Pádraig Harrington interest in the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands ended after six bogeys and just one birdie saw him card a 75 in his second round, leaving him at one over par and three adrift of the eventual cut mark.
The Dubliner had been well placed just four shots off the lead after an opening round 66 but, out early on Friday, his form deserted him as he tumbled down the leaderboard.
Beginning from the 10th the three-time major winner got off to the worst of starts as he failed to get up and down from a greenside bunker, leading to a bogey five.
That would be followed by two more bogeys at the 12th and 13th and it was clear that he was struggling.
A string of pars left him needing a birdie or two in his final five holes to secure a place for the weekend but a bogey at the fifth saw him fall further.
A birdie at the following hole gave the Honda Classic champion a good chance with three to play but he couldn’t manage a steady finish, bogeying the seventh and the ninth, his final hole, to card a 75.
Bubba Watson could not repeat Thursday's exploits but nevertheless mastered windy conditions a day later to card a three-under-par 67 and retain a two-shot lead at the halfway stage.
Watson recorded a spectacular eight-under-par 62 to lead after the opening round at on Thursday and retained his two-shot advantage after 36 holes with a solid, if unspectacular, second round which included three birdies and no bogeys.
Starting on the back nine, Watson parred his first four holes but claimed his first birdie of the day at the par-four 14th to reach the turn in under-par territory.
The two-time Masters champion then rattled off six consecutive pars as windy conditions restricted birdie opportunities but picked up further shots at the third and seventh holes to finish with a flourish.
Watson’s steady second round moved him on to 11 under par overall — two shots clear of compatriots Brian Harman and Brian Stuard and Swede Carl Pettersson — and he was satisfied with his efforts in testing conditions.
“Yesterday the wind was favourable for good scoring, today tougher pins and more wind so it makes it tougher to get the ball close,” he told the PGA Tour website.
“Some of the holes were playing a little bit longer because of the wind which was in a different direction so it made the golf course a little tougher.
“But obviously when you’re playing good you’re thinking you can still score in the tougher conditions.”
Harman carded six birdies and a bogey to post a five-under-par 65, while Stuard managed five birdies and two bogeys to register a three-under-par 67.
They were joined on nine-under overall by Pettersson, who carded six birdies and two bogeys for a four-under-par 66.
Harman, Stuard and Pettersson are tied for second, a shot clear of Scott Brown, Jason Gore and Chris Stroud (eight under overall), while Keegan Bradley, Scott Langley and Italy's Francesco Molinari are shot further behind in an eight-strong group on seven under.
