The Genesis Invitational is the third Signature Event of the 2025 PGA Tour season - and it's the only one to feature a cut so far.
The first Signature event came right at the start of the year in Hawaii at The Sentry, with the second coming at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. All eight of the 'Signature' tournaments feature smaller fields and boosted prize funds, and, in some cases, no cuts.
There have traditionally been some PGA Tour-sanctioned events without cuts, like the World Golf Championships that are now defunct, but the introduction of more no-cut events was a controversial move from the tour and one that was originally seen as imitating its new rival, LIV Golf, which also operates no-cut, small field events.
“I certainly am pushing for my event to have a cut," Tiger Woods said in 2023 while discussions about cuts was taking place. "I think that maybe the player-hosted events may have cuts."
The TV networks and organizers aren't the biggest fans of cuts due to the potential of the big names missing out on the weekend and not being there for fans to watch both on-site and on the screen. That's also a key reason why there's no longer a match play event on tour anymore - because it risks the big names not being there on Sunday.
“It keeps the stars there for four days," Rory McIlroy said on the proposals for more no-cut events at the 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational.
"You ask Mastercard or whoever it is to pay $20 million for a golf event, they want to see the stars at the weekend. They want a guarantee that the stars are there. So, if that’s what needs to happen, then that’s what happens.”
Cuts are very popular among golf fans, as they ensure entertainment on a Friday afternoon as players battle to make their way into the weekend and, crucially, pick up a pay check. They're also an historic feature of the game and part of the legacy within the professional golf world.
We saw this just last week at the WM Phoenix Open, where World No.1 amateur Luke Clanton agonizingly missed out by a single stroke to continue the wait for his PGA Tour card.
The Genesis is one of three 'player-hosted invitationals' on the PGA Tour along with Jack Nicklaus' Memorial Tournament and the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. All three have kept their cuts, while the other Signature Events do not feature them.
Genesis Invitational cut rule
The Genesis Invitational's cut mark will come after 36 holes and see the top 50 players and ties from the 72-man field making it through to the weekend.
Anyone outside of the top 50 and ties but within ten strokes will also make it through to the final two rounds, meaning there could be plenty more than 50 players through and only around 15-or-so players going home early. Last year, 17 players missed the cut at Riviera with 51 players going through to the weekend. Tiger Woods withdrew with illness during round two so he wasn't one of those, while Jordan Spieth was disqualified after an opening 66.
