Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are heading home, hot-footing it out of Winged Foot after missing the cut at the US Open.
It marks just the second time they've both missed the cut in 85 majors played together.
Defending champion Gary Woodland also will be watching this weekend when his replacement is crowned in the pandemic-delayed tournament outside of New York City.
"It's never easy to not be playing for the championship on a weekend," Woods, who with the pandemic-shuffled schedule will have a chance to add to his total of 15 major victories at the Masters in November and again in April, said.
"The whole goal of entering an event is to win," he said after following an opening-round 73 with a 77 on Friday to miss the cut by four strokes.
"When I don't give myself an opportunity to do that, it doesn't feel good."
A total of 62 player reached the weekend after finishing the first 36 holes at six over or better with American John Pak (five over) the only amateur to make the weekend.
Woods missed the cut for the eighth time in his past 15 majors after missing the cut at one just three times in a span from 1996-2014.
Mickelson is a six-time U.S. Open runner-up and was hoping to complete the career grand slam at the course where he had his biggest disappointment - oin 2006.
But the five-time major champion shot 79 on Thursday and his 74 on Friday was nowhere near enough to prevent the inevitable.
Woodland won last year's title at 13 under, the lowest 72-hole total in six US Opens at Pebble Beach.
At Winged Foot he finished eight over after successive rounds of 74 as he battled a torn labrum in his left hip.
"This meant a lot to me, coming back here defending," he said.
"I put a lot of time and effort into it, and if your body doesn't let you do it, you just can't do it, and that's frustrating."
PGA Championship winner Collin Morikawa left a birdie putt an inch short on his final hole to miss the cut by one stroke.
Among the others to miss the cut were defending champion top-20 players Tyrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Justin Rose and three-times major winner Jordan Spieth.
Australian Associated Press
