The Arnold Palmer Invitational remains one of the few PGA Tour Signature Events that still features a 36-hole cut, and Bay Hill Club & Lodge once again proved why it’s among the toughest stops on Tour.
While Arnold Palmer has been gone for nearly a decade, the tournament that bears his name still reflects his old-school philosophy: if you don’t perform, you go home early. The cutline landed at 2-over 146, marking the first over-par 36-hole cut on the PGA Tour since the 2025 British Open (1 over).
The demanding conditions produced plenty of Friday drama. Several players suffered painful finishes just to miss the weekend, including Ben Griffin, who three-putted from 29 feet on the 18th green to fall short by a stroke. Sam Burns closed with a brutal bogey-double bogey stretch to land on the wrong side of the line, while Shane Lowry bogeyed the final hole to continue what has been a frustrating run.
In total, 51 professionals and one amateur advanced to the weekend, leaving a number of notable names clearing out their lockers early.
Justin Thomas’ Return Shows Rust
One of the biggest storylines entering the tournament was Justin Thomas returning from several months away following back surgery. But the 32-year-old struggled mightily in his comeback.
Thomas shot 14 over through two rounds, ranking near the bottom of the field in multiple strokes gained categories. He finished 71st in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee, 70th in SG: Tee to Green and 70th in SG: Putting, clear signs of a player still shaking off competitive rust.
Despite the disappointing performance, Thomas tried to keep things in perspective after his long layoff.
“I’m trying as hard as I can to give myself a little bit of grace because of how long I haven’t played and how difficult this course can be,” Thomas said. “But at the same time I expect more out of myself.”
The rough week shows just how unforgiving Bay Hill can be for even the best players on Tour.
Major Champions and Veterans Also Fall Short
A number of established stars also failed to survive the cut.
Justin Rose endured his worst round of the season on Friday, carding an 80 while finishing dead last in Strokes Gained: Putting. Although Rose captured a win earlier this year at Torrey Pines, the Englishman has now missed three cuts this season, including consecutive missed cuts in Signature Events.
Former Bay Hill champion Jason Day also couldn’t find his form. The Australian, who won the tournament a decade ago and was the last champion to receive a congratulatory handshake from Arnold Palmer himself, posted rounds of 74-74 to miss his first cut at the event since 2008.
Meanwhile, Patrick Cantlay continued a slow start to the season. The world No. 31 failed to record a single birdie in Friday’s 77, leaving him with his second missed cut in five starts in 2026. Cantlay struggled around the greens and on the putting surfaces, losing nearly four strokes to the field with the putter in the second round.
Struggles Continue for Several Rising Players
Brian Campbell, coming off a two-win season in 2025, has been stuck in a difficult start to the year. He has now missed the cut in four of five events with a cut in 2026.
Aldrich Potgieter, the reigning Arnold Palmer Rookie of the Year, shot 79-76 while finishing last in both Strokes Gained: Approach and Putting in the opening round. Meanwhile, Pierceson Coody bounced back from a first-round 79 with a 70 on Friday, but the damage had already been done.
Others missing the cut include Tom Hoge, Joel Dahmen, Denny McCarthy, Sam Stevens, Haotong Li, Ryan Gerard, J.J. Spaun, Keegan Bradley, Sungjae Im, and J.T. Poston.
For the 52 players moving on, the challenge only gets tougher as the Arnold Palmer Invitational heads into the final two rounds.
Arnold Palmer Invitational Delivers Brutal Friday as Big Names Miss Cut