Northern Trust Open: Spieth Misses Cut at Jam-Packed Northern Trust Open

As Spieth misses cut, other big names look to take home Northern Trust Open.

With 36 holes in the book at Riviera, there are plenty of big names right in the mix heading into the weekend. The biggest name of them all, however, will be heading home early.

World number 1, Jordan Spieth, missed the cut by 5 shots. Most of the damage was done after his 8-over-par 79 on Thursday. He shot 11 shots better in his second round but it just wasn’t ever going to be enough. After coming back to the U.S. after his “world tour” he has had two straight disappointing weeks to finish off the PGA TOUR’s West Coast Swing.

Spieth was just off with his irons all week, and that left him in difficult positions around the green. Spieth also struggled inside of 5 feet. However, Riviera did rank as the most difficult course to putt inside of 5 feet last year. The tricky poa annua greens can make for some guesswork, because it is typically more bumpy than some other grasses on the PGA TOUR.

It’s not the time, however, to get overly concerned about Spieth. He will get a few extra days to rest, before getting off these bumpy poa annua greens as the TOUR starts its Florida Swing. If Spieth comes out at his next start in Doral and has similar results, then it may be a cause for concern. He made 8 birdies in his second round, so rest and more practice should do him well.

Back to the men that will be playing this weekend. Your leader is –Jason Kokrak. The 30-year-old shot a 7-under-par 64 in the second round to take a one shot lead over Chez Reavie. Kokrak sits at 10-under-par through two rounds.

It shows what a bit of rain can do to the playing conditions. Last year the winning score was 6-under-par. With the greens soft, players can spin the ball with ease and attack some of these pins that they couldn’t last year. The greens are going to dry out by Sunday, as we are not supposed to get any more rain this weekend.

Long hitters Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson are just two shots back at 8-under-par. Both have played well at this event. Bubba won it two years ago, and Dustin Johnson lost in a playoff last year. With their position after 36 holes, and the level of experience at this course I think they should be the favorites heading into the weekend. Both are also being helped by this shorter rough this week, so they can just bomb it as far down as possible because the rough isn’t that big of an issue.

Their a slew of big names sitting at 6-under-par. 4-time major champion Rory McIlroy is making his PGA TOUR debut this weekend, and he is currently just 4 shots back. Rory had two very different rounds. Round 1 he was able to make his fair share of putts on these tricky surfaces. Round 2 his was stripping his irons but just couldn’t really get in rhythm with the flat stick as he took 33 putts. When McIlroy gets hot with the putter he is almost unbeatable because he is almost always on ball striking wise.

Also at 6-under is the Waste Management Phoenix Open Hideki Matsuyama. He has been playing really solidly as of late and it’s because he has gotten a little more consistent with his putter. His ball striking, much like McIlroy, is always very consistent. He has that slight pause at the top of his swing, before he just uncoils through the ball. He showed he won’t be intimidated when the pressure is on.

Masters Champions Adam Scott and Charl Schwartzel also both make up the group at 6-under-par. Schwartzel comes into the week fresh off the victory last week in South Africa, and is seeing his game round into form as we make our way towards Augusta. Scott has begun to take strides in his putting. Of course Scott had to make the adjustment after the anchoring ban this year. As he said, “I made everything I was supposed to.”

World number 7, Justin Rose, sits five shots back at 5-under-par at his second PGA TOUR stop of the year. He closed his second round with three consecutive birdies, so he will look to take that momentum into the weekend to go chase down the leaders.

I’m expecting to see Riviera show it’s teeth this weekend. Projecting the winning score to be 12-under-par.