How many rounds are in a golf tournament?

Most professional events are 72 holes: four rounds of 18, Thursday to Sunday.

What is the cut in golf?

After two rounds, the field is reduced to the leading players and ties. Only they play the weekend and earn prize money.

What happens if there is a tie in golf?

A playoff. On most tours it is sudden death, hole by hole. Some majors use a short aggregate playoff over two or three holes first.

What does 'and ties' mean in the cut?

Everyone level with the last qualifying score also makes it, so more players can go through than the headline number.

Golf · Guide

How a golf tournament works

Most professional events are four rounds of 18 holes from Thursday to Sunday. After two rounds, the cut sends the back half of the field home. Lowest total score wins.

The week

Monday to Wednesday: practice rounds and the pro-am.
Thursday and Friday: rounds one and two. Players go out in groups of three, with morning and afternoon tee times swapped between the two days.
Friday evening: the cut.
Saturday and Sunday: rounds three and four, in pairs, with the leaders going out last.

The cut

After 36 holes the field is reduced to the leading players and ties. On the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour that is usually the top 65 and ties. The majors set their own numbers, and some elevated events with small fields have no cut at all. Missing the cut means no prize money.

Ties and playoffs

If players are level after 72 holes, there is a playoff for the title. Most events play sudden death, repeating a hole until one player wins it. Some majors start with an aggregate playoff over a few holes before going to sudden death.

Scores on the leaderboard

Leaderboards show each player against par: −12 means twelve under par for the tournament. "Thru 9" means they have played nine holes of the current round. See golf scores explained.

Match play and team events

A few events, most famously the Ryder Cup, are played hole by hole against an opponent instead. Win more holes than your opponent to win the match.

Quick answers

How many rounds are in a golf tournament?: Most professional events are 72 holes: four rounds of 18, Thursday to Sunday.
What is the cut in golf?: After two rounds, the field is reduced to the leading players and ties. Only they play the weekend and earn prize money.
What happens if there is a tie in golf?: A playoff. On most tours it is sudden death, hole by hole. Some majors use a short aggregate playoff over two or three holes first.
What does 'and ties' mean in the cut?: Everyone level with the last qualifying score also makes it, so more players can go through than the headline number.