Understanding Us Open Cut Line: A Practical Guide
After 36 holes, the US Open cuts the field to the top 60 players and anyone tied at that score. That is the cutoff—no 10‑shot rule, no exceptions for star power, no second chances. If ties push the weekend field past 78 players, a secondary cut after 54 holes brings it back to the top 60 and ties. This guide covers how the cut actually works, what drives the number year to year, recent examples, and how to check whether a specific player made it.
The 60‑and‑Ties Format: How the Cut Actually Works
The cut is set after the second round ends on Friday. The USGA takes the 60th‑lowest total score (two rounds, 36 holes) and advances every player at that score or better. Ties are not broken—every player tied at the cut line gets a weekend spot. This is a key difference from most PGA Tour events, which also include a “within 10 shots of the leader” safety net. The US Open never applies that rule.
Example from 2023: At Los Angeles Country Club, the 60th‑place score was +5. Seven players tied at +5, so 67 players advanced (60 + 7). Because 67 is under the 78‑player cap, no secondary cut was needed.
When Ties Exceed 78 Players
All ties advance at the initial cut. If that number exceeds 78, the USGA applies a secondary cut after the third round: again the top 60 and ties, capped at 78. This has not happened since the rule change took effect in 2014. The closest call was 2018 at Shinnecock Hills, where 66 players made the initial cut and ties pushed it to 73—still under the threshold. Prior to 2014, secondary cuts were more common because the initial cut allowed ties without a field limit, occasionally producing weekend groups of 80 or more.
No 10‑Shot Rule
Many fans assume the cut sits within 10 strokes of the leader. That assumption fails every year at the US Open. In 2019 at Pebble Beach, the 36‑hole leader was −10, but the cut line was +2—a full 12 strokes back. A player who was even par (10 strokes behind the leader) would have missed the cut by two shots despite being within the 10‑shot window. The only rule is position: finish 60th or better (including ties), regardless of the leader’s score.
Three Factors That Move the Cut Line Year to Year
The cut line varies widely depending on the course setup, weather, and field strength. Here is how each factor typically affects the number:
| Factor | How It Moves the Cut | Real Example |
|---|---|---|
| Course difficulty | Tougher setups (narrow fairways, deep rough, fast greens) push scores higher. | 2022 at The Country Club: cut at +8, one of the highest in the modern era. |
| Weather conditions | Wind and rain inflate scores; calm, soft conditions lower them. | 2021 at Torrey Pines: relatively calm weather → cut at +3. |
| Field depth | A stronger top end can pull the cut line lower, but the US Open field is already the deepest of the year. | 2020 at Winged Foot: cut at +1 despite the winner’s +6 total—only 63 players advanced. |
The cut is almost always above par. The lowest modern cut was −1 at Pebble Beach in 2000 (Tiger Woods’ historic 15‑shot win). The highest was +9, set at Oakmont in 2007 and matched at Winged Foot in 1974. Since 2000, the typical spread has been +2 to +8. Periods of extreme weather or setup adjustments can push it outside that range—Oakmont 2007 was a notorious example where the USGA let the rough grow deep and the greens reach 14 on the Stimpmeter, producing a weekend field of just 60 players.
Why the Winner’s Score Doesn’t Predict the Cut
It is common to see a winner at −6 and a cut line at +5, or a winner at +6 and a cut line at +1. The two numbers are not correlated. The winner’s score reflects how the course played for the best golfer over four rounds; the cut line reflects how the whole field handled the worst conditions (often windy Friday afternoons). In 2020 at Winged Foot, the winner (Bryson DeChambeau) finished at −6, yet the cut was only +1 because the course played extremely difficult for the middle of the pack, especially those who caught the tougher side of the draw.
Recent Cut Lines at a Glance
| Year | Course | Cut (to par) | Players Advancing | Winner’s Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Los Angeles CC | +5 | 67 | Wyndham Clark (−10) |
| 2022 | The Country Club | +8 | 64 | Matt Fitzpatrick (−5) |
| 2021 | Torrey Pines | +3 | 67 | Jon Rahm (−6) |
| 2020 | Winged Foot | +1 | 63 | Bryson DeChambeau (−6) |
| 2019 | Pebble Beach | +2 | 65 | Gary Woodland (−13) |
| 2018 | Shinnecock Hills | +7 | 73 | Brooks Koepka (+1) |
| 2017 | Erin Hills | +1 | 68 | Brooks Koepka (−16) |
Notice the winner’s score and the cut line vary independently. Erin Hills 2017 had a −16 winner paired with a +1 cut because the course was long but fair, and the top players exploited soft conditions. Shinnecock Hills 2018 had a +1 winner but a +7 cut because the course became borderline unplayable on Friday and Saturday afternoons.
What Missing the Cut Means for a Player
Players who miss the cut face several real consequences:
- No weekend play. They do not tee it up on Saturday or Sunday.
- No prize money. Only players who make the cut earn official money. A missed cut means zero earnings for the week, even if the player is an amateur or a past champion.
