PGA Championship 2023 Cut Line Selection Procedure Explained

With the recent introduction of a new major championship schedule, the PGA Championship in 2023 will be the second major on the calendar. As you would guess, a stacked field is prepared to take on what should be quite the task at Oak Hill Country Club this week.

The event will take place at the magnificent Parkland golf course from Monday, May 15 through Sunday, May 21, 2023. The PGA Championship was previously held at Oak Hill Country Club in 1980, 2003, and 2013, with Jason Dufner defeating Jim Furyk by two shots to claim victory. Established in 1901, Oak Hill Country Club is a revered name in golfing circles and will host the prestigious tournament for the fourth time in 2023.

However, these athletes must first see the weekend and make the PGA Championship cut. What will that include specifically? See how many players will advance to the third and final rounds at Oak Hill by looking at the PGA Championship cut guidelines.

PGA Championship 2023 Cut Line Selection Procedure Explained

The PGA Tour makes sure that a varied and competitive field takes center stage by combining exemptions, qualifiers, and invites. Let’s explore the unique process by which athletes qualify for PGA events.

Golfers must fulfill stringent requirements in order to qualify for the PGA Championship, which may alter year and provide exceptions in extraordinary cases.

A golfer is eligible for the tournament if they have won the tournament during the last five years or any other three major championships in that time.

Alternatively, placing in the top 70 of the FedEx Cup standings on the PGA Tour from the previous season, taking first place at the PGA Championship the previous year, placing in the top 30 of the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, or being chosen by the PGA of America as a special exemption also qualifies a golfer.

It’s time to make the cut once the first 36 holes have been drilled. This occurs during the halfway point of the competition, which is a crucial turning moment for the contending golfers.

The cut line itself serves as a metaphor for the bar for promotion. The top 70 players on the leaderboard, including those who are tied for 70th place, are the criteria for the PGA Championship. Sadly, those who are rated 71st or worse will not advance further in the competition.

There is a specific rule that applies when there is a tie for the final qualifying spot (70th place). All golfers who attain the same score are allowed to advance to the subsequent rounds, providing that  identical score has an equal chance to continue their journey.

The PGA Championship takes a different tack than several competitions, which use a second cut following the third round. Every player who successfully clears the cut will be given the chance to participate in each of the championship’s four rounds. Due to this special feature, the elite field can engage in prolonged combat until the tournament’s grand climax.

The PGA Championship and The Open Championship, often known as the British Open, have similar cut regulations. The top 70 players (including ties) in each tournament advance following the cut according to the same rule. It’s important to keep in mind, too, that other significant tournaments have slightly different cut rules.

For instance, the Masters maintains the top 50 competitors (including ties) and has a 10-shot rule that allows competitors who are within 10 strokes of the lead to continue. The top 60 players (including ties) make the cut for the U.S. Open.

The cut line rule for the PGA Championship acts as the strictest screening mechanism, separating the contenders from the rest of the field. The competition makes sure that only the most accomplished and competitive golfers advance to the championship’s summit by following this selection method.

The cut rule governs the PGA Championship cut and specifies which golfers advance through the second round and which players are eliminated.

What exactly is that PGA Championship cut, then? This is the standard:

  • After the second round’s 36 holes are complete, there is one cut.
  • Golfers who finish in the top 70 after 36 holes, including those tied for 70th, advance.
  • Golfers who finish in 71st place or below do not advance in the competition because they failed to make the cut.

In summary, the Top 70 players, including ties, advance to the third and fourth rounds of the PGA Championship after the first 36 holes.
The fact that a golfer is in 71st position yet is just eight strokes behind the leader doesn’t matter because there is no 10-shot regulation at the PGA Championship.

Golfers must achieve the cut line at the PGA Championship in order to compete. But as the second round approaches its conclusion, that score might vary from year to year, from day to day during the first two days, and even from hole to hole. The cut line might be two over par, two under par, or even par. The cut line is flexible, but the cut rule (Top 70 plus ties) is constant.

What was the PGA Championship cut line in 2022, 2021 and 2020

79 golfers made the cut at Southern Hills last year before Justin Thomas went on to win the PGA Championship in 2022. At Kiawah the year before, 81 players made the cut with a +5 cut line, and Phil Mickelson went on to win in 2021. TPC Harding Park played a little easier than earlier tournaments on the way to Collin Morikawa’s triumph in the 2020 PGA; with a cut at +1, 79 players advanced to the weekend.

 

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