U.S. Open 2025: How the 36-hole cutline is determined at Oakmont
Andy Lyons
OAKMONT, Pa. — During the practice rounds ahead of the 2025 U.S. Open, the word “carnage” was being tossed about regarding what Oakmont might have in store for the 156 players in the field. And while Thursday’s first round at first hinted it might not be quite as treacherous as forecasted, by day’s end the course lived up to its reputation as one of the toughest tests—if not the toughest—in U.S. Open golf. The scoring average for the field after Round 1 was 74.63, the highest it had been since 76.47 at Shinnecock Hills in 2018.
Indeed, this week is looking more like a U.S. Open that traditionalists might enjoy than what we've seen in the recent past. Recall two years ago at Los Angeles Country Club, there was a record scoring day with the field posting a 72.38 average to set the all-time low for the opening round in the national championship. Things were a little harder last year at Pinehurst No. 2, when the opening round average was 73.25.
As Oakmont starts to show more of its teeth, and promises to play potentially more difficult during Friday’s second round, there’s a natural question that is coming into players’ minds: How will this impact making the 36-hole cut? Sure while players will be jockeying for position atop the leader board in hopes of eventually winning the championship come Sunday, many others will be simply trying to just make sure they’re still in Pennsylvania come the weekend.
Unlike the PGA Championship and the Open Championship, which allows the low 70 players and ties to play all four rounds, the USGA has a slightly higher bar for its “cut rule,” taking only the low 60 and ties. And there is no “10-stroke rule” in effect to help determine the U.S. Open cut; the USGA did away with it in 2011.
With 10 players posting under-par scores in the first round, the projected cutline from datagolf.com at 4:30 p.m. Friday was a 72.4-percent probability of seven-over-par 147 and a 27.2-percent probability of six-over-146. A year ago at Pinehurst, the cut fell at five-over 145, and two years ago at LACC it was only two-over 142, breaking the U.S. Open record for lowest cutline by one stroke previously set in 2003 at Olympia Fields and 2022 at The Country Club.
If you think just making the cut doesn’t mean much in determining the ultimate winner, we refer yet again to what happened seven years ago at Shinnecock Hills. Tony Finau and Daniel Berger had made the 36-hole cut with one stroke to spare, but were 11 strokes off the lead when they teed off on Saturday morning in the third round. They each posted four-under 66s, and when the winds picked up in the afternoon—along with the scores—Finau and Berger found themselves tied for the lead after 54 holes. Finau would eventually finish fifth and Berger would come in tied for sixth, each securing spots into the 2019 championship with their weekend play.
So yeah, even just making the cut is a big deal. (Oh, and they’re playing for a record $21.5 million in prize money, so getting to the weekend, even on the number, can be financially very lucrative, too.)
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Here's what the cutline has been for the last 10 U.S. Opens:
2024: 145 (+5), Pinehurst No. 2
2023: 142 (+2), Los Angeles Country Club
2022: 143 (+3), The Country Club
2021: 146 (+4), Torrey Pines
2020: 146 (+6), Winged Foot
2019: 144 (+2), Pebble Beach
2018: 148 (+8), Shinnecock Hills
2017: 145 (+1), Erin Hills
2016: 146 (+6), Oakmont
2015: 145 (+5), Chambers Bay
And here's what it's been the three previous times it's been played at Oakmont:
2016: 146 (+6)
2007: 150 (+10)
1994: 147 (+5)
1983: 151 (+9)
1973: 150 (+10)
1962: 150 (+8)
1953: 153 (+9)
1935: 161 (+17)
1927: 163 (+19)
For history buffs, here are some stats related to the cut at the U.S. Open:
Highest 36-Hole Cut (Since World War II):
155 (15 over), The Olympic Club (Lake Course), San Francisco, Calif., 1955
154 (14 over), Southern Hills C.C., Tulsa, Okla., 1958
154 (10 over), Pebble Beach (Calif.) G.L., 1972
Lowest 36-Hole Cut
142 (+2), Los Angeles Country Club (North Course), 2023
143 (+3), Olympia Fields (Ill.) C.C. (North Course), 2003
143 (+3), The Country Club (Open Course), 2022
144 (+2), Pebble Beach (Calif.) G.L., 2019
144 (+4), Baltusrol G.C. (Lower Course), Springfield, N.J., 1993
144 (+4), Bethpage State Park (Black Course), Farmingdale, N.Y., 2009
145 (+1), Medinah (Ill.) C.C. (No. 3 Course), 1990
145 (+1), Erin Hills, Erin, Wis., 2017
145 (+5), Oakland Hills C.C. (South Course), Birmingham, Mich., 1985
145 (+5), Oak Hill C.C. (East Course), Rochester, N.Y., 1989
145 (+5), Shinnecock Hills G.C., Southampton, N.Y., 2004
145 (+5), Pinehurst R. & C.C. (No. 2), Village of Pinehurst, N.C., 2014
145 (+5), Chambers Bay, University Place, Wash., 2015
145 (+5), Pinehurst R. & C.C. (No. 2), Village of Pinehurst, N.C., 2024
Most Players to Make Cut
108, Oakland Hills C.C. (South Course), Bloomfield Hills, Mich., 1996
88, Baltusrol G.C. (Lower Course), Springfield, N.J., 1993
Most U.S. Opens Completed, 72 Holes
35, Jack Nicklaus
27, Hale Irwin
27, Sam Snead
26, Raymond Floyd
26, Phil Mickelson
26, Gene Sarazen
25, Gary Player
25, Tom Watson
Youngest to Make Cut (since World War II)
17/3/0 Beau Hossler, 2012, T-29th
17/8/29 Michael Thorbjornsen, 2019, 79th
18/1/25 Bobby Clampett, 1978, T-30th
18/4/25 Jack Nicklaus, 1958, T-41st
18/9/3 Aldrich Potgeiter, 2023, 64th
Oldest to Make Cut
61 Sam Snead, 1973, T-29
60 Tom Watson, 2010, T-29
58 Jack Nicklaus, 1998, T-43
MORE U.S. OPEN COVERAGE FROM GOLF DIGEST
