One shot can mean the difference for a professional golfer being paid and not being paid. At the Valspar Championship, that was exactly the case.
Late-on on Friday, the cutline stood at one-over and, consequently, it left many players wondering whether they would make it into the weekend. However, a knight in shining armour appeared in the form of Neal Shipley.
Playing the ninth hole, his final one of the day, the situation was simple. If Shipley parred, the cutline would remain at one-over-par and 12 players would miss the weekend. If he bogeyed, the cut would move to two-over and those 12 players would be guaranteed a paycheck on Sunday.
To add to the drama, Shipley found the fairway bunker with his tee shot and, with no approach to the green available, he was forced to chip out into the fairway.
Needing to get up-and-down from 105-yards, the 24-year-old did find the green, but a missed par putt meant he bogeyed the hole, allowing the 12 extra players into the weekend, something that PGA Tour pro, Michael Kim, was very happy about.
Neal just made 12 new friendsMarch 21, 2025
Taking to X/Twitter, Kim posted a series of tweets, with the first reading: "Please just finish so I can either go home tonight or know I’m playing."
Revealing that he was "currently waiting at the airport" in his courtesy car and refreshing the PGA Tour app, Kim then tweeted "Neal just made 12 new friends," as the American's putt slid by the hole.
Obviously, Shipley would have been glad to make it into the weekend at the Valspar Championship so, when asked about the cut, he jokingly suggested a way that players could thank him.
Prior to the event starting, Shipley revealed to the media his Waffle House order and, speaking on Friday, he humorously stated: "Everyone knows where my locker room is and they can feel free to leave some Waffle House gift cards in there for me, I'd appreciate it."
Within those players who made the cut on the number were Adam Scott and multiple PGA Tour rookies. However, even the experienced players were anxious that the cutline may move and they would miss out on a weekend appearance.
Last week, Shane Lowry tweeted his appreciation and relief of making a Players Championship cut, with the Major winner writing: "Sometimes just making the cut means a lot to us out here. Very happy to have a tee time this weekend."
At the Valspar Championship, Justin Thomas spoke about cutline anxiety and, despite being a two-time Major winner, admitted that it's "more nerve-wracking than trying to win a golf tournament."
Speaking to media on Friday, Thomas stated: "You feel it way before the final few holes. I've had it, unfortunately, a lot, since starting last week. It's real... I would say it's often more nerve-wracking than trying to win a golf tournament, just because -- especially a week like this, like I'm literally nine holes from leading the golf tournament right now, and I might not even get to play this weekend.
"So it sucks, because I really played well today and a lot of things are going well, but, you know, I just have to hope and hope somehow the wind keeps blowing."
Thomas would finish his day one-over-par, one shot inside the number.
