All About Us Open Cut Rule: A Comprehensive Guide

The US Open uses a two-cut system that sets it apart from every other major championship. After 36 holes, the field is trimmed to the top 60 players and ties. Then, after 54 holes, a second cut eliminates anyone more than 10 strokes behind the leader. This guide explains exactly how the rule works, why it exists, and what it means for players and fans.

How the Two-Cut System Works

The USGA designed this format to keep the weekend field manageable while maintaining competitive drama through Sunday.

36-Hole Cut (Friday)

After two rounds, the field is reduced to the 60 lowest scores, plus anyone tied for 60th. In 2023 at Los Angeles Country Club, 71 players made the initial cut. The number fluctuates each year because ties are included.

54-Hole Cut (Saturday)

After three rounds, a secondary cut takes effect. Any golfer more than 10 strokes behind the leader is eliminated. This is the defining feature—and often the most controversial.

The 10-Stroke Rule Explained

• Only applies after 54 holes. The first cut uses standard low-score criteria.
• Ties do not extend the second cut. If 12 players are tied for 55th but all are within 10 shots of the lead, all 12 play Sunday. If one of them is 11 shots back, that player is out.
• Players who miss the Saturday cut receive no prize money unless they were among the low 60 after Friday.

In 2022 at The Country Club, the 54-hole cut eliminated players who shot 77 or higher in the third round. That same year, then-amateur Sam Bennett made the Saturday cut at 3-over but was 16 shots back—and got to finish his fourth round alone as low amateur.

How to Track Saturday’s Cut in Real Time

If you’re following the tournament live, knowing whether a player is safe or not takes not only a glance at the leaderboard. Here’s a practical three-step sequence you can use to determine cut status after every Saturday round.

1. Check the Leader’s Total Score

First, note the 54-hole leader’s score. This is the reference point for the 10-stroke margin. For example, if the leader is at 6-under par, the cut line is 4-over par (6-under + 10 = 4-over). Any player with a score of 5-over or worse is eliminated.

2. Compare the Player’s Score Against That Line

Take the player you’re watching. If their total is 4-over or better, they play Sunday. If 5-over or worse, they’re done.

Real-world branch: In 2021 at Torrey Pines, the leader Jon Rahm was at 6-under after 54 holes. The cut line was 4-over. Players at 5-over were out. That year, Sergio Garcia had been T-51 after two rounds but shot 77 on Saturday, ending at 5-over total. He missed the Sunday cut by exactly one stroke. If the leaderboard had been tighter—say the leader at 10-under—players at even par would have made the cut. The margin always adjusts to the leader’s score.

3. Verify with the Official USGA Post

The USGA posts the official 54-hole cut list on their championship website and mobile app as soon as the final group finishes. Wait for that confirmation before assuming your player is safe. Scores can shift if a late finisher posts a low number that moves the cut line.

Stop/escalate threshold: If a player is 11 or more strokes back after 54 holes, stop checking—they are mathematically eliminated. There is no appeal, no weather grace, no special exemption that overrides the rule. The only exception is if weather shortens the tournament to 54 holes (rare), in which case the second cut is abandoned entirely.

Verification step: To confirm the cut worked correctly, cross-check the final leaderboard the next morning. Every player listed with scoring for the final round will have been within 10 shots after Saturday. If you see a player 12 back teeing off on Sunday, something is wrong—report an error to USGA officials.

Why the USGA Added the 54-Hole Cut

Before 2018, the US Open only cut after 36 holes. The change addressed two persistent problems.

Pace of play. Afternoon rounds on Sunday were taking five-plus hours with a full 78-player field. The second cut typically reduces Sunday’s field to 50–65 players, shaving 30–45 minutes off rounds.

Drama preservation. A player 15 shots back after three rounds has no realistic shot at winning. By trimming that group, the USGA keeps the broadcast focused on contenders. The 10-stroke margin is deliberately wide enough that a red-hot Sunday round can still matter—but narrow enough to avoid dead time.

Historical Context

The 10-stroke threshold isn’t random. The USGA analyzed decades of US Open data and found that no player outside 10 shots after 54 holes had ever come back to win. The rule formalizes what the scoring already proved.

Year	Player	Deficit After 54	Final Result
1998	Payne Stewart	5 strokes back	Won by 1
2015	Tiger Woods	2 strokes back	T-32 (72-hole cut scenario)
2023	Wyndham Clark	3 strokes back	Won by 1

The 10-stroke rule means a player like Stewart in 1998—5 back but within range—would still compete. A player 12 back would not.

Notable Exceptions and Edge Cases

Amateurs

Amateurs who miss the 54-hole cut can still be awarded low amateur honors. The USGA allows them to complete the final round if they were within the 36-hole cut line and no other amateurs remain. This happened with Sam Bennett in 2022.

Past Champions

Past US Open winners receive a special exemption into the field, but the cut rules apply to them equally. In 2023, past champion Jordan Spieth missed the 36-hole cut entirely, so the 54-hole rule never came into play. In 2019, past champion Tiger Woods made the 36-hole cut but was 15 back after 54 holes and was cut under the 10-stroke rule—one of the few times a major champion was eliminated on Saturday.

Weather-Shortened Events

If weather reduces the tournament to 54 holes, the second cut is abandoned. The field is then determined solely by the 36-hole cut, and prize money is awarded based on 54-hole scores. This last happened in 2008 at Torrey Pines, before the 54-hole cut rule existed.

What the Rule Means for Betting and Fantasy Golf

For anyone following live odds or fantasy leagues, the 54-hole cut introduces a real elimination risk for players who start slow on Saturday.

Key takeaways:

• A player 8–10 back after 54 holes has a realistic chance to play Sunday and potentially cash top-20 or top-30 bets.
• A player 11+ back after three rounds is officially done, regardless of position on the leaderboard.
• The Saturday cut tends to hit mid-tier players hardest. Stars rarely fall that far back, but players in the 50–70 range on the leaderboard face the tightest risk.

In 2021 at Torrey Pines, seven players missed the 54-hole cut, including notable names like Sergio Garcia (T-51, 11 strokes back). In 2023 at Los Angeles Country Club, only three players missed the Saturday cut because the leaderboard was tightly clustered.

Why the Rule Stays Controversial

Purists argue a major championship should never eject players after three rounds. The counterargument is simple: the US Open is a test of endurance, not just scoring. Players who fall 15 strokes behind haven’t proven they can hang with the pressure of a Sunday back nine at a US Open.

The rule also creates a planning headache for caddies and players. After Saturday’s round, the field doesn’t know immediately whether they’ll play Sunday. The USGA posts the cut line as scores are finalized, but players sometimes wait 30–45 minutes for the final groups to finish. In 2017 at Erin Hills (before the rule), that wait lasted until nearly 8 PM for some players.

The 54-hole cut is here to stay. It’s baked into the championship’s identity—punishing, exclusive, and unapologetic about thinning the field for Sunday’s final push.