Oldest Golfer to Make the Cut on the PGA Tour
Haas Made Cut at 68, Snead at 67
At the two-man-team format Zurich Classic on April 22, 2022, Jay Haas broke Sam Snead's longstanding record to become the oldest-known golfer to make the cut in a PGA Tour tournament. Haas entered the tournament partnered by his son, Bill Haas. The Haases were already part of PGA Tour history in another way: they make the list of father-son winners on the PGA Tour.Jay Haas was 68 years, 4 months, 20 days old, a little more than one year older than Snead was in his record-setting tournament.
In the first round, playing best ball, they scored 65. In the second round, playing alternate shot, they scored 71. That put them at 8-under 136 and making the cut on the number. And making Haas the oldest golfer to make a PGA Tour cut. The Zurich Classic was a team tournament. Does that detract any from Haas' achievement? In the minds of most golf fans, probably! But it still counts as the new record. (It was also Haas' 592nd cut made, and he also holds the record for most career cuts made on the PGA Tour.)
You can still think of Snead as the oldest to make the cut in an individual stroke-play tournament — a non-team tournament. Slammin' Sam was 67 years, two months and 21 days old when he made the cut in the 1979 Westchester Classic, the tournament that was later called the Buick Classic and The Barclays.
Snead opened with a first-round 76, but then shot 70 in the second round. His 146 score after two rounds was one stroke better than the cutline, so he headed into the weekend. Snead shot 77-74 in Rounds 3 and 4 to finish at 13-over 297 and in 74th place.
Earlier in the year, Snead shot his age twice in the PGA Tour Quad Cities Open, the youngest golfer to do that on the PGA Tour. And at the 1979 PGA Championship, he also made the cut, and also set another record: oldest to make the cut in a men's major. But after the Westchester Classic, Snead never made another cut on the PGA Tour.
Making a PGA Tour Cut Age 64 or Older is a Rarity
The cuts made by Haas at the 2022 Zurich Classic and Snead at the 1979 Westchester Classic are two of the just five times since 1970 that any golfer has made a PGA Tour cut at the age of 64 or older. Three of the golfers who did it are all-time greats: Snead, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson. And there's also Fred Funk and, of course, Haas.In addition to Haas and Snead, here are the other age-64-and-over golfers who've made a PGA Tour cut since 1970:
- Jack Nicklaus, age 64, 2004 Memorial. Nicklaus' final made cut happened on his own golf course in his own golf tournament. Nicklaus shot 74-73-77-71 and finished at 7-over 295, tied for 63rd place.
- Tom Watson, age 65, 2015 RBC Heritage. Watson shot 72-70-69-76 to finish at 3-over 287, tied for 72nd place.
- Fred Funk, age 64, 2020 Bermuda Championship. Funk chipped in on his 36th hole to make the cut on the number. He finished at 3-over 287, tied for 59th place.
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