Photo by Lo Sarno on Unsplash Statistical analysis of amateur golf performance consistently reveals a counterintuitive finding: distance control errors on approach shots cost recreational golfers more strokes than directional errors, even though most golfers practice and worry about direction far more. The Statistical Pattern Shot-tracking data from systems used across recreational and competitive golf shows that amateur golfers are typically far more likely to miss an approach shot short or long of their intended distance than they are to miss significantly left or right of their intended line. A shot that's 15 yards short or long frequently finds trouble — a bunker, water, or simply a much longer subsequent putt — in a way that a shot 10 yards left or right of the pin, but still on the green, does not. Why This Happens Directional misses are usually caused by face-to-path errors, covered in our ball flight laws article , which tend to be relatively consistent for an individual g...
You're watching PGA Tour coverage on a Friday afternoon and the broadcast mentions that several players "missed the cut." But what does that actually mean? How does the cut work, who decides where it falls, and what happens to players who miss it? This guide explains the PGA Tour cut system in plain English.
What Is the Cut in Golf?
Most PGA Tour events are 72-hole tournaments played across four days (Thursday through Sunday). After the first two rounds (36 holes), the field is reduced — the bottom portion of the leaderboard is eliminated, and only the top performers continue into the weekend rounds.
The players who are eliminated are said to have "missed the cut" or "failed to make the cut." Those who continue to the weekend have "made the cut."
The Standard PGA Tour Cut Rule
The PGA Tour's standard cut rule: after 36 holes, the top 65 players (including ties) advance to the weekend. This means:
If 65th place is held by multiple players at the same score, all players tied at that score advance
If the 65th position has five players tied at the same score, all five advance — even though that puts the field above 65
The PGA Tour also has a secondary rule in some events: any player within 10 strokes of the leader advances regardless of whether they're in the top 65
The 10-Shot Rule
Many PGA Tour events apply what's informally called the "10-shot rule": any player within 10 strokes of the 36-hole leader automatically advances, regardless of their position in the field. This rule was implemented to keep popular, highly ranked players in the field even if they had a difficult opening round or two. It creates situations where the actual number of players making the cut varies each week.
Special Exemptions and Sponsor Invites
Some players receive specific exemptions that allow them to compete in an event outside the normal qualifying criteria. These don't change the cut rule — they still have to make the cut to play the weekend — but they affect who's in the field in the first place.
What Happens If You Miss the Cut?
Players who miss the cut receive no prize money from that event (in most cases). They also receive no FedEx Cup points for that week. They typically leave the tournament site on Friday evening and either travel to the next week's venue for practice or return home for rest and preparation.
Missing cuts has significant financial consequences for lower-ranked Tour players. Prize money is only distributed to players who complete all four rounds. A player who misses eight cuts in a season might earn a fraction of what a player making every cut earns, even if both players perform similarly in their made-cut events.
FedEx Cup Points and the Cut
The PGA Tour's season-long points competition (the FedEx Cup) awards points based on finishing position in each tournament. Missing the cut means earning zero FedEx Cup points for that event. Accumulated points over the season determine who qualifies for the FedEx Cup Playoffs — the final three tournaments that crown the season's overall champion.
The WGC and Invitational Event Exception
World Golf Championship events (WGC) traditionally had no cut — all players completed all four rounds. This was by design to protect high-profile international match-ups across the full week. Some invitational events also operate without cuts. These exceptions are noted in each event's official rules.
How Major Championships Handle Cuts
Each major championship has its own cut rule, administered by its organizing body (Augusta National for the Masters, USGA for the US Open, R&A for The Open, PGA of America for the PGA Championship).
The Masters: Top 50 and ties advance after 36 holes
US Open: Top 60 and ties
The Open Championship: Top 70 and ties after 36 holes
PGA Championship: Top 70 and ties after 36 holes
The Masters has the most exclusive cut — only 50 players (plus ties) play the weekend — which is one reason Sunday at Augusta is so consistently high-quality. There are virtually no padding players in the field by Sunday.
Making the Cut: Why It Matters to Players
Beyond the financial dimension, making the cut matters for player psychology and momentum. A stretch of missed cuts is demoralizing and often triggers swing adjustments, coach consultations, and schedule changes. Players who consistently make cuts demonstrate the baseline ball-striking reliability required to survive 36 holes of competitive golf — a necessary (though not sufficient) trait for winning at Tour level.
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