Collin Morikawa’s winless streak is starting to feel heavier with each tournament. His last win came back in 2023 at the Zozo Championship. This season, he wanted a win, anyhow. As a result, he resorted to changing caddies—one after another. Imagine 4 caddie changes in almost 7 months. For The Open, he had Billy Foster on the bag. Morikawa wanted someone who truly understands links golf, and Foster was a perfect fit. He’s spent decades walking those types of courses, guiding legends like Seve Ballesteros, Lee Westwood, Darren Clarke, and Matt Fitzpatrick. This calculated move to reset his long-lost game didn’t go as planned.

It all started with a rough first round. Shooting 4-over par and struggling badly with his iron shots, something he’s usually great at, didn’t sit right with Morikawa. He made 5 bogeys in the first round. But what’s amusing is how he handled the disappointing first round.

It was clear Morikawa was going through it after that round. After a rough opening-round 4-over 75 where he shockingly lost more than 2.5 shots to the field with his irons, his signature strength, the scene that unfolded on Thursday afternoon was grim. Visibly rattled, he headed to the range with his swing coach and launched into a marathon session marked by tension and obsessive focus. He hit 215 balls in total, 169 of them after his round, over an hour and 24 minutes of relentless effort. He didn’t touch a driver or anything that carried more than 199 yards. And he wasn’t just practicing—he was grinding, stepping away from his stall multiple times to collect himself, his frustration on full display. For a player known for his composure and precision, this was an uncharacteristic unraveling, a glimpse into the mounting pressure behind the smile. Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler was calm and composed.

The contrast between Morikawa and Scheffler on the range couldn’t have been more evident. Scheffler arrived just minutes after Morikawa, completely relaxed as he knocked off 25 balls in 11 minutes—all with his driver—each one curving softly on a perfect fade. Meanwhile, the pressure was mounting for Morikawa: already having missed the cut at the Scottish Open, he couldn’t avoid the same fate at The Open, failing to make the cut at +1 after a tough second round. At Portrush, he dropped four bogeys and a double bogey, signing off with a 74. His caddie, Billy Foster, was by his side through both events. While Morikawa used to be a model of major consistency—posting at least one top-10 finish each year from 2020 through 2024, including multiple in three of those seasons—2025 has been a step back.  At this point, it seems he’s been searching in caddies for something he may have lost within himself. But Morikawa wasn’t the only one to struggle. Several other big names also missed the cut after the second round.

Other Big Names Who Missed the Cut After Round 2

Patrick Cantlay also bowed out early, shooting rounds of 73 and 72. His major season has been forgettable. The Masters was the only one where he made the cut, and he finished tied for 36th there. For someone who had only missed three major cuts in his career before this year, 2025 has been a major letdown. Adam Scott was another surprise exit. 

He had performed well at the U.S. Open and cracked the top 10 at last year’s Open, but this week was a different story. A difficult round of 79 on Friday sealed his fate. He will now face added pressure in the upcoming FedExCup events. He needs a strong finish to keep his streak of major starts alive. He’s currently on track to hit 100 consecutive major appearances at next year’s U.S. Open. One player who also missed the cut, but without much surprise, was Cameron Smith.

The 2022 Open Champion played only the majors this season and missed the cut in all four. At Royal Portrush, he carded six bogeys, one double bogey, and just a single birdie in the second round. The numbers said it all.