The cut mark is one of the main aspects of professional golf. If PGA Tour players aren’t playing well, chances are they’re not going to make the cut and be playing on the weekend.
So when a golfer misses the cut on the PGA Tour or DP World Tour, do they still get paid? Let’s find out.
Founder, Editor
Ed is the founder and editor at EEE Golf. He’s been playing golf for over 20 years, competing in many top amateur events. He’s played courses all over the world and played with some of the best players in the game. His aim is to help educate people about the game of golf and give insights into the sport he loves most.
Do Golfers Get Paid If They Miss The Cut?
No, for most professional events golfers don’t get paid if they miss the cut. However, there are some golf tournaments such as The Masters which offer prize money to those players outside the cut mark.
Those players that do make the cut earn a percentage share of the prize money, usually based on the position on the leaderboard they finish. Those who don’t make this cut line aren’t entitled to any of the tournament’s prize money.
Currently, PGA Tour and DP World Tour events follow this structure, with players only earning when they make the halfway cut even when they’ve paid a decent amount of money to be at the event.
The only professional events that offer money to those players not making the cut are the major championships. The Open Championship, US Open, PGA Championship and Masters tournament all give payouts to anyone who misses the cut.
The introduction of LIV Golf, with appearance fees, no cut events and guaranteed money has meant that the two main tours have had to change up their pay structures moving forward.
Both have since introduced “Earnings Assurance Programmes” which offer a minimum amount of earnings for those players that play a certain number of events.
There’s no question that the top professional golfer can make a huge amount of money doing a career that they love. But for those that aren’t quite there, it can be a gruelly test of finances and mindset.
Travelling to different tournaments each week costs a lot of money. From flights to hotel, plus having to pay caddie fees, it can all add up and if you’re not making the cut, you’re not getting paid.
Last season on the DP World Tour, Martin Simonsen from Denmark played in a total of 30 events but only managed to make the cut in 9 of those events.
These 9 events earned him €132,747.06, which sounds like a nice amount of money for anyone. But when you factor in the total costs for those 30 events, it’s highly unlikely he was left with much money at the end of the year.
I always wanted to become a tour pro when I was growing up. It seemed like the best life, travelling the world playing the sport I love and getting paid huge sums of money.
But the reality is, we only hear of the guys doing well on the golf course and making a good living.
Those at the bottom of the leaderboards are grinding away, just trying to get their chance at glory and making no money as they go.
Missing The Cut At The Majors
Unlike other professional golf tournaments, the major championships all offer prize money to players who miss the cut.
The amount earned by those players who missed the cut can vary each year, but usually the Masters and US Open pay the most at around $10,000.
At the 2023 Masters, 35 players missed the cut or withdrew from the tournament, but they still would’ve received a payment of $10,000 just for playing in the event.
It’s not easy qualifying for a major event and for some players, it’s the only major they’ll ever qualify for. Therefore, the payouts at the four majors are sort of like a reward just for qualifying and earning their spot in the event.
The US Open and Open Championship both offer places for golfers to qualify. This could mean that a player from a miny tour could get a spot in the playing field which can mean a huge week for them.
Then you’ve got the PGA Championship which gives a certain amount of PGA professional golfers the opportunity to compete.
Of course, they can go and perform well, make the cut and earn a huge sum of cash. but even if they don’t, they’ll still make some decent money for the week.
Golf Tournaments Without A Cut
Some golf tournaments in professional golf don’t include a cut line.
This means that players are guaranteed to earn something in each event, with some players also receiving appearance money just for turning up.
Obviously, this is great for a golfer’s bank account, earning a million dollars just for turning up. However, to many golf enthusiasts, the lack of a cut mark eliminates some of the competition and spirit of the game.
Final Thoughts
The life of PGA Tour professionals such as Tiger Woods can certainly be a lucrative one. With huge prize money on offer each week, it might seem like every pro golfer is making serious money.
But the reality is, that only the top players are earning this sort of money, with the guys at the bottom end of the leaderboard each week not taking anything home.
FAQs
Do pro golfers that miss the cut get paid?
No, for most tournaments a golfer won’t be paid if they miss the cut. Only certain events such as the majors will pay players that don’t manage to make the cut.
Do golfers get paid if they miss the cut at US Open?
In 2023, professional golfers who missed the cut will get receive a $10,000 payment.
Do you make money at the Masters if you don’t make the cut?
Golfers who miss the cut at The Masters do actually make some money, unlike other events on the PGA Tour schedule. In the 2022 Masters, anyone who missed the cut still picked up a cheque for $10,000.
Do caddies get paid if player misses cut?
If a golfer misses the cut, this usually means they make no money for that week. As a result the caddy, who usually gets about 10% of a player’s earnings, will also make no money that week. For a player, it’s a real pressure play as their performance can heavily impact their caddie’s livelihood.
Do golfers get prize money if they miss the cut?
Golfers will only get paid if they miss the cut when playing in major championships such as the PGA Championship or The Masters. For regular PGA Tour events and other professional golf events, missing the cut will mean no prize money for that week and essentially no earnings.