Photo by Jeffrey Eisen on Unsplash
Daily Par: Round 2 — Cut Day at Birkdale
Final scoresA Korn Ferry grad from nowhere leads The Open. McIlroy is in cut trouble. Spieth is fighting for his week. 70 points on the table — pick who survives Friday and who goes home. Everything locks before the first tee Friday morning (1:30am ET).
1 of 15
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Pick the winner.
Points1
Solo leader at -5. Never been to Europe before this week. Had 27 holes of links experience before Thursday. Eagled the par-5 17th to take the outright lead. Nobody predicted this.Jackson SuberWinner
+1
0
Co-leader at -4 after a steady 66. Five birdies, one bogey. Did his damage on the back nine. The composed veteran vs. the runaway train.Sungjae Im
+1
2 of 15
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Pick the winner.
Points0
Shot +2 Thursday — ranked 155th of 156 players in putting. Missed a 3-footer on the 8th. Needs a big Friday just to make the weekend. The Masters champion is in trouble.Rory McIlroy
+1
1
At -2 after Round 1. No birdies in his final 12 holes on Thursday but still within striking distance. Expect a response from the world No. 1.Scottie SchefflerWinner
+1
3 of 15
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Pick the winner.
Points0
Best of the home nations at -3 after Round 1. Flying and in contention. Scotland's man with something to prove.Robert MacIntyre
+1
1
At -1 on his home course. Two shots behind MacIntyre. His crowd, his Open, his Birkdale. Who moves on Friday?Tommy FleetwoodWinner
+1
4 of 15
The Contenders: Rank by 36-hole total — best first
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Sort the competitors from first place to last place.
Points- 1Jackson SuberSolo leader at -5. Korn Ferry grad. First trip to Europe. 27 holes of links experience before Thursday. The shock of the tournament.
- 2Bryson DeChambeauAt -3 after Round 1. Bogeyed the last to fall back from a share of the lead. Dangerous with a point to prove on Friday.
- 3Robert MacIntyreAt -3. Best of the home nations. Scotland's standard bearer and playing the golf of his life.
- 4Daniel BrownCo-leader at -4. Seven birdies in his final 11 holes Thursday. Led The Open at Troon in 2024 before finishing T10. Does he hold this time?
- 5Sungjae ImCo-leader at -4. Steady and composed. Five birdies, one bogey on Thursday.
5 of 15
The Bubble: Rank by 36-hole total — best first
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Sort the competitors from first place to last place.
Points- 1Rory McIlroyAt +2. Historically bad putting on Thursday. Masters champion. Never missed a major cut. That streak is in genuine danger.
- 2Xander SchauffeleDefending Open champion sitting at even par. Not where he wants to be heading into Friday.
- 3Viktor HovlandAt even par. Quietly underwhelming on Thursday. One of the pre-tournament favourites with work to do.
- 4Jordan SpiethAt +3. Won HERE in 2017 with an opening 65. On Thursday 2026 he shot +3. The cut is right there. Does Birkdale give him one more day?
6 of 15
Friday Movers: Who gains the most ground in Round 2?
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Sort the competitors from first place to last place.
Points- 1Jon RahmAt -1 after Round 1. Quiet but dangerous. The 2023 Masters champion knows how to find his range at a major.
- 1Scottie SchefflerAt -2. No birdies in his final 12 holes Thursday. The world No. 1 owes Birkdale a response on Friday.
- 3Collin MorikawaAt -2. Best ball-striker in the afternoon wave Thursday. Ranked 2nd on Tour in Strokes Gained: Approach. Knows how to win a Claret Jug.
7 of 15
Cut or Go Home: Rank by 36-hole total — best first
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Sort the competitors from first place to last place.
Points- 1Shane LowryAt -1. The 2019 champion has a one-shot buffer but knows exactly how brutal Friday at a links major can be.
- 2Brooks KoepkaAt even par. Three major championships deep in his career and somehow on the bubble at Birkdale.
