The Open 2026 Cut Rule: How Many Players Make The Weekend At Royal Birkdale?

A total of 156 players began the final men's Major of the season at Royal Birkdale with lofty ambitions and dreams of stamping their names into golfing folklore with an Open Championship victory.

After one round, the focus now turns to the cut - and there are some big names needing strong second rounds to make the weekend. Justin Rose (+5) is among them needing a low one on Friday, with Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick at +2 and Jordan Spieth +3.

But for some, those hopes will be dashed all too early and they will have to wait at least several more months before having another crack.

Of all four men's Majors, The Open presents the most likely chance that golfers will compete in all four days, however.

The Masters is the strictest with just the top-50 and ties making it through, while the US Open is 60 and ties and the PGA Championship is the top-65 and ties.

The Open cut rule 2026

The Open Championship cut ensures that the top-70 players and ties make it through to the weekend to battle it out for the famed Claret Jug.

That means, of the 156 competitors that begin with high hopes on Thursday, around half are likely to be sent packing after 36 holes.

Last year, exactly 70 players made the weekend at Royal Portrush, with a total of +1 or better required to make the weekend.

Up until 1985, The Open made two cuts - one after the second round and another after the third round. But the rules were changed the following year, leaving just one cut after 36 holes.

There is no 10-shot rule at The Open either, which was a common system used in various tournaments in the past, but it is no longer a feature in the Majors.

Quite simply, the 10-shot rule meant that golfers within 10 strokes of the lead made the cut, no matter what position they were in. The highest number of players to make it through to the weekend was 113 at the 1991 Open at Royal Birkdale.

Given the vagaries of links golf, the cut mark can vary dramatically from year to year. Two years ago at Royal Troon, it fell at six-over as five of the world's top-10 went home early. At Royal Liverpool in 2023, the cut was made at three-over with 76 players making it through.

Do you get paid for missing the Open cut?

Even if a player's week is cut short, pros still receive a share of The Open prize money - which is a record $17.75m this year.

The top-10 professionals who don't make the weekend in Southport will still earn $12,900 as a consolation. The next 20 will receive $10,750, while everyone else will walk away with $9,100 just for making it to The Open.

The Open Cut Line History

* Lowest tournament score to par