What Is the Cut in Golf? How It Works on the PGA Tour

Every Thursday and Friday during a PGA Tour event, one question dominates conversation among fans and players alike: who will make the cut? The cut is one of professional golf's most dramatic moments, deciding which players continue competing for the weekend and which pack their bags early.

Understanding how the cut works is essential for following tournament golf, whether you are watching your first event or tracking every leaderboard movement on a busy Saturday afternoon.

What Is the Cut?

The cut is a score threshold applied after a set number of rounds - typically two - that determines which players continue in a tournament and which are eliminated. Players whose scores fall on or below the cut line advance to the weekend rounds. Everyone else is out.

In a standard PGA Tour event, the field starts with around 144 to 156 players on Thursday morning. By Friday evening, roughly half of them will have missed the cut and will not play on Saturday or Sunday.

The cut exists for practical reasons: fitting 150 players into weekend tee times would be impossible, and it raises the competitive stakes by ensuring only the best performers from the opening rounds continue.

How the PGA Tour Cut Line Works

The PGA Tour introduced its current cut rule in 2019, simplifying what had previously been a more complex system.

The Top 65 and Ties Rule

After 36 holes (two rounds), the cut falls at the score that includes the top 65 players and anyone tied at that position. In practice, this means:

• The PGA Tour ranks all players by their 36-hole total
• The score at 65th place becomes the cut line
• Every player at that score or better makes the cut, even if ties push the weekend field above 65

For example, if the 65th-best score after two rounds is 2-under par, every player at -2 or better makes the cut. If 12 players are tied at -2, all 12 advance, pushing the weekend field to 70 or more.

No Secondary Cut

Before 2019, the PGA Tour used a secondary cut (also called the "54-hole cut") that further trimmed the field after three rounds. This no longer exists. Once you make the 36-hole cut, you are guaranteed to play all four rounds.

Signature Events and Elevated Fields

The PGA Tour's Signature Events operate with smaller, elite fields of around 70-80 players and typically feature no cut at all. Every player in the field plays all four rounds, which changes the risk-reward dynamics considerably.

What Happens When You Miss the Cut

Missing the cut - often abbreviated as "MC" on leaderboards - has real consequences for professional golfers:

Financial Impact

Players who miss the cut earn no prize money from that tournament. In events with purses exceeding $20 million, the difference between missing the cut and finishing last among weekend players can be hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Ranking Points

No weekend play means no world ranking points from the event, affecting a player's standing in the Official World Golf Ranking.

FedExCup Points

Missing the cut also means zero FedExCup points, which directly impacts a player's season-long standings and qualification for the lucrative playoffs.

What Players Do Next

Players who miss the cut typically leave the tournament venue and may enter a Monday qualifier or prepare for the following week's event. For some, a missed cut means heading to the practice range to work on whatever went wrong.

The Projected Cut Line

During rounds one and two, broadcasts and scoring apps display a "projected cut" - an estimate of where the cut line will fall based on current scores and conditions.

How It Is Calculated

The projected cut updates continuously as players complete holes. It takes the current leaderboard, factors in players still on the course, and estimates the likely 65th-place score. Early on Thursday, projections are unreliable. By Friday afternoon, they become increasingly accurate.

Why It Matters for Viewers

The projected cut creates compelling drama for fans:

• Bubble players: Those hovering right around the projected line face enormous pressure on every shot
• Friday afternoon tension: Players finishing late on Friday know exactly what score they need
• Weather impact: Changing conditions (wind picking up, rain softening greens) can shift the projected cut mid-round

Cuts at Major Championships

Each of golf's four major championships applies its own cut rules, which differ from standard PGA Tour events:

The Masters

The Masters at Augusta National cuts to the top 50 players and ties after 36 holes. Additionally, any player within 10 strokes of the lead also makes the cut, regardless of their position.

The PGA Championship

Uses a top-65-and-ties cut, similar to standard PGA Tour events.

The U.S. Open

The U.S. Open cuts to the top 60 players and ties after 36 holes, reflecting the USGA's tradition of maintaining the most demanding conditions in golf.

The Open Championship

The Open uses a top-70-and-ties cut line, the most generous among the majors.

Cuts on Other Professional Tours

The cut is not unique to the PGA Tour. Other professional circuits apply their own variations:

DP World Tour

The DP World Tour typically uses a top-65-and-ties cut after 36 holes, though some co-sanctioned events may have different rules.

LIV Golf

LIV Golf operates with 48-player fields and no cut. Every player competes in all three rounds of each event.

Champions Tour

The Champions Tour generally applies a top-60-and-ties cut in its full-field events.

LPGA Tour

The LPGA Tour uses a top-70-and-ties cut for most of its events.

Famous Cut Stories in Golf History

The cut has produced some of golf's most memorable moments and heartbreaking stories:

Tiger Woods and the Masters Cut Streak

Tiger Woods made the cut in 23 consecutive Masters appearances, a remarkable streak that underscored his consistency at Augusta National. When he finally missed the cut, it marked the end of an era.

Phil Mickelson's Major Misses

Even Phil Mickelson, a six-time major champion, has missed cuts at events where he was among the favourites, proving that no player is immune to a difficult 36 holes.

The "10-Shot Rule" at Augusta

The Masters' unique 10-shot rule has occasionally saved players who would have been eliminated under standard cut rules, allowing them to mount weekend comebacks and occasionally finish respectably.

How to Track the Cut Line Live

Modern scoring technology makes following the cut line easier than ever:

• Leaderboard apps display the projected cut in real time throughout rounds one and two
• Broadcast graphics highlight players near the bubble
• Colour coding on leaderboards often distinguishes players above and below the projected line

GolfMode shows the projected cut line alongside live leaderboards, so you always know which players are safe, which are on the bubble and which need a strong finish to survive. For more on following tournament action, see our guide on how to follow golfers live.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many players make the cut on the PGA Tour?

The top 65 players and ties after 36 holes make the cut in standard PGA Tour events. The actual number of weekend players varies depending on how many are tied at the cut line, but typically ranges from 65 to 80.

What does "MC" mean on a golf leaderboard?

MC stands for "missed cut." It indicates that a player did not achieve a low enough score after 36 holes to continue into the weekend rounds.

Do players who miss the cut get paid?

No. In most professional golf tournaments, players who miss the cut receive no prize money. This makes the cut financially significant, as even the lowest-paid weekend finisher earns a substantial cheque.

What is the projected cut in golf?

The projected cut is a real-time estimate of where the cut line will fall, based on current scores and players still on the course. It becomes more accurate as the second round progresses and is displayed on broadcasts and scoring apps.

Can a player miss the cut and still win money?

In standard stroke play events, no. However, some tournaments with different formats or guaranteed appearance fees may compensate players regardless of their performance.

What happens if there is a tie at the cut line?

All players tied at the cut line make the cut. If 15 players are tied at the 65th-place score, all 15 advance to the weekend, even though this exceeds the 65-player target.

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