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5 big-names who could miss cut at The Players Championship 2026 ft. Rory McIlroy


On Thursday, March 13, Sahith Theegala, Lee Hodges, Sepp Straka, and Maverick McNealy fired 5-under 67 to take the early lead at the Players Championship 2026. Austin Smotherman was also at 5-under after seventeen holes before the action was suspended.

Following the first round action at the Players Championship, the cutline is set at 1-over, and 53 players are currently in danger of missing the weekend. In this article, we will look at the five notable names who are on the verge of missing the cut.

5 notable players currently below the cutline at The Players Championship 2026

1) Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy (Image Source: Imagn)
Rory McIlroy (Image Source: Imagn)

Rory McIlroy didn’t have an ideal start to the week in his title defense at TPC Sawgrass. The Northern Irishman picked up just one birdie against a whopping three bogeys to shoot a 2-over 74.

McIlroy is currently struggling with back challenges, due to which he was forced to withdraw from Bay Hill after two rounds. The five-time major champion is still looking for his first win of the year.

2) Shane Lowry

Shane Lowry at the Cognizant Classic (Image Source: Imagn)
Shane Lowry at the Cognizant Classic (Image Source: Imagn)

After having a decent start to the season, Shane Lowry has found himself in another unusual week. He was 2-under after thirteen holes on Thursday, but a bogey, double bogey, and a quadruple bogey on the 18th forced him to finish with a 4-over 76.

Lowry, who was close to winning at the Cognizant Classic, will now need a big turnaround in the second round at the Players Championship to keep himself in contention.

3) Brian Harman

Brian Harman at the Players Championship (Image Source: Imagn)
Brian Harman at the Players Championship (Image Source: Imagn)

Brian Harman is another big name below the projected cutline at TPC Sawgrass. The star golfer picked up three birdies on Day 1, but six bogeys resulted in him finishing with a 75.

The 39-year-old golfer hasn’t found form this season and is yet to make a top-10 finish. If he doesn’t turn it around on Friday, this could be his third missed weekend of the year.

4) Sam Burns

Sam Burns at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (Image Source: Imagn)
Sam Burns at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (Image Source: Imagn)

Sam Burns’s bad form continues at Sawgrass, as he shot a 75 on Thursday. He is currently on the verge of missing his third straight cut of the season.

5) Nico Echavarria

Nico Echavarria at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard (Image Source: Imagn)
Nico Echavarria at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard (Image Source: Imagn)

Nico Echavarria is also on the wrong side of the cutline after shooting a 74 and might miss his fifth cut of the season. The Colombian star does, however, have a top-ten finish and a Cognizant Classic win this season.