive missed cut and his third in four starts. Schaper entered the week seventh in the Race To Dubai standings.
Bubba Watson
Bubba Watson made a difficult debut in the event. The two-time Masters champion opened with a four-over 75 on Thursday, leaving himself with an uphill battle. He improved to one under par with a 70 on Friday, but he finished three over par, a couple of shots short of the cut. Watson also missed the cut the previous week at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Tom McKibbin
Tom McKibbin had been in good form, with a tied sixth at the British Masters and a tied fifth at the Irish Open in successive weeks. That form has now deserted him. The Northern Irishman has missed the cut in his last two events, including a missed weekend at Wentworth. He finished at three over par.
Nicolai Hojgaard
Nicolai Hojgaard made a hole-in-one on the third hole on Friday, but it was not enough to save his round or his week. He has now missed four consecutive cuts on the DP World Tour. He struggled from the outset, shooting 74 on Thursday, and he could not break par on Friday, finishing at four over par. Hojgaard started the week 100th in the Race To Dubai standings, so he faces a huge task to qualify for the season-ending playoffs.
Adrian Meronk
Adrian Meronk struggled in Spain a week after winning the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. He opened with a 72 but followed it with a 75 on Friday, which left him five over par and out of the event. It was a tough outcome for the Pole, who had only just tasted victory.
Tyrrell Hatton
Tyrrell Hatton missed the cut after an opening 76 on Thursday that did most of the damage. He improved to a 72 on Friday but remained well outside the cut mark, finishing at six over par. It is his second consecutive missed cut. Hatton is a teammate of Jon Rahm at Legion XIII on LIV Golf, and with Rahm making headlines by quitting LIV Golf, there is speculation Hatton may follow suit. For now, he is focused on the DP World Tour.
Andy Sullivan
Andy Sullivan, the former Ryder Cup player, was ninth in the Race To Dubai standings before the event, despite withdrawing from the French Open on his previous start. He made a poor return to action in Madrid, opening with a 78 on Thursday. A 73 on Friday offered some improvement, but it was not enough. He finished at nine over par.