Notable golfers who missed cut at Royal Liverpool

HOYLAKE, England — It’s a silly game, isn’t?

If you had Brian Harman running away with the Claret Jug and four top-20-ranked pros heading home on Friday, well, congratulations.

Royal Liverpool is living up to the hype as a tough, old-school links layout that has stood the test of time. Defending champion Cameron Smith closed with an eagle to jump to 2-over 144 and move to the right side of the cutline — which came at 3-over 145 —  and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler needed to produce a sublime bunker shot at 18 to make birdie and make the cut on the number.

Half the fun is over, but half the fun is still to come. The bad weather, which is expected over the weekend, should make whoever is destined to be the Champion Golfer of the Year to have earned the moniker in spades.

Open Championship 2023: Leaderboard, tee times, hole-by-hole

The field has been trimmed to the top 70 and ties, with 76 players advancing to the weekend and within 13 strokes of the lead. Let’s take a closer look at some of the notables who were sent packing from the 151^st British Open.

Collin Morikawa on the fourth hole during the second round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Liverpool. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Morikawa, the 2021 Champion Golfer of the Year, struggled on the greens, 3-putting twice each day. He shot a pair of 73s and missed the cut for the second straight year at the British Open. Morikawa made too many bogeys – five on Thursday – and too few birdies – none on Friday until No. 15 – and it added up to one stroke too many. It was Morikawa’s sixth missed cut in 21 starts this season.

Keegan Bradley of the United States tees off on the 3rd hole on Day Two of The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club on July 21, 2023 in Hoylake, England. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

Bradley, No. 16 in the world, missed the cut for the fourth straight time at the British Open. He shot rounds of 70-76—146. Bradley looked to be in good shape to play the weekend until he made three bogeys on the inward nine – at Nos. 12, 14 and 16 – and failed to birdie the par-5 18^th when he desperately needed it.

Joaquin Niemann  reacts after a putt on the seventh hole during the second round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Liverpool. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Niemann, the young Chilean golfer who joined LIV last year, was…