What is the projected cut line for 2023 PGA Championship?

The projected cut line for the 2023 PGA Championship is set at +5. This means that according to the organizers' predictions, anyone with a score equal to or better than 5 above par in the first two rounds combined will be playing the weekend in Rochester.

This is a cut line that may not seem very hard to achieve, but this is only an appearance. It actually reflects very well how challenging the East Course at Oak Hill Country Club is proving to be. Suffice it to say that, closing the first round, only 26 golfers managed to record par or under par.

Among the great golf stars who were under par after the first day were Cam Davis, Patrick Cantlay, Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Cameron Smith, Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, defending champion Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele, Tony Finau, Phil Mickelson, world No. 1 Jon Rahm, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Talor Gooch.

However, only Rahm, Fitzpatrick, and Gooch would be below the cut line, with the second round still to be played.

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What does the cut line represent in the PGA Championship?

The cut line is the resource that the PGA Championship (and most PGA Tour tournaments) uses so that only the best-performing players during the first two rounds advance to the title discussion.

According to the rules, only the top 70 golfers (+ ties) will make the cut. Judging by the performance of the individual scores on the first day, the organizers project at what score the cut line will be set, which is usually met, although it is not a rule.

Passing the cut implies that the player has two more rounds to improve his personal performance and climb positions on the leaderboard, and even fight for the tournament title.

Scottie Scheffler is among the leaders while playing round two of the 2023 PGA Championship (Image via Getty).

It should not be forgotten that the cut line also marks the line of those players who will share the tournament's prize purse. That is, those who make the cut will receive a cash prize to recognize their efforts.

This is a very difficult outcome to achieve, due to the widespread competitiveness of professional golf, especially on the PGA Tour. It is so remarkable to make the cut in a tournament, that the tour's statistics highlight cuts made among the most notable statistics of all players.

The list of players with the most cuts made at the PGA Championship is headed by Raymond Floyd and Jack Nicklaus (both with 27). They are followed by Phil Mickelson (26), Tom Watson (25), Arnold Palmer, and Hale Irwin (24).

Tiger Woods holds the record for most consecutive cuts made on the PGA Tour with no less than 142. The players present at the 2023 PGA Championship with the most consecutive cuts made are Xander Schauffele (24), Viktor Hovland, Adam Scott and Cameron Young (17), Wyndham Clark and Sahith Theegala (16), Scottie Scheffler (14), Tony Finau (13), Rickie Fowler and Sungjae Im (12).