Which recognizable names missed the Byron Nelson cut?

wcc

May 23, 2026 - 00:03

0 0

Which recognizable names missed the Byron Nelson cut?

McKINNEY, Texas — On a course yielding birdies by the bundle, the CJ Cup Byron Nelson offered little margin for anyone out of sync. At TPC Craig Ranch, scoring wasn’t just low, it was relentless, and those unable to keep pace quickly found themselves on the wrong side of the cut.

Si Woo Kim set the tone with a dazzling 60, while four others pushed deep into red figures with rounds of 62 or better. Against that backdrop, the cut line dropped to 6 under, a clear reflection of just how forgiving the renovated layout proved.

A number of recognizable names, unable to match the scoring barrage, won’t be part of the weekend equation. The tournament featured a cut to the top 65 players and ties after the completion of the second round.

Here’s a look at some of the notable players heading home early:

Michael Thorbjornsen (5 under)

May 21, 2026; McKinney, Texas, USA; Michael Thorbjornsen lines up a putt on the ninth green during the first round of THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

It's been a good year for Thorbjornsen, who has five top-25 finishes, but after posting three bogeys in his final 10 holes of the day, the Ohio native was sent home for the weekend.

Billy Horschel (3 under)

MCKINNEY, TEXAS - MAY 22: Billy Horschel of the United States plays a shot from the 14th tee during the second round of THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson 2026 at TPC Craig Ranch on May 22, 2026 in McKinney, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Horschel missed the cut at the PGA Championship and he did so again in McKinney after a double on the short par-4 third hole.

Matti Schmid (3 under)

May 22, 2026; McKinney, Texas, USA; Matti Schmid plays his shot from the second tee during the second round of THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Schmid was in the mix at the PGA Championship and finished T-4, but he started the CJ Cup with back-to-back bogeys on Thursday and never found the birdies to make up for it.

K.H. Lee (3 under)

May 21, 2026; McKinney, Texas, USA; K.H. Lee plays a shot from the 12th fairway during the first round of THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Lee has just two PGA Tour victories: both in this event. But he unfortunately kept his string of missed cuts alive as he failed to make it to Saturday for the fourth straight time this year.

Nick Dunlap (4 under)

Apr 25, 2026; Avondale, Louisiana, USA; Nick Dunlap plays a shot from a bunker in the first hole during the third round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

After missing five straight cuts, Dunlap rebounded with top-25 showings at both Zurich and Myrtle Beach. He dug too big a hole on Thursday, however, as he finished with a 73, and even with a solid 65 on Friday, he's heading home.

Matt Kuchar (2 under)

MCKINNEY, TEXAS - MAY 21: Matt Kuchar of the United States reacts to a shot on the sixth hole during the first round of THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson 2026 at TPC Craig Ranch on May 21, 2026 in McKinney, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Fan favorite Kuchar has now missed the cut six times in nine starts this season. He was in a decent position, but made three bogeys on the back nine on Friday to seal his fate.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: CJ Cup Byron Nelson 2026: Notable players to miss cut at Craig Ranch