The British Open Cut Line and Cut Rule

What is the cut line at the British Open? That depends on the cut rule, so first let's explain that rule and how it governs which golfers do, and don't, make the cut.

This is the British Open cut rule:

• The Open Championship uses a single cut after two rounds (36 holes) are completed.
• The Top 70 golfers, including all those tied for 70th place, make the cut and continue on to the third and fourth rounds. Golfers in 71st place and lower miss the cut and go home.

The 10-shot rule is not in place at the British Open, so it doesn't matter whether the golfer in 71st place is only nine strokes off the lead. Golfers must be in the Top 70 (including ties) after two rounds to make the Open Championship cut.

That's the cut rule. So what is the British Open cut line? The cut line is the score that golfers must have in order to make the cut based on the rule outlined above. Golfers who have that score or better make the cut, those that are worse than that score miss the cut.

If it takes +4 (4-over-par) to tie for 70th place, then +4 is the cut line. If it takes +8 (8-over) or -1 (one under), then +8 or -1 is the cut line.

The specific score that represents the cut line changes from Open to Open, even though the cut rule remains the same. If you are scoreboard watching any year and want to know what the cut line is, just look down at 70th place and the scores of the golfers in that area of the scoreboard. The cut line might move up or down by a stroke (or more) depending on how those golfers are scoring on the golf course.

Related articles:

• These are the worst 18-hole scores ever in the British Open
• 73 fun and fascinating firsts at the British Open
• The biggest margins of victory ever in the British Open