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We’re at the halfway point of the historic 150th Open and, for almost half the field, it’s the end of the road.

Plenty of star names are at the right end of the leaderboard but some of those you might have expected to contend won’t be around for the weekend.

Former champions, multiple major winners and some hotly-tipped prospects are amongst those minus a tee time for the Old Course on Saturday after the cut fell at level-par.

Here are seven of the biggest names who’ll be missing out…

• Tiger: This could be my last St Andrews Open

• Cam Smith hits the front at St Andrews

Collin Morikawa

Not a good week for the defending champion. He’s been struggling for form of late and that continued at the Old Course. Despite a closing birdie on Friday, his championship defence came to an end prematurely. 

Henrik Stenson

The Ryder Cup captain and 2016 Open champion won’t be about for Saturday and Sunday. After an opening 75 left him with a lot to do, it looked like he might sneak back inside the mark after nine holes on Friday. However, dropped shots at the 16th and 17th meant he fell just short.

Max Homa

It was an agonising finish for Homa, as he also missed the cut by a single stroke. The four-time PGA Tour winner was tipped by many to perform well this week. However, he just couldn’t get anything going. In retrospect, a star grouping with his childhood hero Tiger Woods and US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick might have worked against him.

Louis Oosthuizen

Having won and finished runner-up in the last two championships at the Old Course, Oosthuizen seemed like a good bet for this year. He was going along steady enough, too, but a calamitous triple-bogey at the 16th put him on the wrong side of the line.

• The graveyard shift at the 150th Open

• David Law through to the weekend

Brooks Koepka

Koepka has played sporadically and it showed here. Another who simply did not get going, he looked out of sorts and never really threatened the top half of the leaderboard, let alone the race for the Claret Jug. A 73 followed by a 75 won’t cut it this week.

Phil Mickelson

Another former champion, troubled Mickelson was in a decent place after round one but blew it on Friday with a 77. He’s not made the cut at either the US Open or the Open following his extended break from the game.

Tiger Woods

It just wasn’t to be for Woods on his return to St Andrews. A dismal double on the opening hole of the first round set the tone and he was never able to recover. A third Claret Jug at the ‘Home of Golf’ now looks highly unlikely to happen for him.

BE AT THE 151st OPEN 
ENTER THE TICKET BALLOT NOW!

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