9 Big Names To Miss The Dubai Desert Classic Cut

The 2025 Dubai Desert Classic began with a superb field containing some of the top talent from all over the world, but at the halfway stage a number of significant names have been left without weekend tee times.

At the top of the leaderboard, Scotland's Ewen Ferguson and New Zealand's Dan Hillier have created a small gap from the large chasing pack - sitting on 12 and 11-under respectively. Meanwhile, 22 other players are looking up at them on between five and eight-under-par.

Among that group are the likes of Tyrrell Hatton, Shaun Norris and Laurie Canter as well as Min Woo Lee, Rasmus Hojgaard, Patrick Reed, Tom McKibbin and Tommy Fleetwood.

Pre-tournament favorite Rory McIlroy has not rolled out his best stuff over the first couple of days, languishing nine strokes behind leader, Ferguson with only 36 holes remaining.

The four-time Major champion was not the only one who made hard work of edging through, as Akshay Bhatia (two-under) and Nicolai Hojgaard (E) also toiled to pick up a paycheck.

But the Northern Irishman knows he is still in the contest, unlike several of his Ryder Cup peers and a couple of other household names who have been required to pack up early after failing to cross the cut line of even par.

Here are nine big names who ultimately missed the cut at the 2025 Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

JON RAHM (+2)

Rahm was in a comfortable position after his opening round, having carded a three-under score of 69 and looking as if he was easing himself into the tournament nicely. However, a rotten Friday saw the Spaniard shoot a five-over 77 and put himself out.

Speaking after, he said: "[Thursday] was good. I was quite happy with it. Today, not really. I wouldn't say that there was anything that went well. No part of the game today was even average to what I would like to feel. Missed too many fairways. I had two penalty strokes on the same hole. It's a difficult day and I just couldn't take advantage of some of the opportunities I had."

THRISTON LAWRENCE (+2)

Lawrence began with a 71 in his opening round of the year but fell foul of the tougher day-two conditions and carded a three-over 75 which sealed his fate at Emirates Golf Club.

The imposing South African finished third in the Race To Dubai last season despite failing to win at all, and he now doesn't have the chance to snap that streak this week.

THOMAS PIETERS (+2)

Pieters' Thursday and Friday score mirrored that of Lawrence, with a one-under opening round making way for a disappointing three-over score as the wind picked up and course conditions firmed up.

The 4Aces GC player was making a rare DP World Tour start this week in a bid to maintain his membership, but the Belgian's focus will return to LIV Golf in the coming week as the new season begins in Saudi Arabia next month.

ADRIAN MERONK (+2)

Meronk was far from the only LIV golfer to head home early this week, with a pair of 73s pushing the Polish player towards the exit door on Friday afternoon.

A couple of double-bogeys didn't help matters, with a particularly costly seven on day two ultimately proving the difference between picking up some prize money and not.

DEAN BURMESTER (+3)

Burmester produced a colorful pair of scorecards across both days at Emirates Golf Club, with three double-bogeys, five bogeys and eight birdies littered throughout 36 holes.

In the end, the Stinger GC player missed the cut by three strokes thanks to a 73 in round one and a 74 just a matter of hours later.

PAUL WARING (+4)

Fresh off the back of a very successful Team Cup appearance for GB&I and only a matter of weeks after winning the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship nearby, Waring failed to maintain his recent success at the Dubai Desert Classic.

The Englishman - who will soon begin his debut campaign on the PGA Tour - opened with a two-under-par 70, leaving himself with a decent chance of capitalizing, only to start with consecutive bogeys in the second round before signing for a six-over 78 which featured a late double-bogey.

VIKTOR HOVLAND (+4)

When Viktor Hovland opened up with a front nine of 40 on Thursday, he probably knew then it was unlikely to be a successful week. However, the Norwegian battled on and made three birdies in four holes to kick off his back nine during round one. A late bogey arrested that momentum, though, leading him to a three-over 75.

A more consistent round two followed, but a one-over day with three bogeys and just the two birdies ensured another of Team Europe's most-recent Ryder Cup roster headed home early.

LUKE DONALD (+5)

Team Europe's Ryder Cup captain was out in Dubai competing and running the rule over any number of potential candidates for his Bethpage Black roster in September.

Unfortunately for Donald, he will spend the weekend simply watching after posting 77 and 72 during Thursday and Friday.

JIMMY WALKER (+7)

The 2016 PGA Championship winner failed to produce his best stuff in Dubai, with rounds of 74 and 77 seeing him comfortably miss the cut.

While there were five birdies across his two days, 10 bogeys and a double was never going to cut it in a field with this much quality.