Dustin Johnson Melts Down at Shinnecock Hills to Miss U.S. Open Cut

For a brief moment during the second round of the 2026 U.S. Open, Dustin Johnson looked poised to contend for his second major title on the 10-year anniversary of his 2016 triumph. After carding an opening-round 66 and birdying the 10th hole on Friday, Johnson sat at 4-under par—just one stroke behind leader Wyndham Clark +194 (Pinnacle). But in a matter of five holes, Shinnecock Hills exacted a brutal toll, sending the former World No. 1 into a shocking tailspin.

A Nightmare in the Shinnecock Sand

Johnson’s unraveling began on the par-3 11th hole. After finding a greenside bunker off the tee, his recovery shot trickled back into the sand, leading to a double bogey. The mistakes quickly compounded with back-to-back bogeys on the 12th and 13th holes. After a brief reprieve with a par on the 14th, Johnson faced complete disaster on the par-4 15th.

On the 15th, Johnson missed the green with his approach and proceeded to hit his third shot from one greenside bunker directly into another. His escape attempt hit the lip of the second bunker and rolled back into the sand. Frustrated, Johnson bladed his next shot entirely over the green. It ultimately took him six shots to cover the final 61 feet of the hole, culminating in a quadruple-bogey eight.

The five-hole stretch cost Johnson eight strokes, plummeting him from solo second to well outside the projected cut line. Despite a late birdie on the par-5 16th, the damage was done. The collapse means Johnson, currently listed at +125000 (DraftKings), will miss the weekend at a major once again.

The meltdown adds another chapter to a career defined as much by immense talent as by sudden, high-profile misfortunes. Since leaving the PGA Tour for LIV Golf in 2022, Johnson’s official world ranking has plummeted to 245th, and his latest performance at Shinnecock Hills highlights the volatile state of his current game.