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.
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 Suber
1
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
0
2 of 15
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Pick the winner.
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
0
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 Scheffler
1
3 of 15
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Pick the winner.
Best of the home nations at -3 after Round 1. Flying and in contention. Scotland's man with something to prove.Robert MacIntyre
0
At -1 on his home course. Two shots behind MacIntyre. His crowd, his Open, his Birkdale. Who moves on Friday?Tommy Fleetwood
1
4 of 15
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AMThe Contenders: Rank by 36-hole total — best first
Sort the competitors from first place to last place.
1
Jackson SuberSolo leader at -5. Korn Ferry grad. First trip to Europe. 27 holes of links experience before Thursday. The shock of the tournament.
2
Bryson 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.
3
Robert MacIntyreAt -3. Best of the home nations. Scotland's standard bearer and playing the golf of his life.
4
Daniel 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?
5
Sungjae ImCo-leader at -4. Steady and composed. Five birdies, one bogey on Thursday.
5 of 15
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AMThe Bubble: Rank by 36-hole total — best first
Sort the competitors from first place to last place.
1
Rory McIlroyAt +2. Historically bad putting on Thursday. Masters champion. Never missed a major cut. That streak is in genuine danger.
2
Xander SchauffeleDefending Open champion sitting at even par. Not where he wants to be heading into Friday.
3
Viktor HovlandAt even par. Quietly underwhelming on Thursday. One of the pre-tournament favourites with work to do.
4
Jordan 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
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AMFriday Movers: Who gains the most ground in Round 2?
Sort the competitors from first place to last place.
1
Jon RahmAt -1 after Round 1. Quiet but dangerous. The 2023 Masters champion knows how to find his range at a major.
1
Scottie SchefflerAt -2. No birdies in his final 12 holes Thursday. The world No. 1 owes Birkdale a response on Friday.
3
Collin 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
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AMCut or Go Home: Rank by 36-hole total — best first
Sort the competitors from first place to last place.
1
Shane LowryAt -1. The 2019 champion has a one-shot buffer but knows exactly how brutal Friday at a links major can be.
2
Brooks KoepkaAt even par. Three major championships deep in his career and somehow on the bubble at Birkdale.
3
Cameron SmithAt +3. The 2022 Open champion is in real danger. Links golf is supposed to be his game. Not this Thursday.
8 of 15
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Where does the 36-hole cut fall?
Pick the correct answer.
+5 or higherBrutal Friday conditions. Wind up, scoring compressed. High numbers survive the weekend.
+3 to +4The Birkdale norm. Cut fell at +3 in 2017 and +4 at Portrush last year. Right where the projections sit.
+1 to +2Benign Friday. Scoring runs hot and the cut tightens. Several big names breathe easier.
Correct
Even par or betterScoring bonanza on Friday. The field separates fast and the cut becomes brutally selective.
9 of 15
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Will Rory McIlroy make the cut?
Pick the correct answer.
Yes — Rory survivesHe’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.
Correct
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.
10 of 15
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Will Jordan Spieth make the cut?
Pick the correct answer.
Yes — Spieth survivesHe won HERE in 2017. Birkdale brings something out in him. One good round and he’s still alive for the weekend.
No — he misses the weekendAt +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?
Correct
11 of 15
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Will Jackson Suber still be leading or co-leading after Round 2?
Pick the correct answer.
Yes — 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.
No — the field catches himDan Brown led at Troon in 2024 and fell away. The history of links majors is full of Thursday leaders who evaporate by Friday afternoon.
Correct
12 of 15
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
How many of the top-5 favourites make the cut?
Pick the correct answer.
All 5 make itScheffler, McIlroy, Rahm, Hovland and Schauffele all survive. Class tells on Friday.
4 of 5One casualty among the favourites. Most likely McIlroy or Schauffele based on where they sit.
Correct
3 of 5Links golf strikes again. Half the pre-tournament market misses the weekend.
2 or fewerCarnage. Birkdale eats the field and the favourites go home early. It has happened before.
13 of 15
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
What will the low round of the day be on Friday?
Pick the correct answer.
63 or betterSomeone goes historically low. A chaser with nothing to lose or a contender catching fire.
Correct
64–65A very low round but not historic. Suber shot 65 on Thursday. Friday could match it.
66–67Solid scoring day. Conditions allow some low numbers but nothing extraordinary.
68 or higherTough Friday. Wind up, scoring compressed. Nobody separates from the field in Round 2.
14 of 15
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Will there be a hole-in-one on Friday?
Pick the correct answer.
Yes — 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.
No — not on Friday eitherHole-in-ones at The Open happen roughly once every two years across all four rounds. Two straight days without one isn’t a surprise.
Correct
15 of 15
Jul 17 @ 6:00 AM
Who leads after Round 2?
Pick the correct answer.
Jackson SuberThe shock leader holds his nerve through 36 holes. The Korn Ferry grad stays on top heading into Moving Day.
Sungjae ImThe steadiest player in the field catches Suber or moves ahead. Experience over excitement.
Daniel BrownHe led at Troon in 2024. He knows how to do this. Does he finally hold a 36-hole lead at The Open?
Bryson DeChambeauThe LIV star bounces back from his 18th hole bogey and charges up the board Friday.
The FieldSomeone from outside the top 4 — Morikawa, MacIntyre, Scheffler, Rahm — makes their move and leads after 36 holes.
Correct
