A look at how missed cuts for a series of notable European and USA players at the PGA Championship might impact their Ryder Cup chances
Monday 13 August 2018 01:07, UK
Despite the world's top-10 golfers all making the cut in the PGA Championship at Bellerive, there were some notable figures in the game missing out.
After heavy storms in St Louis forced an early suspension to the second round, the overnight projected cut mark of level par remained in place as the top 70, including ties, progressed.
The final major of the season acted as the last opportunity for American players to secure their automatic berth on Jim Furyk's team for the Ryder Cup next month, while their European counterparts also had an incentive to impress.
Here's a look at some of the standout players to have missed the cut from both sides of the Atlantic and its impact…
Thomas Bjorn spoke midweek about his belief in Garcia's ability to turn around his form in time to feature at Le Golf National but the Spaniard failed to impress once again on the major stage - missing the halfway cut for the fourth time this year.
His absence from the final two rounds comes for the seventh time out of his last 11 starts and time is running out, with the qualification cut-off set on September 2, for the Spaniard to avoid requiring a captain's pick.
Garcia also missed the cut at last year's PGA Championship and the 2017 Masters champion carded rounds of 70, 71 to fall one shot off the mark, despite having been one-under with six holes to play on Friday.
DeChambeau started the week ninth on the points list but the 24-year-old bogeyed three of his last six holes upon Saturday's resumption to finish one off the cut mark.
His back-to-back bogeys down the stretch before a third dropped shot in quickfire time - a missed par putt at his 18th hole - saw him miss the rest of the weekend and a chance to impress captain Furyk.
The frustration for the Memorial champion this season is only increased by the fact players further down, including Kevin Kisner and Xander Schauffele, who played alongside Furyk, finished inside the cut mark.
The Swede is one of Europe's most senior members but he began the week well out of contention for automatic selection and such hope ended with a missed cut.
An encouraging second round one-under 69 did provide a reminder of what the 2016 Open champion is capable of and an elbow injury has provided a hindrance in recent weeks.
Just as with Casey, his experience is likely to provide favour in his bid for a captain's pick from his fellow Scandinavian and therefore ensure a fifth Ryder Cup appearance. Significantly, of the current eight eight qualifiers, four of them are set to be rookies - Tyrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm and Alex Noren.
Reed had performed well at the three previous majors but was unable to replicate that form over the opening two rounds and his attention will quickly turn to the FedEx Series events and fine-tuning his game for the Ryder Cup, which he thrives on.
The Masters champion hit rounds of 72, 71 to miss the cut by three shots but had already secured his qualification in France due to his consistent performances during the season.
The big-hitting Texan is very likely to form a formidable partnership with Jordan Spieth once again.
Despite missing the cut and ending his hopes of maintaining automatic qualification for the biennial matchplay event, 'Lefty' has enjoyed a productive season.
Prior to this week he had made the cut at all three previous majors this year and also won his first title since winning The Open, at the WGC-Mexico, but rounds of 73, 71 weren't good enough.
Having been part of Friday's afternoon wave forced to return on Saturday morning, his chances of extending his stay were ended by a double bogey at the par three 16th.
Casey returned to the European team fold at the EurAsia Cup at the start of the year and seemed destined to be a certainty for qualification in Bjorn's set-up next month.
The experienced Englishman has nine top-10s at the majors on his resume but his two rounds of 75, 73 left him eight shots off the cut mark at Bellerive.
Casey only has one more event before the end of the European qualifying race - the Northern Trust Open later this month and faces an anxious wait to see if Thorbjorn Olesen and Ian Poulter overtake him, with less than six points separating the trio on the World Points list.
Matt Kuchar (+1) will also not be one of Furyk's eight automatic qualifiers but his Ryder Cup experience and four top-10 finishes at the majors over the past two years could lead to a captain's pick.
Bubba Watson (+8) is another former major winner to have missed the cut but his baffling second round 78, after an opening level par 70, shouldn't harm his chances, having started the week fifth on the points list.
