The Masters is where the best golfers showcase their skills, but not everyone can bring their A-game. This year’s leaderboard featured players with a combined 10 major wins inside the top five, including reigning champion Scottie Scheffler. However, some big names failed to advance to the weekend, such as Angel Cabrera, the 2009 green jacket winner who was back at Augusta for the first time since serving time in prison for assault and intimidation. He finished 11-over in his two rounds. Dustin Johnson, the 2020 Masters winner, also missed the cut after a costly double bogey on the 18th hole, marking his second straight missed cut at Augusta.
Another player headed home early was Brooks Koepka, who had a strong showing at the majors in 2023 but struggled this year. Despite being even-par through the 16th hole, bogeys on 17 and a quadruple-bogey on 18 pushed his tournament score to 5-over. Will Zalatoris, a player fans are eagerly waiting to see make a breakthrough, failed to impress this week, finishing 8-over. Tony Finau, who had performed well at the Genesis, was unable to hang on and fell below the cut line. Russell Henley, considered a sleeper pick by many, struggled from the beginning and finished 3-over for the tournament.
Legendary golfer Phil Mickelson had a disappointing outcome as well, missing the cut after a double-bogey on the 15th hole. Despite his second-place tie two years ago, Mickelson has been unable to replicate that success, falling short at this year’s Masters. Overall, the tournament saw some surprises and disappointments as top players struggled to make the cut. While some veterans like Mickelson faced challenges, younger players like Zalatoris also had setbacks. This serves as a reminder that in golf, anything can happen, and success is never guaranteed, even for the best in the game.
