As the winds picked up and the pressure mounted at The Renaissance Club, the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open once again delivered a stern test to the world’s best. With the cut line creeping lower and the margin for error vanishing fast, several big names found themselves battling not for leaderboard dominance, but simply for survival during the second round. Among them was two-time major champion Justin Thomas, whose week nearly ended far earlier than he had planned.

Thomas, who returned this week after a two-week hiatus, started his first round steadily, making just one bogey and two birdies for the day. He signed off with a 1-under first round, but it wasn’t enough, as leaders Sepp Straka and Jake Knapp carded rounds of 64 each. With 5 shots behind the leaders, Thomas didn’t expect the rollercoaster of a round on the second day. He made 4 bogeys and 3 birdies and found himself teetering on the brink of elimination as he approached the 18th hole. Sitting at even par for two days, with the cut projected at 1-under, he needed something special to extend his stay in Scotland. And he delivered—rolling in a crucial birdie on the final hole to post a 1-under total through 36 holes, just enough to squeeze inside the cut line!

This narrow escape wasn’t lost on Thomas, who took to Instagram shortly after feeling relieved and expressed his shifting focus on the weekend. “Got ourselves two more rounds here at the @genesis_scottish_open. Time to make a move tomorrow!” he wrote, signaling a mix of relief and renewed determination. It was a message that hinted at perspective, recognizing the close call but also the opportunity that still lies ahead. It’s dependent on him whether he can turn this narrow escape into a full-blown resurgence.

But this narrow escape marks another moment in what has been a season of ups and downs for Thomas, who has struggled at times to find consistency but continues to grind through adversity. Thomas has had a mixed year. He has had one win at the RBC Heritage and seven top-10 finishes, including his tied 9th finish at the Travelers Championship. He has also had three runners-up finishes but has missed the cut in two events, both of them majors: the PGA Championship and the US Open. While he’s currently ranked 4th on the OWGR, Thomas has finished outside of the top 25 in six events this year.

But with two more rounds now guaranteed at the Scottish Open, Thomas has a fresh chance to build momentum, not just for this tournament, but as preparation for The Open Championship just a few days away. While Thomas managed to claw his way into the weekend, several other big names weren’t as fortunate, with a surprising number of top-tier players falling short of the cut line.

Notable names who weren’t as lucky as Thomas

Like Thomas, Collin Morikawa had a rollercoaster of a week at the Scottish Open. But his performance came to a disappointing end as he finished 4-over par, five strokes outside the cut line. Morikawa had a not-so-steady opening round of  2-under, which included a double bogey, three birdies, and an eagle on the third hole. He also bogeyed two out of his final three holes on the first day and was four shots behind the leaders. But a disastrous 6-over round on the second day, with seven bogeys and just one birdie, pushed him out of the tournament.

Another notable name who missed the cut was Aldrich Potgeiter, who was the youngest winner on the PGA Tour when he won the Rocket Classic in June. The prodigy has had a mixed season with 9 missed cuts and three top-10 finishes, including a tied 6th finish at the Charles Schwab Challenge. Potgeiter carded rounds of 70 & 72, to miss the cut by three shots, making it his tenth missed cut of the season. It appeared that his massive power off the tee (326 yards) couldn’t save him from the strong winds in Scotland this week. Another notable player, J.J. Spaun, who won the 2025 U.S. Open, also missed the cut, after carding 2-over par after 36 holes.