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Done Playing: Harrington Headlines Those To Miss Cut

Two-time U.S. Open champion Ernie Els missed just his third cut in 17 U.S. Opens. (John Mummert/USGA)

By Dave Shedloski

Farmingdale, N.Y. – As he shuffled wearily off the ninth green Saturday afternoon at the Black Course at Bethpage State Park, Padraig Harrington held a look of both disappointment and resignation.

The reigning British Open and PGA champion, Harrington had just putted out on his final hole of the day for his second straight 6-over-par 76 in the U.S. Open, and missed the cut by eight shots to exit early from a major championship for the first time since the 2007 Open at Oakmont Country Club.

There wasn’t much he could hang his hat on over three days and two rounds of struggle until his caddie, Ronan Flood, lifted his spirits.

“My caddie pointed out last green (that) I’m the only player walking around with two major trophies at the moment, so I can’t feel too bad about that,” said the Irishman, who had won three of the last seven majors heading into the 109th U.S. Open going back to the ’07 British Open.

Harrington, who missed the cut in America’s national championship for the third time in five years, was arguably the biggest name in the 156-player field to not qualify for the final two rounds. But, then, it’s been more than a decade since so many were sent packing.

The 36-hole cut, which includes the low 60 and ties and any player within 10 shots of the lead, fell at 4-over-par 144, but because of the record two-round total of 8-under 132 by leader Ricky Barnes, a former U.S. Amateur champion, exactly 60 men remain in the championship. That hasn’t happened since the 1998 edition at The Olympic Club in San Francisco.

Seven years ago at Bethpage Black, 72 players advanced at 10-over 156.

Only one amateur stayed alive in 2002. This time, three amateurs advanced, led by Canadian Nick Taylor, playing in his second Open. Taylor, a quarterfinalist at the 2007 U.S. Amateur, fired a 5-under-par 65, matching the U.S. Open record for low score by an amateur held by James McHale in 1947 at St. Louis Country Club and Jim Simons in ’71 at Merion.

“I knew I had some birdies in me,” said Taylor, 21, who stood tied for seventh at 2-under 138 after playing four holes Saturday even par with a birdie at the 18th. “I just stayed patient and made some birdies, made some putts on the second 18. It was nice to finish the way I did, end on a good note. It’s a good feeling to play on the weekend.”

Former British Amateur champion Drew Weaver shot 72 to end up at 1-over 141, while Kyle Stanley, the runner-up in the recent NCAA Division I men’s championship, had a 74 to come in on the number at 144.

Fred Funk, 53, who nearly withdrew from the championship at the start of the week after aggravating his surgically repaired right knee, birdied his final hole Saturday for 74 and make the cut on the number. Fellow Champions Tour player Tom Lehman, 50, a former U.S. Open runner-up, also advanced at 144, but U.S. Senior Open champion Eduardo Romero was sent packing with a 147.

Other significant names to miss the cut included two-time U.S. Open champion Ernie Els, who shot 155, and former PGA champion David Toms at 145. Canada’s Andrew Parr, who held the overnight lead after the rain-shortened opening day, followed 74 with a 72 and missed at 146. Another casualty was former U.S. Amateur champion Matt Kuchar, who shot 77-148.

Dave Shedloski is a freelance writer whose work has previously appeared on USGA championship Web sites.

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