New Cut Rule Victimizes 18 Golfers at Sony Open
Huh? I imagine this development caught many fans - and perhaps even some golfers - by surprise. How can you make the cut, yet not be allowed to play the third round? The culprit is a new rule instituted for the 2008 season by the PGA Tour, and designed to keep the number of golfers advancing to the third round as close to 70 as possible. Traditionally, the cutline is low-70 scores plus ties. However, that occasionally has led to a larger number of golfers continuing into the third round - 80, 85, even 90 golfers. The Tour doesn't want those large numbers on the weekend.
So here's how the new cut rule works:
- Low-70 plus ties is still the cutline. If 78 or fewer golfers make the cut, then everything continues as in the past.
- However, if 79 or more golfers make the cut, 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 in this extra step are credited with making the cut, but do not continue to the weekend rounds. Since they are credited with a made cut, however, they do get their share of the purse and FedEx Cup points.
But there is an exception: If the second reduction takes place and results in a field that is farther away from 70 than the full number of golfers who made the cut, the original number stands. For example, 80 golfers make the cut based on the low-70s plus ties formula. The Tour eliminates all the players one stroke below the cutline, which results in 59 golfers remaining. Fifty-nine is farther from 70 than 80 is, so the original 80 continue to the weekend.
According to PGATour.com, a cut that results in more than 78 players remaining for the weekend has occurred an average of 11 times per season over the past 12 years. So if form holds true, 11 times in 2008 the Tour will eliminate from weekend play golfers who made the cut. And it happened first at the Sony.
Comments
Screwball Rule.
As if the FEDEX Cup wasn’t enough to confuse the public, now this! Very stupid rule.
Never mind about the sport, the fans or the players…it’s all about the money…this just hastens the inevitable demise of the PGA Tour
This rule is ridiculous from every angle you look at it. I’ll bet Mark Calcavecchia is happy about making $1007 more for playing 4 rounds than John Daly got for playing 2 rounds. The “2 Rounders” even get FEDEX points…what the hell is that?
A note to large sports organizations…Change when change is necessary…don’t foul up something that isn’t broken. Just because X person’s idea is outside the box, it doesn’t mean its a good one…
I follow the tour to watch John Daly play golf. I’m sure others follow other players. This rule is stupid. A guy can go out, shoot 5 over the first round, bust his butt the second round to make the cut and then be told to go home, taking away any chance that his imporved play might continue over the next two rounds and give him some needed points or money. I can just see how this goes at the end of the year. “Yeah, I made the cut in every tournament, but only played two rounds every week”
Seems like someone on the PGA tour has a case of rectal vision.
Is this dumb rule just to give Tiger more camera time, like he needs it, with the networks fawning over him constantly. It is actually quite nauseating.
I like the rule… shoot a lower score and you’ll be in for the weekend… practice a little harder and earn your way to the weekend. I just love any type of performance based earnings in sports over the guaranteed money a lot of athletes get..”make em earn it”
So if someone on Sunday shoots an 85 and winds up under the guys in “automatic last place”, does that make him last place and the other guys second to last? Seems like a rainy, windy California weekend could have those guys moving up the leader board, especially in a bunched event.
I think the scores are getting tighter at the top. Lots of ties at different levels. If you don’t worry about the cut and keep focused on improving you game it won’t be a big deal. Even though they could start earlier in the day and everyone could get in 4 days.
It’s a nutty system, but so it golf! I’m okay with eliminating the bottom rung from the last two weeks. I can always watch that kind of golf from my clubhouse any day of the week.
The cut rule…you want 69 golfers on Saturday…do it…but don’t go by scores….just the low 69 scores weather that is a cut line of 2under or 9 over, just according according to the number of players you want..much simpler, and will make some players play harder./.
Hasn’t the Commissioner heard of countbacks ? like -last 18,last 9, last 6 last 3 and hole by hole if necessary –that would ensure everyone tried as hard as possible and is no different to any Club competition and the existing rules of golf.
I ‘m not sure this rule is good. I’m confused on the part that is if cut is 4 over and the 3 overs don’t play the weekend, whats up with that. like someone else said that if its not broke ,don’t fix it.
I agree with the cut. In cases where 89 people make the cut, it slows down play for everyone else at the top.
While players have come back to win from the cutline, it has only happened a handful of times in the past five years.
I don’t like the rule. If someone has a poor first round and is on the comeback, they should be rewarded with being able to play the weekend, especially with so many multiple course tournaments and weather playing such a factor.
Let’s see what happens the first time Tiger gets in the group of MDF.
Wait till Tiger hits the MDF # and the rule will change. Or maybe they should exempt Tiger being that about 100,000 more fans will show up on the weekend if he is there. This is a stupid rule because it should be all about the fans and what we want to see. If some high profile golfers hit the MDF #, it will hurt the game. What about some of the great comebacks that will not happen because of this???