AUGUSTA, Ga. – Bryson DeChambeau probably expected to have a say in who wins this 90th Masters, but as Rory McIlroy was putting the finishing touches on his 7-under 65 and six-shot lead through two days at Augusta National, DeChambeau was emptying the sand out of his shoes.
Figuratively, of course, but DeChambeau’s third missed cut in his past five Masters starts can be largely attributed to poor bunker play. He didn’t just go 1 for 4 in sand saves; two of those blunders were unequivocal disasters.
The first came Thursday at the par-4 11th hole. DeChambeau was even par when he hit his third shot heavy, leaving it in the right trap, then his fourth even heavier before finally blasting out with his fifth and two-putting for triple bogey. After posting 4-over 76, DeChambeau followed with a 74 that was capped by another triple, this time after leaving his third shot in the front-left greenside bunker and having his fourth barely land on the putting surface before seeing it roll off the front of the green.
With the focus on McIlroy, DeChambeau wasn’t requested for an interview after missing the cut by two shots at 6 over. A day earlier, DeChambeau told reporters he planned on taking “what the golf course gives me.”
“I have to try to hit my irons better,” he added. “I drove it left numerous occasions. … You know, everybody has an ability for weird things to happen, and today, I just did not have my irons under control, which is weird. It’s been good coming into it.”
Who missed the cut at the 2026 Masters?
DeChambeau’s early exit wasn’t the only surprise. Akshay Bhatia was 2 under for the tournament when he turned on Friday afternoon, only to play his second nine in 8 over with a closing double bogey and also miss by two. No other player shot better than 74 in the first round and failed to make the weekend.
World No. 5 J.J. Spaun went 74-75 to fall one stroke below the cut line, as did past champions Bubba Watson and Danny Willett. Speaking of former winners, Jose Maria Olazabal led early on Thursday, though he eventually posted 74-79.
Cameron Smith, at 7 over, trunk-slammed for a sixth consecutive major championship.
Robert MacIntyre, ranked eighth in the world, followed his first-round 80 with a 71, though he remained grumpy and disinterested with talking, declining media for a second straight day.
No amateurs made the cut for the second straight year.