Woods, Mickelson miss cut

Sporting News Logo

Webb Simpson stormed to the outright lead at the halfway mark of the Greenbrier Classic, while Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson missed the cut.

American Simpson carded a bogey-free four-under-par round of 66 to take his two-round score to nine under at The Old White TPC in West Virginia.

Compatriots Jonathan Byrd, Charlie Beljan, Jeff Maggert, Jerry Kelly and Martin Flores, who still has two holes to play after the second round was suspended due to darkness, are all a shot back at eight under.

JB Holmes and Korean Charlie Wi are a further stroke back in a tie for seventh.

But after securing his third win of the year last week, Woods will have a rare weekend off after missing the cut for only the ninth time in his PGA Tour career.

The former world number one carded a one-under-par round of 69, but with the cut at minus one he will be left to rue his 71 in his opening round.

"I didn't quite have it," Woods said.

"I drove it really well but I just didn't hit the ball pin high and that's one of the hallmarks of my game. I can hit it pin high pretty consistently and I just did not do that at all."

Mickelson also missed the cut after shooting his second consecutive 71, the first time Woods and Mickelson have missed the cut in the same tournament as professionals.

The only previous time both Woods and Mickelson failed to make the cut in a Tour event was the 1993 HP Byron Nelson Championship. Woods was in high school and competing as an amateur.

US Open champion Simpson picked up two shots on the front nine with back-to-back birdies at the seventh and eighth holes.

He fired another birdie at the par-five 12th before finishing his round in style with another birdie on the last.

Beljan shot the round of the day with five birdies in his first seven holes powering him to an eight-under 62 and a share of second place.

Gavin Coles and Rob Pampling are leading the Australian contingent, five shots off the pace at four under, while Marc Leishman just made the cut despite a bogey on the last.

Author(s)