MDF: What is the PGA Tour's secondary cut rule?
PGA Tour

MDF: What is the PGA Tour’s secondary cut rule?

The PGA Tour logo


At the 36-hole mark in most PGA Tour events, there's a cut down to the top 70 and ties.

Sometimes, the top 70 and ties constitutes too many players, and the Tour doesn't want to create a logistical nightmare when more than half the field makes the cut. So, since 2008, the Tour has implemented a secondary cut after the third round (through 54 holes) to limit the field for the final round.

When at least 78 professionals (amateurs don't count) make the second-round cut at a PGA Tour event, the secondary cut kicks in, reducing the field after three rounds to the number nearest 70 as possible for the last round. That happened on Saturday at the Sony Open in Hawaii. After 87 players made the cut on Friday at Waialae Country Club, the field was reduced again after the third round to 74 players, leaving 13 players without a Sunday tee time.

However, all is not lost for those players who got the MDF (made cut, didn't finish) treatment. They all get paid like they made the cut and get FedEx Cup points. They just don't get a chance to improve on their standing in the final round.

FOLLOW: iHEART | TUNEIN

During the FedEx Cup playoffs, however, the secondary cut rule does not apply when in The Northern Trust, the one event in the series that does have a 36-hole cut.

The European Tour adopted their own secondary cut rule in 2017. The European Tour secondary cut rule is also for when 78 or more pros make the cut, making a third-round cut to the top 72 players and ties.

About the author

Ryan Ballengee

Ryan Ballengee is founder and editor of Golf News Net. He has been writing and broadcasting about golf for nearly 20 years. Ballengee lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his family. He is currently a +2.6 USGA handicap, and he has covered dozens of major championships and professional golf tournaments. He likes writing about golf and making it more accessible by answering the complex questions fans have about the pro game or who want to understand how to play golf better.

Ryan talks about golf on various social platforms:

X or Twitter: https://twitter.com/ryanballengee
Facebook: https://facebook.com/ryanballengeegolf
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ryanballengee
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ryanballengeegolf

Ballengee can be reached by email at ryan[at]thegolfnewsnet.com

Ryan occasionally links to merchants of his choosing, and GNN may earn a commission from sales generated by those links. See more in GNN's affiliate disclosure.