What’s worse than all the acronyms and terms that you find in golf?
Then the PGA Tour or the USGA decides to add more!
The acronym MDF was added in 2008, and although it is not used all that often, you may have seen it and wondered what exactly it means.
Here is everything you need to know about MDF and what it means.
What Does MDF Mean in Golf?
MDF means made cut but did not finish.
This means that a golfer made the initial cut, which is usually after two rounds of golf, but they did not finish the golf tournament.
This distinction gets a little bit confusing because the MDF distinction does not necessarily mean a player didn’t finish because of an injury or other circumstances.
Most of the time, if the player decides to leave the tournament for health or personal reasons, they will be shown as a WD (withdrawn) on the scoreboard.
The MDF is meant for unique circumstances where golfers have made the golf tournament’s first cut but missed the second cut.
It is rare for a golf tournament to have two cuts, but it can be possible.
If too many people make the first cut (because of ties), then sometimes there will be another cut after the third day.
These players were able to get through the first round of cuts but not the second.
Do MDF Golfers Get Paid?
Golfers will get paid a minimal amount for making the cut.
Although it certainly won’t be the same as making it to the end of the golf tournament and placing, at least they will make some money.
It’s unfortunate for these players that they are able to make the one cut but not another, but this process follows the official rules of the PGA Tour.
How Does a Cut Work in Golf?
A golf tournament is four rounds of golf played on Thursday–Sunday.
There is a cut after the first 36 holes.
The cut is going to be limited to the first 70 golfers.
This does not always work out very cleanly because sometimes there are golfers that are tied.
For instance, there are more than likely ties that will make it impossible to cut the group at exactly 70.
It is not permitted to have fewer than 70 players make the cut because it will create some uneven groups of players, and that is not fair when it comes to the tournament purse and more.
The PGA Tour rules state that if there are more than 78 players who make the cut, you will need to have a second cut.
The way the second cut works is that all the people who make the first cut will continue to Saturday or the third round.
When they finish this round, they will then see if they have made the second cut.
After the third day, the field will be officially cut down to the top 70 players.
This situation does not happen all that often, but it was happening enough that the tour had to come up with this MDF distinction for the group of players.
Players who are shown as MDF do get to keep their FedEx points.
The FedEx points help at the end of the year when there are additional bonuses and playing opportunities.
These players also count towards the fantasy golf you may play.
What Does a Golfer Need to Shoot to Make the Cut?
There is no exact number that will allow a golfer to make a cut in a tournament.
Depending on the event they are playing in and the golf course’s difficulty, the number they need to shoot could change significantly.
For some events like the Masters or a US Open or British Open, the cut may be even par.
For other events at easier golf courses, the cut could be six or seven under par.
It all depends on how competitive a golf tournament is and how close the golfer is to the cut line.
It is usually difficult to make a cut when you shoot over par.
Golfers who are very competitive will want to make sure they stay well under par to guarantee a shot at the weekend and a paycheck.
What Is a Monday Qualifier?
For many professional golf tournaments, there is something called a Monday qualifier.
The Monday qualifier allows golfers the ability to shoot a really great round on a Monday before the tournament and gain access to the event.
Most of the time, there are additional qualifiers that take place to allow a golfer into a Monday qualifier.
The Monday qualifiers are very difficult as there could be 150 golfers going for one spot.
They often end in playoffs, and it is a very stressful way to start a week of a professional golf tournament.
Players who are struggling to earn full-time positions on the Tour will do the Monday qualifier so they can hopefully play well and work towards achieving their PGA Tour card.
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