- 3Cameron SmithAt +3. The 2022 Open champion is in real danger. Links golf is supposed to be his game. Not this Thursday.
8 of 15
Where does the 36-hole cut fall?
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Pick the correct answer.
Points+5 or higherBrutal Friday conditions. Wind up, scoring compressed. High numbers survive the weekend.
+1
+3 to +4The Birkdale norm. Cut fell at +3 in 2017 and +4 at Portrush last year. Right where the projections sit.
+1
+1 to +2CorrectBenign Friday. Scoring runs hot and the cut tightens. Several big names breathe easier.
+1
Even par or betterScoring bonanza on Friday. The field separates fast and the cut becomes brutally selective.
+1
9 of 15
Will Rory McIlroy make the cut?
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Pick the correct answer.
PointsYes — Rory survivesCorrectHe’s the Masters champion. He’s motivated. He’s never missed a major cut in his career. One good round and he’s right back in it.
+1
No — the streak ends at BirkdaleHe ranked 155th of 156 players in putting on Thursday. Missed birdie putts from inside 5 feet. At +2, one bad hole Friday and it’s over.
+1
10 of 15
Will Jordan Spieth make the cut?
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Pick the correct answer.
PointsYes — Spieth survivesHe won HERE in 2017. Birkdale brings something out in him. One good round and he’s still alive for the weekend.
+1
No — he misses the weekendCorrectAt +3 with the cut projected around +3 to +5, there is no margin for error. Thursday’s +3 looked nothing like 2017. Does Birkdale give him one more day?
+1
11 of 15
Will Jackson Suber still be leading or co-leading after Round 2?
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Pick the correct answer.
PointsYes — still at or near the topHe’s earned it. The eagle on 17, the composure, the score. Maybe this is just who he is under pressure.
+1
No — the field catches himCorrectDan Brown led at Troon in 2024 and fell away. The history of links majors is full of Thursday leaders who evaporate by Friday afternoon.
+1
12 of 15
How many of the top-5 favourites make the cut?
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Pick the correct answer.
PointsAll 5 make itScheffler, McIlroy, Rahm, Hovland and Schauffele all survive. Class tells on Friday.
+1
4 of 5CorrectOne casualty among the favourites. Most likely McIlroy or Schauffele based on where they sit.
+1
3 of 5Links golf strikes again. Half the pre-tournament market misses the weekend.
+1
2 or fewerCarnage. Birkdale eats the field and the favourites go home early. It has happened before.
+1
13 of 15
What will the low round of the day be on Friday?
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Pick the correct answer.
Points63 or betterCorrectSomeone goes historically low. A chaser with nothing to lose or a contender catching fire.
+1
64–65A very low round but not historic. Suber shot 65 on Thursday. Friday could match it.
+1
66–67Solid scoring day. Conditions allow some low numbers but nothing extraordinary.
+1
68 or higherTough Friday. Wind up, scoring compressed. Nobody separates from the field in Round 2.
+1
14 of 15
Will there be a hole-in-one on Friday?
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Pick the correct answer.
PointsYes — someone aces itNo hole-in-one on Thursday despite 156 attempts across four par-3s including the new 241-yard 15th. Friday brings another full set of chances.
+1
No — not on Friday eitherCorrectHole-in-ones at The Open happen roughly once every two years across all four rounds. Two straight days without one isn’t a surprise.
+1
15 of 15
Who leads after Round 2?
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Pick the correct answer.
PointsJackson SuberThe shock leader holds his nerve through 36 holes. The Korn Ferry grad stays on top heading into Moving Day.
+1
Sungjae ImThe steadiest player in the field catches Suber or moves ahead. Experience over excitement.
+1
Daniel BrownHe led at Troon in 2024. He knows how to do this. Does he finally hold a 36-hole lead at The Open?
+1
Bryson DeChambeauThe LIV star bounces back from his 18th hole bogey and charges up the board Friday.
+1
The FieldCorrectSomeone from outside the top 4 — Morikawa, MacIntyre, Scheffler, Rahm — makes their move and leads after 36 holes.
+1