- No FedExCup points. The week counts for world ranking points (36‑hole finishes still contribute to the OWGR), but it does not advance the player in the FedExCup standings.
- Lost exemption ground. Tour pros who finish inside the top 10 at the US Open earn a multi‑year exemption into future Opens. A missed cut provides no such benefit, and for players trying to earn their way into future majors, every cut matters.
For a professional in the middle of the world ranking (say, No. 150–250), a single missed major cut can drop them 10–15 spots. Three missed major cuts in a season can push a player 30–40 spots down, which directly affects invitations to other PGA Tour events, international tour starts, and major exemptions. Even a 36‑hole made cut is worth roughly 3–4 world ranking points at the US Open, while a missed cut yields closer to 0.2–0.5 points.
How to Check Whether a Player Made the Cut
If you are tracking a specific player, follow this process:
1. Wait for the full field to finish the second round. The cut is not official until every player has posted 36 holes. A projected cut line during the round is a prediction, not a guarantee. If a player is near the cut line during their round, do not assume their status until the final group finishes.
2. Go to the official leaderboard. Use usopen.com or the USGA’s official app. These sources are definitive; third‑party leaderboards may lag by several minutes or use projected cuts that differ from the official line.
3. Check the player’s status. Players who missed the cut will display a “CUT” label next to their name or score. Players who advanced will show no such label, and the leaderboard header will state the official cut line (e.g., “Cut: +5”). The USGA also publishes a “Players Advancing” list that includes all 60‑plus‑ties competitors.
What a correct verification looks like: The leaderboard shows a cut line of +5, and 67 names appear in the advancing field. Your player is tied at +5 and shows no CUT mark. You can safely confirm they made the weekend.
What to avoid: Do not make travel or practice decisions based on a projected cut line shown on TV or a third‑party site during the round. The projected line can shift by a stroke or more as late groups finish. In 2022, the projected cut at The Country Club swung from +6 to +8 over the final 90 minutes of the second round as the wind picked up. Anyone who left early or canceled lodging based on the +6 projection would have been wrong.
If You See a Discrepancy
If the official USGA leaderboard shows a player as CUT but they appear tied at the cut line on another site, wait 15 minutes after the final group finishes. The USGA sometimes takes that long to process all scorecards, verify totals, and publish the final official cut. If the discrepancy persists beyond 15 minutes, contact the USGA scoring help desk through the championship website. Do not assume a scoring error—the USGA’s leaderboard is the source of truth.
Why the Cut Line Varies More Than You Expect
The cut line in a typical PGA Tour event usually falls between even par and −4. At the US Open, it commonly lands between +2 and +8. That wider range is not random—it is the direct result of course setup philosophy.
The USGA aims to identify the best player in the world by making the course the toughest test in golf. That means narrow landing zones, rough that can measure 4–5 inches deep, and green speeds that exceed 13 on the Stimpmeter. When conditions are dry and windy, the average score for the field can climb to 74–75, pushing the cut toward +7 or +8. When conditions are soft and calm, the average drops to 72–73, and the cut settles around +1 or +2.
Concrete example from 2014–2023: Over the 10 most recent US Opens (excluding 2020’s unusual September date), the average cut line was +3.6. The median was +3. Only two events had a cut at even par or better (2017 Erin Hills at +1, technically above par, and 2000 Pebble Beach at −1). No modern US Open has had a cut below −1, because the course setups are designed to keep scoring difficult even in ideal weather.
What This Means for a Player on the Bubble
If a player is at +3 through 36 holes with the cut projected at +2, they are likely going home. But if they are at +3 and the cut is projected at +3 with several groups still on the course, they have a real chance—ties are not broken, so being right on the line is as good as being in 30th place. Players on the bubble should never assume they are out until the USGA posts the official cut.
Final Takeaway
The US Open cut line is simple: 60 and ties, no extras. But it moves year to year based on the course and conditions, and it punishes even a single bad round more ruthlessly than most events. If you are tracking a player, wait for the official announcement. If you are watching as a fan, the cut is one of the most dramatic moments of the championship—a Friday afternoon squeeze that decides who gets a weekend shot at the hardest test in golf.
Michael Reeves is a PGA Professional with over 20 years of experience in competitive golf and instruction. A former Division I collegiate player at the University of Texas, he competed on the mini-tours before transitioning to full-time coaching and golf journalism. He has been a certified PGA teaching professional since 2005 and has worked with players at every level, from absolute beginners to collegiate champions.
His writing has appeared in Golf Digest, Golf Magazine, and The Left Rough. At GolfHubz, Michael leads the editorial team, overseeing fact-checking and ensuring every answer meets the same standard he demands on the lesson tee: clear, evidence-based, and immediately useful.
When he’s not writing or teaching, Michael plays to a +1.4 handicap at his home club in Austin, Texas. He has attended over 40 major championships as a journalist and fan, and has played more than 200 courses across 15 countries.
You can reach Michael at [email protected] or follow his occasional swing analysis posts on the site.