Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau Miss Cut at 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock

Major Champions Ousted at Shinnecock Hills

The second round of the 2026 U.S. Open proved punishing for several of the game’s most decorated competitors. According to USA Today, the cut line was set at four over par, resulting in the early exit of multiple former U.S. Open champions. Brooks Koepka, who previously won the tournament at Shinnecock Hills in 2018 and at Erin Hills in 2017, struggled through a second-round 79, finishing at +10 for the tournament. Joining him on the sidelines are 2021 champion Jon Rahm, 2024 Pinehurst winner Bryson DeChambeau, and 2025 Oakmont champion J.J. Spaun.

The field reduction was stark, with notable names such as Viktor Hovland, Patrick Reed, and Rickie Fowler also failing to meet the +4 requirement. These departures highlight the difficulty of the course setup this year, as the cut line proved more restrictive than the +7 recorded at Oakmont last year or the +8 at Shinnecock in 2018. The U.S. Open is historically defined by these demanding conditions, where the United States Golf Association (USGA) typically sets up the course with narrow fairways and thick rough, often resulting in higher scores that test a player’s mental resilience as much as their ball-striking ability.

DeChambeau’s Struggles in Major Championships

For Bryson DeChambeau, the exit at Shinnecock Hills continues a trend of inconsistency in major championships. GOLF.com reports that DeChambeau has now missed the cut in four of his last five major appearances. After an opening-round 70, his performance faltered on Friday, where he recorded a five-over 75, missing the weekend by a single stroke after a difficult finish on the final holes.

Despite the results, DeChambeau maintained a pragmatic outlook regarding his current form and the nature of major tournament golf.

“No. To be honest, missed cuts are gonna happen. I might miss all four of them in majors this year. That’s just golf. Like, I’m playing great. I just haven’t shown up when it mattered most. But I’ve played well out here on LIV, and I’m working on my golf swing really hard, and, I feel like it’s in a really solid place. It’s very close to some of my best golf ever.”

For more on this story, see 2026 U.S. Open Delayed by Fog at Shinnecock Hills, Tee Times Rescheduled.

Bryson DeChambeau, via GOLF.com

The pressure of the U.S. Open is amplified by the format, where players must navigate 36 holes of qualifying pressure just to reach the weekend. Missing the cut serves as a significant blow to a player’s standing in the Official World Golf Ranking and impacts their momentum heading into the remainder of the professional schedule. For players like DeChambeau, the focus now pivots toward the next major event on the calendar, as they look to refine their mechanics under the specific pressures that only major championship setups provide.

Wyndham Clark Leads the Field

While the leaderboard saw a mass exodus of veteran talent, 2023 U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark solidified his position at the top. Clark enters the third round with a four-shot lead at -7, having set a 36-hole record for the lowest score in a U.S. Open held at the Shinnecock Hills venue. His performance stands in contrast to the rest of the field, as he remains the only player to maintain such a significant margin heading into the weekend.

The chase pack is currently crowded at -3, featuring Xander Schauffele, Matt Fitzpatrick, Sam Stevens, and Tom Kim. With the cut line finalized and the field narrowed to 72, the tournament shifts focus to whether Clark can maintain his record-setting pace against a trailing group looking to capitalize on the weekend conditions. Historically, a four-stroke lead at the midway point of a U.S. Open provides a substantial cushion, but the volatility of Shinnecock Hills—known for its exposed, windy layout—means that the leaderboard can shift rapidly during the final two rounds. Players at -3 will be looking to aggressively attack pin placements on Saturday to shrink the gap before Sunday’s final round, where the USGA typically increases the difficulty of the course setup.

The competition now intensifies as these challengers attempt to close the four-stroke deficit and overcome the leader’s dominant position during the final two days of play at the tournament venue.

Find more reporting in our Sport news section.