Jordan Spieth Misses Sony Open Cut After Leading First Round
The three-time Major winner becomes just the second player in the last four years to hold a first round lead and miss the cut


On Thursday evening, Jordan Spieth found himself in a share of the lead at the Sony Open, with an opening six-under 64 putting him in fine position for another crack at yet another PGA Tour title.
However, Friday was a completely different story for the three-time Major winner, as he carded five bogeys in an eight hole stretch for a five-over 75. The 11-shot difference between his first two rounds was the worst of his career, and put Spieth as just the second player, in the last four years, to hold a first round lead/co-lead and miss the cut.
Spieth's last victory on the PGA Tour came in April 2022 at the RBC Heritage
Ironically, the American only hit one less fairway on Friday than he did on Thursday. The difference though came with approach shots into the green and his putting. Hitting 15 greens in regulation on the first day, as well as gaining over 3.5 strokes on and around them, he would only hit 11 on Friday and lose a staggering 3 strokes from around the greens.
Speaking after his round, the 29-year-old stated: "It was just a bad day. Didn't feel like it was much different. Felt like I had a really bad deck of cards today. Made a couple really -- made a couple bad swings from off the tee.
"Other than that, I didn't play that different. I just ended up a foot into the rough here, right behind a tree here, it was a weird, weird day. Left like six or seven putts short. Thought the greens were going to be faster and left six or seven in the heart within a foot short. Just a really off day."
Chris Kirk leads the tournament, shooting rounds of 64 and 65
He went on to add: "Yeah, this sucks. I mean, I've never led a tournament and missed the cut before. It's not like I wouldn't have replayed anything that I -- I made a bad swing; didn't really make any bad decisions. Just got the ball in the wrong spots at the wrong places, and out here you just have to be fairway, fairway, fairway."
Earlier in the week, Spieth revealed that he will drive around the USA to PGA Tour tournaments in an RV with his family and, despite missing the cut in Hawaii, will look to right the wrongs of this week. Certainly he feels he is a long way away from his game which won him three Major titles, with the American admitting Thursday that it's tough handling the huge variances within his game that can see him play as well as anyone one day yet struggle to stay on the course the next.
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
Such is Spieth's class though that he is listed as one of the favourites for the Masters in April, an event which he won in 2015, before infamously imploding in 2016, handing Danny Willett the Green Jacket in the process.

Matt joined Golf Monthly in February 2021 covering weekend news, before also transitioning to equipment and testing. After freelancing for Golf Monthly and The PGA for 18 months, he was offered a full-time position at the company in October 2022 and continues to cover news and social media.
Taking up the game when he was just seven years of age, Matt made it into his county squad just a year later and continues to play the game at a high standard, with a handicap of around 2-4. To date, his best round came in 2016, where he shot a six-under-par 66 having been seven-under through nine holes. His favorite player is Rory McIlroy, despite nearly being struck by his second shot at the 17th during the 2015 BMW PGA Championship.
Matt’s current What’s In The Bag?
Driver: Honma TW747, 8.75°
Fairway Wood: Ping G430 LST 15°, 19°
Irons: TaylorMade P.7CB
Wedges: Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0 Tour Satin, 50°, 56°, 60°
Putter: Cleveland TFI 2135 Satin Cero
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
-
I Looked Back At Previous PGA Championships And It's Regularly Box Office Viewing - Here Are 6 Of The Best Since 2000
Although many rank it last out of the Majors, the PGA Championship regularly delivers incredible entertainment, here are six of the best
-
The Unusual Gear In The Bags Of The World’s Best Golfers... Including An LET Star Who Carries Two Putters And A PGA Tour Winner With Two 8-Irons
It's not all brand new and conventional when it comes to the bags of elite professional golfers, with one still using a 3-wood that's more than 10 years old...
-
'You're Trying To Become Part Of History And That Has A Certain Weight To It' - Rory McIlroy Explains What Jordan Spieth Has To Go Through To Join Grand Slam Club
Rory McIlroy explained the unique challenges facing Jordan Spieth in his latest bid to complete his own career Grand Slam at the PGA Championship
-
'Technically The Easiest Major To Win' - Jordan Spieth Delivers His 'Hot Take' On The Masters That 'Augusta’s Just Blown Up More Than It Probably Should Be'
Jordan Spieth says that The Masters is "technically the easiest Major to win" as he delivered his "hot take" on Augusta National
-
Jordan Spieth To Make Tournament Debut In PGA Tour Event After Late Entry
The three-time Major winner was a late entry into the Cognizant Classic on Friday, as Spieth is set to tee it up at PGA National for the first time in his 12-year pro career
-
Jordan Spieth Makes All Universe Par At WM Phoenix Open
Playing the 11th hole, the three-time Major winner played a putter left-handed before making an up-and-down for par from the desert
-
Scottie Scheffler And Jordan Spieth Set To Return At AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am As Xander Schauffele Not Listed In Field
Scheffler and Spieth are making their first starts of 2025 following injury, whilst Schauffele misses for a third straight week as he recovers from a rib injury
-
Jordan Spieth Lays Out PGA Tour Return At Pebble Beach Following Wrist Surgery
The three-time Major winner is ready to return to action at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am after undergoing successful surgery on a long-term wrist injury in August
-
Jordan Spieth Confirms Successful Surgery On Long-Standing Wrist Injury
The three-time Major winner confirmed on social media that he has had surgery on his left wrist after being bothered by it for over 15 months
-
Jordan Spieth To Undergo Surgery 'ASAP' After Bowing Out Of FedEx Cup Playoffs
The three-time Major winner is going to have surgery on his left wrist after being eliminated from the Playoffs