Tony Finau, Rickie Fowler, Sungjae Im among notable names to miss cut at Colonial Country Club

FORT WORTH, Texas — For most of the afternoon, the cut line stood at 2-under at the Charles Schwab Challenge, allowing some measure of hope for veterans such as Lucas Glover and Brandt Snedeker. But as the shadows lengthened at leafy Colonial Country Club, so did their odds.

The cut moved a shot lower at midday. It remained there until after 6 p.m.

Then, as the smattering of spectators left that late watched Jackson Suber double bogey on the par-4 ninth, the cut returned to 2-under.

Tony Finau (even-par 70-70), Keith Mitchell (71-69), Rickie Fowler (70-73) and Sungjae Im (70-76) will play no more golf this weekend at Colonial. Players such as Lucas Glover, Johnny Keefer, Pierceson Coody, Brandt Snedeker and Suber himself advanced, eight shots behind leader Jordan Smith (65-65), to face two more rounds on a historic course framed by towering trees that often dictate what kind of shot needs to be hit.

“It's a thinking man's course,” said Brian Harman, who shot 65-66 — tied for second at 9-under with three other players — at a course where he’s made 12 cuts in 14 starts. “You've got to be really strategic off the tee. You can't just get up there and blast it wherever.”

The top of the leaderboard welcomed players with that kind of discipline and restraint. Reigning U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun followed a first-round 64 with a second-round 68. Akshay Bhatia went 67-65. Alex Smalley shot 65-67, Hideki Matsuyama 66-65 and Russell Henley 66-66. Justin Thomas, who began the day two shots outside the eventual cut, shot 3-under 67 to finish at minus-4. Gary Woodland, Keegan Bradley, Matt Kuchar, Ludvig Åberg and Ben Griffin, the defending champion, also survived.