What are the US Open cut rules?

Winning the US Open is one of the sport’s greatest honours, but what about the US Open cut rules? And just how many players make it? You’ve come to the right place. Here’s everything you need to know.

A history of the US Open cut rules

The USGA has tweaked the cut line over the years for its most prestigious golf tournament.

The US Open implemented its first cut in 1965 when the tournament switched from a three-day event to a four-day event. Like at the Masters, the original cut rule allowed any players within 10 shots of the leader to advance to the weekend.

This meant there was no definitive number of players who could make the cut. At the 1996 tournament at Oakland Hills, 108 players made the cut, which is way over half of the 156-man field.

In 2011, the USGA then had away with the original cut rule, adjusting the system to have only the top 60 players advance in their quest to toughen up the tournament.

So what are the US Open cut rules?

The 36-hole cut rule is now much more straightforward – but it is different across other major championships.

To make the cut after 36 holes and advance to the weekend at the US Open, players need to be inside the top 60 – including ties – after the first two rounds. This is 10 spots fewer than the Open Championship and the PGA Championship, which allows the lowest 70 players into the weekend.

In 2022, 64 players made the cut at the 2022 US Open at the Country Club at Brookline, Mass. 71 players made the cut at Torrey Pines in 2021.

At age 61, Sam Snead is the oldest player to ever make the cut at the US Open, finishing T29 in 1973.

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