Masters 2026: How the 36-hole cut is determined at Augusta National

Adam Glanzman

By Ryan Herrington

April 10, 2026

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AUGUSTA, Ga. — It’s the goal—spoken or implied—of everybody in the field at the 2026 Masters, whether you’re defending champion Rory McIlroy or 66-year-old past champion Fred Couples, the oldest participant this week. Being invited to play in the year’s first men’s major is incredible, but the tournament is a lot more memorable (not to mention lucrative) if you can make the 36-hole cut and play on the weekend at Augusta National. And after Thursday's opening 18 holes, there are a handful of top-ranked players who will be sweating this out.

As the second round began at Augusta, former major champions Bryson DeChambeau (76), Bubba Watson (76), Danny Willett (76), Jon Rahm (78), Fred Couples (78), Angel Cabrera (79) and Brian Harman (79) were all in jeopardy of missing out playing all 72 holes of the tournament. Each was outside the top 50 after the first round, which is the magic number at the Masters.

Starting in 2020, tournament officials implemented new guidelines for determining the 36-hole cut. As had previously been the case, all players inside the top 50 (and any players tied) get to play the entirety of the tournament. However, an old provision that let any player within 10 strokes of the lead—the so-called “10-shot rule”—would also stick around has been eliminated.

Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley offered two reasons behind the change, the first being that it created a “reliable way” to predict the weekend field.

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“But the other thing is we look back at the statistics, and the last few years, or the last several years, I think we’ve only had two players who have been in contention who made the cut only because of the 10-shot rule,” Ridley said. “While certainly it can happen, it just doesn’t. It’s not relevant that often, and we thought this was a way to sort of tighten things up and have a more predictable field size for the weekend.”

Indeed, using scores from the first round, the cutline would be a three-over-par 75, with eight players tied at T-48 on that number and eight more tied at 58th with four-over 76 scores.

The 36-hole cut was first implmented at the Masters in 1957. Starting that year until 1961, it was low 40 and ties. From 1962-2012, it was low 44 and ties and those within 10 strokes of the leader, until it went to low 50 from 2013-2019, and then to the present day change.

What will this year’s Masters 36-hole shake out to be? As of 5 p.m. Friday, Datagolf.com was predicting a 99.4 perceent chance the cutline comes at four-over 148. Among those on the outside looking is J.J. Spaun, the reigning U.S. Open champion and winner of last week's Valero Texas Open.

Augusta National’s decision to do away with the 10-cut rule brought it in line with the other three men’s major championships in terms of how they determine their cuts. At the U.S. Open, the low 60 players and ties play all four rounds. At the Open Championship and the PGA Championship, it’s the low 70 and ties.

With the soft conditions at Augusta in November 2020, the cutline for the tournament was at a record-low even-par 144. Last April, the course was similarly receptive early in the week after some rain, with the second lowest cutline in the last 10 years.

Here’s what the cut line has been for the last 10 Masters:

2025: 146 (+2)
2024: 150 (+6)
2023: 147 (+3)
2022: 148 (+4)
2021: 147 (+3)
2020: 144 (E)
2019: 147 (+3)
2018: 149 (+5)
2017: 150 (+6)
2016: 150 (+6)
2015: 146 (+2)

The average cut at the Masters is 148.41. The highest cut was 154 (+10) in 1982.

For history buffs, here are some stats related to the cut at the Masters:

MOST CUTS MADE
37, Jack Nicklaus
31, Fred Couples
30, Gary Player
28, Phil Mickelson
27, Raymond Floyd
27, Bernhard Langer
25, Ben Crenshaw
25, Tiger Woods
24, Tom Watson
23, Billy Casper
23, Arnold Palmer

LONGEST STREAK OF CONSECUTIVE CUTS MADE
24, Tiger Woods (1997-2024)
23, Fred Couples (1983-2007)
23, Gary Player (1959-1982)
21, Tom Watson (1975-1995)
19, Bernhard Langer (1984-2002)
19, Gene Littler (1961-1980)
18, Billy Casper (1960-1977)
16, Phil Mickelson (1998-2013)
15, Bruce Devlin (1964-1981)
15, Jack Nicklaus (1968-1982)
15, Adam Scott (2010-2024)
13, Ben Crenshaw (1980-1992)
13, Nick Faldo (1979-1996)
13, Raymond Floyd (1973-1985)
13, Corey Pavin (1985-1998)
13, Justin Rose (2003-2018)