Masters Cut Line Sparks Drama As Top Players Miss Weekend Play

Masters Cut Line Sparks Drama As Top Players Miss Weekend Play...

The 2026 Masters Tournament cut line delivered major surprises Friday evening, eliminating several high-profile golfers from weekend play at Augusta National. At 4-over par, the cut proved unusually harsh, sending home former champions and fan favorites in a dramatic shakeup.

World No. 8 Sam Burns and 2022 Masters winner Scottie Scheffler both missed the cut by one stroke after late bogeys on Friday. The elimination marks Scheffler's first missed cut at Augusta since his 2020 debut. "It stings," Scheffler told reporters after carding a 75 in windy second-round conditions.

Tiger Woods narrowly survived at 3-over after a grueling 27-hole Friday that tested the 50-year-old's endurance. The five-time champion needed two clutch pars on his final holes to continue his record streak of 24 consecutive Masters cuts made.

Augusta National's firm, fast conditions and swirling winds produced the highest cut line since 2017. Only 53 players advanced to weekend play, the smallest field since the tournament adopted the current cut rules. The drama comes as golf viewership surges with ESPN reporting its highest Friday Masters ratings in a decade.

Social media erupted with reactions to the surprise eliminations, particularly Scheffler's late collapse. Golf analysts noted the cut line's impact on betting markets, with several pre-tournament favorites now out of contention. Weekend ticket prices dropped nearly 40% on secondary markets Friday night as fans adjusted expectations.

The surviving field will face even tougher conditions Saturday, with forecasted 20mph winds and the course playing at its firmest since 2014. Tournament officials confirmed they won't implement preferred lies, setting up what could be the highest-scoring weekend in Masters history.