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The Open Championship field takes shape as the 2 top-ranked players in the world miss the cut

Dustin Johnson
Dustin Johnson

Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

  • The cut has officially been made at the 2018 Open Championship, and the two top-ranked golfers in the world — Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas — both failed to survive to the weekend.

  • Across the course, other competitors have laid chase to the leaders at 6-under, with plenty of big names still in the mix to take home the Claret Jug.

After two rounds at Carnoustie Golf Links, the field at the Open Championship has whittled  down to the players who will get to play through the weekend, and for the first time since 2011, the two top-ranked players in golf will fail to cash a check at golf's oldest major.

Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas entered the week holding the top two spots in the golfing world, but underwhelming performances from both superstars left them short of the cut line of +3.

Johnson and Thomas aren't the only big names heading home from Scotland early — Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson, and Jon Rahm all failed to make it to moving day as well.

Links golf is already an unforgiving game, and this weekend was an especially wild one for those taking the course. On Thursday, "burnt out" conditions led fairways that were faster than greens, leading to a slew of wild shots from players across the course. Then on Friday, a gentle rain finally came down, softening the course a bit and likely changing every shot that players felt they might have picked up from the first round.

Still, even with the challenges Carnoustie presented, some of the biggest names were able to thrive.

Tiger Woods sits at even par after two rounds of 71, marking the first time he's had consecutive rounds of par or better to open a major in five years, according to ESPN. Tommy Fleetwood, who holds the course-record at the course, was put up the lowest score of the tournament thus far on Friday, posting a 65 to head into the weekend at 5-under, just a shot off the lead.

Zach Johnson and Kevin Kisner lead the pack, with both players at 6-under through two days.

Stars including Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler are just a few strokes behind them, well within striking distance should they be able to make a move in the final rounds.

The 2018 Open Championship has already provided some wild moments for golf fans and looks to be heading towards an enthralling finish, and could lead to some shuffling amongst the top-ranked players in the world.

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