U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark missed the cut at the 2026 Rocket Classic at Detroit Golf Club. Clark finished 5-over par after rounds of 71 and 74, marking his second consecutive missed cut on the PGA Tour following an early exit at The Open.
The exit comes at a strange time for Clark. He has been one of the hottest players on Tour this summer, securing two wins in 2026, including THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson and his second U.S. Open title, which he won last month at Shinnecock Hills in New York. Despite the stumble in Detroit, he remains firmly inside the top 10 of the FedExCup standings and is ranked No. 9 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Prior to this stretch, Clark had a six-tournament run during which he won twice and didn’t have a finish worse than a tie for 13th.
A Lost Ball and the 3-Under Cut Line
The Rocket Classic cut line settled at 3-under par, leaving 73 players to compete for the title. The field started at 147, but Patrick Rodgers withdrew after an opening-round 77. Every player at 2-under or worse failed to qualify for the final two rounds.
Clark, who started the week with a 1-over 71, struggled to find a rhythm on Friday. While he managed to keep pace with an even-par front nine, his game unraveled on the back half. The collapse was punctuated by back-to-back bogeys on holes 11 and 12. The definitive blow occurred at the par-4 14th hole, where a hack out of the native area
resulted in a lost ball and a double bogey. He finished the day with a 74, leaving him eight shots outside the cut.
Clark wasn’t the only high-profile casualty. The field saw several notable exits, including defending champion Aldrich Potgieter and two-time tournament winner Cameron Davis. Other big names who failed to make the weekend included three-time PGA Tour winner Ben Griffin and Chris Gotterup.
While some struggled, others flourished. Cameron Young vaulted into a share of the lead with a 9-under 61 on Friday to join Patrick Cantlay and Patrick Fishburn at 10-under par after 36 holes. Matt Wallace and 2023 champion Rickie Fowler remained just one shot behind at 9-under par, while two-time major winner Xander Schauffele was part of a group at 8-under par. Additionally, Matt Kuchar aced the 163-yard, par 3 fifth hole at the Detroit Golf Club on Friday.
Detroit as a “Home Week”
For Clark, the tournament was more than a professional stop; it was a homecoming of sorts. He is dating Metro Detroit native Emily Tanner, 31, a Michigan State alumna, Instagram model, and social-media influencer. The couple, who live in Scottsdale and L.A. respectively, had spent the July 4 holiday visiting lakes in Michigan.
I mean, I've always enjoyed coming here,
Clark said this week. Now, I have a little more of a family relationship here. My girlfriend's from this area, so that makes it really fun.
He described the experience as kind of a home week, it feels like.
Tanner and her friends and family were expected in the gallery all week at Detroit Golf Club.
The personal connection extended to the local sports scene. On Tuesday, two nights before he teed off, Clark wore a No. 2 Tigers jersey and threw a ceremonial first pitch at a Detroit Tigers game against the visiting Baltimore Orioles. The Tigers routed the Orioles 14-0.
“I kind of blocked it out to be honest. I just threw it and it was right on target. I was happy.”
Wyndham Clark
The Final Rocket Classic and Future Stakes
For other players, the event provided a different kind of momentum. Jackson Koivun, who won the 3M Open the previous week, managed to make the cut by a single stroke after a second-round 67.
The disparity in performance at Detroit Golf Club was stark. While leaders reached 10-under par, some struggled significantly.
For Clark, the primary objective remains the upcoming FedExCup Playoffs. While the Detroit exit is a temporary hit to his momentum, his overall season remains elite. He will now look to reset before the playoffs begin, hoping to return to the form that saw him win twice and maintain a streak of top-15 finishes earlier this summer.
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