CHARLOTTE, N.C. — This year’s Wells Fargo Championship is the ninth designated event of the PGA Tour season, meaning the 156-player field was competing for a $20 million purse, with a whopping $3.6 million going to the winner.
After two rounds of play at Quail Hollow Club, 68 players made the weekend cut and another 88 are now heading home early and empty handed.
Three players who competed for the American team at the 2022 Presidents Cup last fall at Quail Hollow were sent packing, as well as a major champion, a rising PGA Tour star and a former world No. 1 who seemed to be rounding into form.
Here’s a closer look at some of the notable names who didn’t survive the 36-hole cut at the 2023 Wells Fargo Championship, which came in at 1 under par.
Spieth shot a 1-over 72 in the first round and was in position to make a move on Friday, but instead he royally blew up and will leave the Queen City before the weekend after a 6-over 77 aided by six bogeys, a double bogey and just two birdies.
Jordan Spieth of the United States reacts to his shot from the 16th tee during the first round of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 04, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Morikawa was nothing but consistent with consecutive 2-over 73s in the opening rounds, but 4 over in a designated event won’t cut it.
Collin Morikawa of the United States reacts on the 12th tee as Cameron Young of the United States looks on during the first round of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 04, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Burns just couldn’t get anything going this week – just like his 0–3–2 performance at the Presidents Cup last fall – and after consecutive rounds of even-par 71, the five-time winner on Tour is packing his bags after missing the cut by one shot.
Sam Burns of the United States plays a shot 9hduring the first round of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 04, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Currently 13th in the FedEx cup standings, Kitayama has been hit or miss this season. He won the Arnold Palmer Invitational and finished T-5 at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, but has now missed five cuts in his last eight starts. Despite two double bogeys on his Friday front nine, Kitayama was able to get his round back to just 1-over 72, but his 5-over 76 on Thursday destined him for an early flight home.
Kurt Kitayama of the United States reacts to his shot from the third tee during the second round of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 05, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The Aussie has found his form once again this season with six top 10s and 11 top-25 finishes in 14 starts, and seemed destined to make the cut this week at Quail Hollow, the site of his last win at the 2018 Wells Fargo. Day was 3 under through 16 holes before he found the water on the par-3 17th and made double bogey to play his way outside the cut.
Jason Day of Australia plays a shot from a bunker on the ninth hole during the second round of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 05, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Lowry missed just his second cut of the season this week after ho-hum rounds of 72-72 to finish outside the number by three shots. The 2019 Champion Golfer of the Year has just one top-10 finish so far this season on Tour, a T-5 at the Honda Classic.
Shane Lowry of Ireland reacts on the 15th green during the second round of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 05, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Thompson shot a 2-under 69 in Thursday’s first round but moved to the other side of the cut line thanks to six bogeys over an 11-hole stretch on Friday. The 23-year-old Georgia product has been in the mix a handful of times this year and is currently No. 66 in the FedEx Cup standings.
Davis Thompson of the United States plays his shot from the 13th tee during the second round of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 05, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Hahn is mad as hell about the PGA Tour’s designated events. Seeing as the world No. 308 currently finds himself 180th in the FedEx Cup standings, he isn’t in position to benefit from the big money, potentially no-cut tournaments in the future. That said, he got a shot this week to make a move but came up short, shooting a 1-under 70 to finish at even par, one shot outside the cut.
James Hahn watches his second shot on ten during the second round of the Wells Fargo Championship golf tournament. (Photo: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports)
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