The final event before The Masters is well underway, with Akshay Bhatia firing rounds 63 and 70 to lead by five going into the weekend at the Valero Texas Open.
Going in search of a second PGA Tour title, Bhatia holds a comfortable advantage over the likes of Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood but, with 36 holes remaining, anything can happen at TPC San Antonio.
Although a number of big names remain in contention, quite a few players won’t be featuring at the weekend as they failed to make the cut. These include the likes of Rickie Fowler and Tom Kim, who will now head to Augusta National to prepare for The Masters.
For much of the afternoon, the cut was around level-par, but due to some late scores being made, it moved to one-over. Below, we take a look at the notable players who didn’t make the weekend.
Matt Kuchar (+3)
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The PGA Tour veteran carded rounds of 73 and 74 to miss the cut by two in Texas. Kuchar had only made two cuts prior to the tournament, with the missed cut his seventh of the season.
Eric Cole (+4)
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The 2022–23 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year made back-to-back 74s on Thursday and Friday to miss the cut by three strokes. Cole, who has one top 10 in 12 starts this year, made five bogeys and three birdies on Friday, as he missed his third cut of the season.
Rickie Fowler (+4)
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Fowler had a lot of work to do following a four-over-par first round of 76, but the American could only shoot a level-par second round on Friday to miss the cut by four. He will now head to Augusta National and prep for The Masters, a tournament he hasn’t featured in since 2020.
Billy Horschel (+4)
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Horschel needed to win the event to make it into The Masters next week, but the American could only card rounds of 75 and 73 to miss the cut by three strokes. It is his fourth missed cut of the year.
Ryan Fox (+5)
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Fox had a day to forget on Friday, as a first round 70 was followed up by a second round 79. Beginning his Friday with back to back double bogeys, Fox did steady the ship, before a back nine of one birdie, four pars, two bogeys and a triple bogey meant he missed his fifth cut.
Tom Kim (+7)
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The three-time PGA Tour winner missed…
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