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Understanding the PGA’s New Cut Rule

You may have heard rumblings about the new PGA formula for determining which players make the cut after two days’ play–or seen new markings in the newspaper recap of the Sony Open this past weekend.

In an effort to reduce the Saturday/Sunday field and make the tournament fit more nicely into television viewing hours, the PGA has instituted a new, very complicated and controversial, formula.

Traditionally, the top 70 players plus ties qualified to play in the third and fourth rounds of a tournament. The new formula goes something like this:

  • The cutline is still the lowest 70 players plus ties. If 78 or fewer golfers make the cut, then everything continues as it has in the past.
  • If 79 or more golfers would make the cut using the traditional formula, the PGA Tour eliminates additional golfers by going one stroke back from the cutline. If the cutline is 4-over and 83 golfers make the cut, the Tour goes back to 3-over, eliminating golfers at that score.
  • Those golfers who are eliminated with this extra step are credited with making the cut, but do not continue to the third and fourth rounds. Since they are credited with a made cut, however, they do get their share of the purse and FedEx Cup points.

    This new formula seems not to have been communicated well to the players. This past weekend’s Sony Open left 18 golfers in that middle ground between qualifying and actually playing. One veteran in particular, John Daly, was very vocal in his opposition of the new procedure.

    * 7 Comments

    • 7 Responses to “Understanding the PGA’s New Cut Rule”

    1.   Gerry Biggs
      January 26th, 2008 | 11:01 am

      you need to stop pandering to tv. Let tv adjust to the game as it has been played

    2.   Sandy Mitchell
      January 26th, 2008 | 11:37 am

      Hi Gerry!
      Thanks for commenting and for reading Green Posse. Geoff Shackelford shared Tiger’s view of the cut rule on his blog yesterday. Since he’s frequently in the last pairing, I can understand his annoyance at being delayed. Maybe there is some validity to the new rule, as crazy as it sounds.

    3.   John
      January 27th, 2008 | 4:43 pm

      Dumbest rule

    4.   PGA Cut Rule in Jeopardy?
      February 14th, 2008 | 3:01 pm

      [...] only February, but the new PGA cut rule may soon be changed. Rule 78, which began this season, reduces the tournament field to 78 players [...]

    5.   Kelly
      February 25th, 2008 | 11:49 pm

      I think the slow players spoiled it for all the rest.
      If they all played in 4 and half hours, then this
      would not be a problem. Maybe they should make
      a rule to cut players who are playing too slow, putting all players on the clock from the start,warning and eliminating as necessary.

    6.   Laura
      February 26th, 2008 | 12:22 pm

      I like the cut rule and have to agree with Tiger – just play better. Don’t whine about it, just work harder and make those shots if you want to be there on the weekend. I also think it’s better for the fans, both at the tournaments and watching on TV. The pace is quicker, the golfers are more focused and it’s more exciting.

    7.   Sandy Mitchell
      February 26th, 2008 | 4:34 pm

      Kelly, Laura:

      Thanks for sharing your thoughts and for reading Green Posse.

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