The drama of Friday at a major is a unique beast. While leaders solidify their positions, a tense, parallel battle unfolds just to survive the cut and earn the right to play the weekend. At the 2026 Masters, that secondary fight featured two of golf's biggest stars, Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm, both needing a strong Round 2 after disappointing starts.
Jon Rahm, teeing off early, provided a masterclass in grinding. While he didn't launch a spectacular charge, his steady, bogey-free 2-under 70 was a model of composure under pressure. It was just enough to sneak him onto the right side of the cut line at 4-over par, keeping his hopes alive for another two days at Augusta National.
Bryson DeChambeau's journey, however, was a rollercoaster of hope and heartbreak. After an early bogey, he rallied with birdies on 7 and 8 to position himself safely inside the projected cut. A bogey on the back nine tightened the screws, but a clutch birdie on the par-5 15th seemed to have secured his weekend. Then came the 18th hole.
In a cruel echo of his first-round triple-bogey on the 11th, DeChambeau's drive found the pine straw. His approach settled into a greenside bunker, setting the stage for a disastrous finish. After leaving his first sand shot short, his next attempt rolled back off the green. The ensuing chip he needed to save par and make the cut didn't drop, resulting in a second triple-bogey for the week—a devastating 7 on the last—to finish at 6-over and miss the weekend.
The cut-line drama extended beyond the stars. Akshay Bhatia's fortunes swung wildly; after a strong front nine, a brutal stretch on the back seemed to end his tournament. A miraculous hole-out from a bunker on 17 breathed life back into his chances, only for a bogey on the 18th to ultimately send him home alongside DeChambeau.
In a final historic note from a chaotic day, the 2026 Masters will see no low amateur. For the first time in years, all six amateurs in the field failed to make the cut, ensuring the traditional Silver Cup will not be awarded this weekend.