Genesis Invitational Round 2 Recap: A Ruthless Cut Claims Big Names

Round 2 of the Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines South is in the books, and it proved to be a brutal day for several big names in the field. Originally scheduled to be a no-cut event, the venue change brought adjustments and a cut of anyone 10 strokes of the lead, and when the dust settled, five league selections found themselves heading home early.

Stars Sent Packing

Among those missing the weekend are Jordan Spieth, Viktor Hovland, Sepp Straka, Sungjae Im, and Robert MacIntyre—all failing to find the necessary form to stay in the fight. Straka had the toughest time, carding back-to-back rounds in the mid-70s (78-76), while MacIntyre (76-75) and Im (74-75) never found their rhythm. Spieth’s 76-74 performance was especially surprising given his recent top-5 finish last week.

A reminder for Carson, who was fined for not making a selection—he receives Viktor Hovland as his pick. Unfortunately, with Hovland missing the cut, Carson won’t be earning anything this week.

The Standouts

While some struggled, others made a strong push heading into the weekend:

• Scottie Scheffler (70-67) – The world number one looks locked in, firing a 67 to surge up the leaderboard.
• Rory McIlroy (72-67) – A much-needed bounce-back round keeps Rory in the mix.
• Ludvig Åberg (74-66) – The Swede stormed back with a 66, one of the best rounds of the day.
• Tony Finau (76-69) – After a rough opening round, Finau rebounded nicely with a 69 to stay in contention.

Holding Steady

Several players posted solid second rounds to position themselves well heading into Moving Day:

• Patrick Cantlay (74-70)
• Justin Thomas (73-71)
• Hideki Matsuyama (74-72)
• Adam Scott (74-70)

These steady performances have set them up nicely for a big weekend push.

What’s Next?

With some of the world's best still in the hunt, the weekend at Torrey Pines South is shaping up to be a battle. Will Scheffler continue his dominance? Can McIlroy and Åberg keep climbing? And will any surprises emerge on Moving Day?

Stay tuned for Round 3!