The Open cut rules 2023: Exploring the Royal Liverpool major championship's rulebook

The Open Championship is known to be one of the oldest majors in golf, dating all the way back to the 1860s. However, the Open did not always have a cut rule. It was implemented only in 1898 and has remained a part of the major ever since.

The 2023 Open Championship is scheduled to take place between July 16 and 23 at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, Merseyside, England. With a field of some of the most talented golfers in the world, the cut at the Open will prove to be a tough one.

Historically, the Open cut has faced the least amount of changes among all the four Majors. Currently, the cut stands at the top 70 players, including ties entering the weekend after the first two rounds of play.

The exact number of players making the cut differs every year. In 2022, 83 players made the cut, while in 2021, 77 players made the cut. The top 70 players making the cut is the same amount as the PGA Championship, but 10 places more than the US Open.

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Exploring the history of the Open Championship cut rules

The Open has, however, had a few different cut rules in the past. Between 1898 and 1925, the tournament featured either one of two- a 36-hole cut or a pre-qualifying to the Open. Soon after, the Open has a 72-hole format spread over three days that included both a cut and a qualifying round.

Between 1968 and 1985, the Open Championship had what was known as a 'double cut'. Players were not only cut after the first 36 holes, but a second cut was also made after 54 holes. Tom Watson became the oldest player to make the cut at the Open at the age of 64.

The qualification criteria for the 2023 Open Championship includes those who won the major between 2012 and 2022. It also includes the top 10 finishers at the 2022 Open, the top 50 in the OWGR rankings in the first week of July as well as the top 30 in the final 2022 DP World Tour rankings.