Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler Get Some Help to Make Cut at Players Championship

Collin Morikawa, Patrick Cantlay, Brooks Koepka and Jordan Spieth were among those who will not be around for the Monday finish at TPC Sawgrass.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Scott Piercy’s inglorious departure from The Players Championship on Sunday afternoon allowed a couple of top-ranked players to survive the 36-hole cut at TPC Sawgrass.

Fifth-ranked Scottie Scheffler and sixth-ranked Rory McIlroy appeared to be out of the weather-plagued tournament with just a few players left to complete the second round when Piercy stood on the par-3 17th tee at 2 under par and in contention, just five shots behind leaders Sam Burns and Tom Hoge.

But Piercy made a quadruple-bogey 7 at the 17th, hitting his tee shot over the green, then coming up short with his third shot from the penalty drop area. From there again, he hit his fifth shot onto the front of the green and two-putted for a 7 that dropped him onto the cut line.

He then bogeyed the 18^th hole – playing the last two holes in 5 over par – to miss the cut.

His misfortune allowed all of the players who were at 146, 2 over par, to qualify for the final two rounds.

The third round began at 3:15 p.m. with the final group of Burns, Hoge and Harold Varner scheduled for 5:16 p.m.

The plan is to complete the third round on Monday morning and the proceed with the final round.

Among some of the big names who missed the cut were past Players winners Jason Day, Matt Kuchar and Adam Scott. Second-ranked Collin Morikawa as well as fourth-ranked Patrick Cantlay also missed the cut, along with Jordan Spieth and Brooks Koepka.