What Is The PGA Tour's Cut Rule?
The majority of the PGA Tour's events operate a 36-hole cut, but how do they work?


The cut is a foundation of professional golf and is a system used in the majority of PGA Tour events as well as those on other global tours.
Players teeing it up in a PGA Tour event know that historically you need to play well over the first two rounds to make the weekend otherwise you won't score well enough to qualify for the final two rounds and earn a paycheck.
Not all PGA Tour events have cuts, though, with five of the eight Signature Events not using them as well as the three tournaments that make up the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
The topic of cuts on tour is a controversial one, as fans enjoy watching players battle to make it into the weekend, but sponsors and TV networks tend to prefer having all of the stars playing every day, with cuts risking that some big names might not be there come Sunday.
No-cut events can also be seen by fans as 'money grabs', as players are guaranteed to earn money even if they don't play well. The LIV Golf League doesn't have cuts in its tournaments, with the last-place player guaranteed to earn $50,000. However, organizers of no-cut events know that fans on-site and viewers on TV will be able to watch their favorite players in each round.
“It keeps the stars there for four days," Rory McIlroy said on the proposals for more no-cut events at the 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational.
"You ask Mastercard or whoever it is to pay $20 million for a golf event, they want to see the stars at the weekend. They want a guarantee that the stars are there. So, if that’s what needs to happen, then that’s what happens.”
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
How the PGA Tour cut rule works
For the majority of PGA Tour tournaments, the cut sees the top 65 players and ties make it through to the weekend.
Field sizes are usually between 120-156 so the cut sees around half of the players head home early.
As there are fewer players for the final two rounds, Saturday and Sunday's play - weather dependent - usually sees the golfers paired in twos vs the usual three-balls for rounds one and two.
Do players get paid for missing the cut?
Players do not receive a paycheck for missing the cut in almost all elite professional golf events, with some exceptions.
The exceptions come at the Majors, where players earn somewhere between $1,000-$10,000 depending on which Major and where they finished. The Majors are difficult to qualify for so just making it into the field is an achievement and rewarded with some money to cover your expenses.
USGA Mike Whan said just that at the 2024 US Open: "Those competitors won't be playing for $150 like 130 years ago, but they'll be playing for $21.5 million, which means our winner's purse will be a $4.3 million check to the winner and, as we always go $10,000 even, if you miss the cut because as I say every year, we really believe making the cut at the US Open is about getting into the field, over 10,000 people playing for 156 spots."
PGA Tour signature events cut rule
Tiger Woods' Genesis Invitational is one of three Signature Events that kept its 36-hole cut
Three Signature Events operate a cut, and it works slightly differently to the regular full-field events due to the lower number of players teeing it up those weeks.
Signature Events are the tour's big money, limited-field events where only 70-72 players qualify. After 36 holes, the top 50 and ties make it through to the weekend, which usually means around 15-or-so players go home early.
The Signature Events that have cuts are the Genesis Invitational, Arnold Palmer Invitational and Memorial Tournament.
Which PGA Tour events don't have a cut?
FedEx Cup Playoffs tournaments and five Signature Events don't have cuts
- The Sentry (Signature Event)
- AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (Signature Event)
- RBC Heritage (Signature Event)
- Truist Championship (Signature Event)
- Travelers Championship (Signature Event)
- FedEx St Jude Championship (FedEx Cup Playoffs)
- BMW Championship (FedEx Cup Playoffs)
- Tour Championship (FedEx Cup Playoffs)
- Zozo Championship

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, X and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 and 2025 Masters from Augusta National and was there by the 18th green to watch Rory McIlroy complete the career grand slam. He has also covered five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!
Elliott is currently playing:
Driver: Titleist TSR4
3 wood: Titleist TSi2
Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1
Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
-
'Dumbest Event On The KFT' - Player Labels Tournament 'A Putting Contest On S**t Greens' After Ultra Low-Scoring
A nine-under-par cutline at the Korn Ferry Tour's Veritex Bank Championship caused mixed reactions online, with one player, who featured in the event, calling it a 'putting contest on s**t greens'
By Matt Cradock
-
Marco Penge Facts: 20 Things You Didn't Know About The English Golfer
Discover more about English DP World Tour winner, Marco Penge via these facts regarding his life and career so far...
By Jonny Leighfield
-
Zurich Classic Of New Orleans Tee Times: Final Round
Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin lead the pairs event by three shots going into the final round, with both men searching for a maiden PGA Tour victory
By Matt Cradock
-
Scottie Scheffler Adds Extra PGA Tour Event To Hectic Upcoming Schedule
The World No.1 begins a hectic period of the season with an appearance in the CJ Cup Byron Nelson
By Mike Hall
-
6 Big Pairings Who Missed The Cut At The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
A range of pairings are in contention at the Zurich Classic Of New Orleans, where a number of big groups also failed to make it into the weekend
By Matt Cradock
-
PGA Tour Truist Championship Creator Classic Line-Up And Format Revealed
The PGA Tour has announced the line-up for the second Creator Classic ahead of the Truist Championship - with YouTubers from outside golf taking on the challenge
By Paul Higham
-
Rory McIlroy And Shane Lowry Explain Golf Ball Tactics For Zurich Classic Foursomes
Defending Zurich Classic of New Orleans champions Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry explained how they go about picking which golf ball to use in foursomes
By Paul Higham
-
'I’ve Never Seen Someone Hit A Driver That Good. He Played So Freaking Good. And You Almost Feel Like, How Do I Compete With That?' - Akshay Bhatia Wowed By McIlroy's Masters Display
Akshay Bhatia lavished praise on Rory McIlroy's game at the Masters after playing the opening two rounds alongside the eventual champion at Augusta
By Paul Higham
-
Two-Time Champion Billy Horschel Forced To Withdraw From Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Two-time winner Billy Horschel was forced to pull out of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans due to what he called a "lower body injury"
By Paul Higham
-
How To Watch Zurich Classic Of New Orleans Final Round: TV Coverage, Streaming, As Rory McIlroy Hunts Win On First Appearance Since Masters Victory
Rory McIlroy makes his first appearance since winning the Master – here's how to watch the Zurich Classic of New Orlseans online and on TV this week.
By Patrick Fletcher