Waste Management Phoenix Open: Day 2

Martin Laid leads Phoneix Open while Tiger misses the cut

Martin Laird leads the Waste Management Phoenix Open
Martin Laird leads the Waste Management Phoenix Open
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Scotland’s Martin Laird leads the Waste Management Phoenix Open after two days at TPC Scottsdale. Tiger Woods missed the cut after carding the worst score of his career.

Scotland’s Martin Laird leads the Waste Management Phoenix Open after two days at TPC Scottsdale. Tiger Woods missed the cut after carding the worst score of his career.

In cold and wet conditions, Laird fired a second straight 66 to reach 10-under-par through 36 holes. The Scot is two shots clear of 21-year-old Daniel Berger with another 21-year-old, Justin Thomas, a further shot behind in third place.

A group of six players, including three former Masters champions, share fourth place on six-under-par. Bubba Watson posted a level par 71 on Friday to finish the second round tied with Zach Johnson and Angel Cabrera. Ryan Palmer, Ryan Moore and Robert Streb are also at six-under.

Tiger Woods suffered a dismal day, posting an 11-over-par 82. It was his worst score in 322 starts on the PGA Tour.

“We all have days like this,” he said.

Woods struggled again with his short game, either fluffing or blading a number of chips and pitches. On the 4th, he tried to hit a flop shot from behind the green, just 12 yards from the pin. He knifed it almost 50 yards and racked up a double bogey.

Phil Mickelson also missed the cut after firing a 76. It’s the first time since The Greenbrier Classic in 2012 that Woods and Mickelson have missed the cut when both have been in the field.

Waste Management Phoenix Open – Scores after Round 2 TPC Scottsdale, Scottsdale, Arizona Jan 29 – Feb 1, purse: $6,300,000, par: 71

1    Martin Laird (Sco)            66    66    132 2    Daniel Berger (USA)        65    69    134 3    Justin Thomas (USA)        67    68    135 T4    Bubba Watson (USA)        65    71    136     T4    Ryan Palmer (USA)        64    72    136  T4    Ryan Moore (USA)        69    67    136 T4    Zach Johnson (USA)        66    70    136 T4    Robert Streb (USA)        66    70    136 T4    Angel Cabrera (Arg)        67    69    136

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage

Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?