The Masters Cut - How Many Go Through To The Weekend At Augusta?

The Green Jackets at Augusta National like to do things their own way and that also applies to the Masters cut. The first men's Major of the year features a limited field, so what does that mean when it comes to who makes the weekend and who misses out? Find out here.

History of the Masters cut

The Masters has always been a limited-field tournament since its inception in 1934 when Horton Smith completed a two-stroke victory over Craig Wood. At Augusta, the 36-hole cut that is tradition in the world of competitive golf wouldn’t be instituted until 1957, when it was deemed fair for the low 40 players and ties to move on to Saturday and Sunday.

That was then changed five years later in 1962, with the rule amended to include the low 44 and ties, as well as those within 10 shots of the lead. For 50 years that is how the cut was determined until, in 2013, the number of players to make the weekend was once again extended to the low 50 and ties, while the 10-shot rule remained.

End of the 10-shot rule

The 10-shot rule was scrapped in 2020, meaning it is now just those in a tie for 50th place or better that make it through to compete for the fabled Green Jacket. That meant the cut line fell at +4 at the 2022 Masters, which might seem like very few compared to other tournaments, but due to the small field, more than half the competitors get to play all four days.

If the cut leaves an add number of golfers, a non-competing marker will usually play in the first group on Saturday and Sunday. That honour was previously reserved for course record holder Jeff Knox, one of the most famous members at Augusta National who has teed it up alongside some of the game's biggest names, including Rory McIlroy.

Masters cut records

Six-time Masters champion and winner of 18 Majors, Jack Nicklaus, holds the record for the most cuts made at Augusta National with 37, seven clear of his nearest challenger Gary Player.

Fred Couples (1982 – 2007) and Player (1959 – 1982) share the record for the most consecutive cuts made with 23, while Tiger Woods has the longest active streak of 22, although that is in jeopardy this year.

The oldest player to make the cut was 49-year-old Bill Hyndman back in 1965, while who can forget 14-year-old Guan Tianlang, who made the weekend in 2013, despite being given a rare slow-play penalty, in one of the best ever amateur performances at The Masters.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the lowest cut recorded was at the postponed 2020 Masters, with the soft November course conditions affording players the opportunity to adopt a more aggressive strategy. The 36-hole number in 2020 was 144, or level par.

It remains to be seen whether we'll ever see the cut line out to the lofty heights of 1982 when 10-over was good enough to make the weekend.