Harrington, McDowell and Power cut in Texas
Graeme McDowell, Pádraig Harrington and Seamus Power all missed the cut as Marc Leishman took a one-shot lead over Aaron Wise in the weekend at the AT&T Byron Nelson in Dallas.
Morning starters McDowell and Harrington were left sweating on the cutline at three-under par after rounds of 72 and 70 but missed out by a shot in the end as Power bogeyed his last two holes late in the day to miss out by two shots after a three-over 74.
Playing alongside Texans Jordan Spieth and Jimmy Walker in his 200th PGA Tour start, McDowell opened with three straight bogeys and posted a one-over 72 that left him just inside the projected cut mark when he finished.
Harrington, who made four birdies, one bogeys and a double bogey in a 70 also finished on three under but it was not until late in the day that the mark moved to four under with 75 players making the weekend.
Spieth remains frustrated with his putting despite surging through the field with a five under 66.
The Texan (24) began the day on the cut line after a 69 and looked to be heading out of the tournament at links-style Trinity Forest Golf Club when he missed a 15-inch putt for par at his sixth hole of the day.
The game of golf will treat you to your fair share of ups and downs.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 19, 2018
Jordan Spieth's first two rounds are a prime example. pic.twitter.com/HYTkPFI1BL
But while he birdied the next and then rattled in six birdies in eight holes on the back nine, he three-putted his final hole from 12 feet, lipping out from inside three feet for par.
“I was putting myself in positions that I should put myself in and started rolling,” said Spieth, who finished the day eight shots behind early leader Marc Leishman on seven-under par.
"I putted a lot better today as far as the way it looked and it was really frustrating — kind of laziness — to miss a tap-in and on the last hole.
"I just pulled it and so obviously really frustrated, I missed two putts, one inside a foot, one inside of three feet with all the progress I made in my putting."
Leishman followed his opening 61 with a 66 to lead by two shots on 15-under par from Wise, who shot 63, with Brian Gay two off the lead in third after a nine under 62.