DETROIT – For the first time in 18 months, Smylie Kaufman is playing the weekend.
The former spring break star won on Tour in 2015 as a rookie and played in Sunday’s final pairing at the 2016 Masters. But it’s been downhill ever since, as Kaufman has struggled with confidence and injury while losing control of his game. He entered this week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic on a run of 21 straight missed cuts or mid-tournament withdrawals, a stretch that combined starts on the PGA, Asian and Korn Ferry tours. Last month he finished dead last at the AT&T Byron Nelson, four shots behind former NFL quarterback Tony Romo.