So it might be tough for golf purists and PGA allies to see several LIV Golf defectors make the cut at St. Andrews, including several who are in contention to win the Claret Jug.
Chief among those golfers is Dustin Johnson, the LIV Tour’s top-rated golfer in the World Golf Rankings (No. 18). He ended his second round atop the leaderboard at 9-under par, shooting rounds of 4-under and 5-under in the first and second rounds, respectively.
Johnson wasn’t the only LIV defectors near the top of the leaderboard either, with golfers such as Talor Gooch, Abraham Ancer and more in serious contention as of the end of play on Friday.Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka are two of the biggest names from LIV Golf to not make it to weekend play.
The Sporting News is tracking every LIV Tour golfer at the Open Championship — even those who missed the cut — and their score. Follow along below:MORE: Updated list of PGA Tour defectors playing LIV Golf
Dustin Johnson score at Open Championship
Round 1 (4-under 68)
| Hole (par) | Result | Johnson’s score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (4) | Birdie | 1 under |
| 2 (4) | Par | 1 under |
| 3 (4) | Par | 1 under |
| 4 (4) | Bogey | Even |
| 5 (5) | Par | Even |
| 6 (4) | Par | Even |
| 7 (4) | Par | Even |
| 8 (3) | Par | Even |
| 9 (4) | Birdie | 1 under |
| 10 (4) | Par | 1 under |
| 11 (3) | Birdie | 2 under |
| 12 (4) | Birdie | 3 under |
| 13 (4) | Par | 3 under |
| 14 (5) | Birdie | 4 under |
| 15 (4) | Bogey | 3 under |
| 16 (4) | Par | 3 under |
| 17 (4) | Par | 3 under |
| 18 (4) | Birdie | 4 under |
Johnson carded an opening-round score of 4-under 68 — tied for the lowest among afternoon starters. That’s particularly impressive, considering the afternoon groups as a whole struggled compared to those who had the advantage of early starts.
Johnson birdied twice on the front nine on Holes 1 and 9 (and bogeyed on Hole 4) to head into the back nine 1 under. He certainly was more efficient there, sinking four birdies on Holes 11, 12, 14 and 18; he bogeyed once on 15 to end the day with his final score.
Round 2 (5-under 67)
| Hole (par) | Result | Johnson’s score (Round 2) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (4) | Bogey | 3 under (1 over) |
| 2 (4) | Par | 3 under (1 over) |
| 3 (4) | Birdie | 4 under (even) |
| 4 (4) | Par | 4 under (even) |
| 5 (5) | Par | 4 under (even) |
| 6 (4) | Par | 4 under (even) |
| 7 (4) | Par | 4 under (even) |
| 8 (3) | Par | 4 under (even) |
| 9 (4) | Birdie | 5 under (1 under) |
| 10 (4) | Birdie | 6 under (2 under) |
| 11 (3) | Par | 6 under (2 under) |
| 12 (4) | Par | 6 under (2 under) |
| 13 (4) | Par | 6 under (2 under) |
| 14 (5) | Birdie | 7 under (3 under) |
| 15 (4) | Par | 7 under (3 under) |
| 16 (4) | Birdie | 8 under (4 under) |
| 17 (4) | Par | 8 under (5 under) |
| 18 (4) | Birdie | 9 under (5 under) |
Johnson appeared in danger of regressing in the second round after an opening bogey on Hole 1. He quickly put those fears to rest, getting birdies on Holes 3 and 9 to again enter the back nine with a score of 1 under for the round. He again found four birdies on the back nine, this time avoiding a bogey on 15 to shoot one stroke better than his opening round.
Round 3 (1-under 71)
| Hole (par) | Result | Johnson’s score (Round 3) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (4) | Par | 9 under (even) |
| 2 (4) | Birdie | 10 under (1 under) |
| 3 (4) | Birdie | 11 under (2 under) |
| 4 (4) | Bogey | 10 under (1 under) |
| 5 (5) | Par | 10 under (1 under) |
| 6 (4) | Par | 10 under (1 under) |
| 7 (4) | Par | 10 under (1 under) |
| 8 (3) | Par | 10 under (1 under) |
| 9 (4) | Birdie | 11 under (2 under) |
| 10 (4) | Birdie | 12 under (3 under) |
| 11 (3) | Par | 12 under (3 under) |
| 12 (4) | Par | 12 under (3 under) |
| 13 (4) | Bogey | 11 under (2 under) |
| 14 (5) | Bogey | 10 under (1 under) |
| 15 (4) | Par | 10 under (1 under) |
| 16 (4) | Bogey | 9 under (even) |
| 17 (4) | Par | 9 under (even) |
| 18 (4) | Birdie | 10 under (1 under) |
Johnson looked as if he would add to his already impressive tournament with a scorching third round, carding birdie on Holes 2 and 3. A bogey briefly put a damper on things, but two more birdies at the turn moved Johnson to 3 under through 10 holes. Three bogeys in Holes 13, 14 and 16, however, nearly dropped Johnson completely out of contention. An 18th-hole birdie was a positive way to end the round, but Johnson has some work to catch up to co-leaders Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland (both 16 under).
LIV golfers who made cut at Open Championship
Johnson isn’t the only LIV golfer performing well at St. Andrews. Gooch and Ian Poulter are among the top 25 golfers moving into the fourth round at 6 under and 5 under, respectively.
Below is a full rundown of LIV golfers who finished inside the weekend cut:
| Golfer | Score | Place (hole) |
|---|---|---|
| Dustin Johnson | 10 under | 7 |
| Bryson DeChambeau | 6 under | T-18 |
| Ian Poulter | 5 under | T-25 |
| Abraham Ancer | 4 under | T-35 |
| Lee Westwood | 4 under | T-35 |
| Sadom Kaewkanjana | 4 under | T-35 |
| Talor Gooch | 4 under | T-35 |
| Sergio Garcia | 3 under | T-48 |
| Patrick Reed | Even | T-69 |
| Laurie Canter | Even | T-69 |
LIV golfers to miss cut at Open Championship
It wasn’t all good for LIV this week. Thirteen of its golfers, including headliners Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka, missed the cut. Moreover, Louis Oosthuizen found himself well inside the cut at 1 under midway through the second round before dropping two strokes to miss the cut.
Below is a rundown of LIV golfers to miss the cut:
| Golfer | Score | Place |
|---|---|---|
| Scott Vincent | 1 over | T-84 |
| Justin Harding | 1 over | T-84 |
| Louis Oosthuizen | 1 over | T-84 |
| Richard Bland | 2 over | T-98 |
| Shaun Norris | 3 over | T-107 |
| Brooks Koepka | 4 over | T-117 |
| Bernd Wiesberger | 4 over | T-117 |
| Kevin Na | 4 over | T-117 |
| Sihwan Kim | 5 over | T-125 |
| Phil Mickelson | 5 over | T-125 |
| Sam Horsfield | 8 over | T-146 |
| Jediah Morgan | 11 over | T-152 |
| Pablo Larrazabal | 12 over | T-154 |
