The cut line in golf has been a point of contention in recent years after the emergence of LIV Golf and its anti-cut format. However, the PGA Tour have continued to embrace and use the cut line in the majority of their tournaments as they believe it adds to the competitive nature of their events.
What is the cut line in golf and how is it enforced? Here is everything you need to know.
What is the cut line in golf?
For the vast majority of PGA Tour tournaments, the cut line is enforced after two rounds of golf (at the halfway stage of the tournament). At this point, anyone who isn't placed inside the top 65, including ties, is eliminated from the tournament and isn't invited to play and compete over the weekend.
Therefore, the cut line changes on a tournament-by-tournament basis. One week, a score of -3 after 36 holes might be enough to see you through to the weekend, while the following week, a score of +3 could be enough. It all depends on the course and the performances of the players in the field each week.
Some tournaments differ slightly on where they place their cut lines. For example, at the Masters, the cut line is the top 50 players, including ties. Some of the PGA Tour's signature events don't have a cut line at all if the field isn't considered big enough to warrant one.
Meanwhile, the LIV Tour doesn't enforce a cut line in any of its tournaments. These events only take place over three rounds and the team element of the tour makes a cut line unnecessary and counter-productive.
PGA Championship projected cut line
The second major of the year is set to take place this weekend which has left many people asking ‘what is the cut at the PGA Championship?' The PGA Championship operates slightly differently to other PGA Tour events in that its cut line is set at the top 70 players, including ties, rather than the top 65.
However, it is identical to other events in that there is no set number that players must shoot to make it through to the week. Instead, it is all dependent on the average performance of the 156-man field.
Historically, the cut line at the PGA Championship is typically over par. Last year at Oak Hill, the cut line was at +5, while the year before at Southern Hills it was +4. The last time the tournament was held at Valhalla Golf Club in 2014, the cut line was +1.
Since 2014, Valhalla has been lengthened so the course should play a little harder than it did in 2014. However, on the flip side, professional golfers are hitting the ball further than they did ten years ago so the the two factors likely balance each other out.
The weather in Louisville, Kentucky is expected to be good for golf with precipitation in the air and very little wind. This should make the greens soft which naturally makes for fantastic birdie opportunities. Therefore, our projected PGA Championship cut line is +1.
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