Collin Morikawa Misses the Cut in Scotland as The Open Looms

Collin Morikawa has the weekend off, and he can’t be happy about it.

The world’s fifth-ranked player delivered his poorest performance in ages on Friday, carding a 6-over 76 in the second round of the Genesis Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick.

Morikawa began the day in 33rd place after an opening-round score of 68. But he had seven bogeys, including three in a row on Nos. 15, 16 and 17, and just one birdie -- on the par-3 ninth -- all day to miss the cut by five strokes.

He finished in a tie for 124th place.

With the year’s final major, the Open Championship at Northern Ireland, looming next week, this is not the kind of lead-up showing the 28-year-old Cal grad wanted.

Fellow Golden Bears Michael Kim and Byeong Hun An advanced to Saturday’s third round. Kim shot a second-round 67 and is tied for 27th place at minus-4. An posted a 2-over 72 and just squeaked under the cut line with a minus-1 score through 18 holes. He is tied for 64th place.

Morikawa has tinkered with his game all year, and this week brought on veteran Billy Foster as his fourth caddy this season. Foster, who has worked with the likes of Seve Ballesteros and Lee Westwood over four decades, was only going to carry Morikawa’s bags at these two European stops.

The new pairing provided no immediate help to Morikawa, who is seeking his first tournament victory since the Zozo Championships in Japan back in October 2023. 

Other than coming up short in his bid to claim a seventh career PGA Tour victory, the two-time major winner has played fairly well this year. He has two runner-up finishes and had landed in the top 25 in 10 of his 14 tournaments.

Morikawa missed the cut for the first time since the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in April and just the second time in his past 32 events, dating back to March 2024.

He was flirting with the cut line when he shot 1 over through the first nine holes Friday to sit at minus-1. Then he carded bogeys on Nos. 10, 13, 15, 16 and 17 to drop out of contention.

Kim, 31, shot a 69 on Thursday then began his second round with three birdies over the first five holes. He made three more but also three bogeys, including on No. 18, to wind up in an 11-way logjam for 27th.

An was at 2 under after the front nine before five bogeys over his next eight holes left him in jeopardy of not advancing.He got through by converting a birdie on No. 18.

American Chris Gotterup, a 25-year-old Rutgers grad who is ranked 158th in the world, shot a bogey-free 61 and has the two-round lead at minus-11.

Harry Hall is second at 9 under and Ludvig Aberg, Matt Fitzpatrick and Marco Penge share third place at minus-8. Rory McIlroy, ranked No. 2, shot a 65 and climbed to a tie for sixth at 7 under. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is tied for 21st place at minus-5.