Justin Rose departed Royal Birkdale on Friday evening, his hopes of lifting the Claret Jug at the venue that launched his career extinguished after finishing three over par.
The 45-year-old Englishman produced a spirited second-round 68 but could not overcome the damage from an opening 75, ending two strokes outside the cut line.
It was at this Merseyside links in 1998 that a teenage Rose captured the nation’s imagination, chipping in on the final hole to secure fourth place as a 17-year-old amateur — the finest Open performance by an amateur since 1953.
With Royal Birkdale unlikely to host the championship again for at least nine years, this may prove to be Rose’s farewell to the course where his remarkable journey began.
Justin Rose was among the big names to miss the cut at The Open
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The gallery surrounding the 18th green offered Rose a poignant send-off, breaking into song as he approached: “There’s only one Justin Rose, there’s only one Justin Rose, walking along, singing a song, walking in a Rosy wonderland.”
Rose admitted he tried to savour every moment of that final walk. “I was trying to get out of my own head at that point and just enjoy the glorious walk that an Open Championship 18th hole is,” he said.
“The crowd surging me on, I could feel that they wanted it for me. I think obviously it’s a lot of appreciation for the career I’ve had since then, and I just really wanted to enjoy it with them.”
He described the experience as “arm-tingling” despite the disappointment of missing the weekend.
Rose was far from the only high-profile casualty at the heatwave-baked links.
Justin Rose finished Friday three over par, meaning he missed the cut
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Jordan Spieth, who claimed the Claret Jug when the championship was last staged at Birkdale in 2017, endured a miserable return.
The American finished ten over par after a dismal second round featuring three double bogeys, his tournament ending with a three-putt from just three feet.
Matt Fitzpatrick, ranked third in the world and boasting three victories this season, suffered his first missed cut of 2026 after consecutive rounds of 72 left him four over.
Reigning US Open champion Wyndham Clark battled back with a birdie-birdie-eagle finish on Friday but his opening 73 proved too costly, leaving him three over.
Aaron Rai, the surprise US PGA Championship winner, also fell one stroke outside the cut line.
Cameron Smith, the 2022 champion at St Andrews, narrowly missed advancing after finishing two over despite a promising front nine on Friday that included four birdies.
US Open winner Wyndham Clark could follow up his momentous victory, falling outside the cut line at Royal Birkside
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Viktor Hovland’s challenge collapsed on day two when the Norwegian went five over, ultimately finishing four over for the tournament.
Brian Harman, who lifted the Claret Jug in 2023, fared even worse at nine over.
The cut fell at one over par, with only the leading 70 players and ties progressing to weekend play.
Among those who scraped through were Brooks Koepka and Keegan Bradley, both finishing precisely on the cut line. Min Woo Lee required a clutch birdie on the 18th to secure his place in the field.
