FORT WORTH, Texas – Justin Thomas opened his week at Colonial Country Club by insisting he was squarely focused on adding another trophy to his case, even if the Charles Schwab Challenge kicked off just days after he won the PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club.
The scorecard implies Thomas might have lost that focus just a tad.
On a sweltering Texas day, the 15-time PGA Tour champ broke down soon after escaping the Horrible Horseshoe — the three-hole stretch on the front nine that often gives players fits. Instead, it was Nos. 7, 8 and 9 that proved the downfall for Thomas, as his bogey-bogey-triple run essentially clinched a weekend off.
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Thomas wasn’t the only big name to struggle in the week after the major.
While Scottie Scheffler, Beau Hossler and Scott Stallings led the way at 9 under, here is a look at some of the other big names who were sent packing after failing to fall on the right side of the plus-1 cutline:
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Justin Thomas (plus 3)
Justin Thomas reacts after playing his shot from the eighth tee during the second round of the Charles Schwab Challenge golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports
It’s hard to harass Thomas, who captured his second major less than a week ago. JT struggled with the driver — he hit only 40 percent of the fairways — and with the putter, missing short putts like a below-the-hole six-footer for birdie on No. 13 that might have made things more interesting. But what really cost him was Strokes Gained: Approaching the Green, where he gave up almost four shots to the field.
Tom Hoge (plus 4)
Tom Hoge reacts after hitting his shot from the sixth tee during the second round of the Charles Schwab Challenge golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports
The home-field advantage for this TCU product has been non-existent the past few years — Hoge missed the cut at Colonial for the third straight year. A 75 on Thursday that included five bogeys and a double helped to clinch his fate.
Will Zalatoris (plus 3)
Will Zalatoris watches his shot from the sixth tee during the first round of the Charles Schwab Challenge golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports
It’s been boom or bust for Zalatoris in recent weeks as he has a quartet of top-6 finishes — including the WGC-Match Play, the Masters and the PGA Championship — and two missed cuts in the Dallas metroplex.
Kevin Kisner (plus 3)
Kevin Kisner plays his shot from the sixth tee during the second round of the Charles Schwab Challenge golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports
We’ll call this a surprise as Kisner has an impressive history at Colonial, including a victory in 2017. And while the course suits his game, he simply couldn’t make many birdies, finishing with just two in as many rounds.
Billy Horschel (plus 2)
Billy Horschel plays his shot from the sixth tee during the second round of the Charles Schwab Challenge golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports
This marked the first time this season Horschel missed a cut (he did withdraw from the Players), and while he didn’t miss a putt inside 10 feet during the opening round, he didn’t do enough to reach the weekend.
Abe Ancer (plus 2)
Abraham Ancer plays his shot from the sixth tee during the second round of the Charles Schwab Challenge golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports
This was a surprise, considering that Ancer has finished 14th in each of the last two years and has never missed the cut in his previous four starts at Colonial. Ancer’s putter let him down — he finished near the bottom of Strokes Gained: Putting for the event.
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