The American Express cut rules: How many players make the cut and why the 2024 edition is unique

Following two weeks in Hawaii, the PGA Tour returned to the mainland United States this week for the first event of the 2024 'West Coast' swing.

The 2024 American Express tournament in La Quinta, California, began a three-week stretch of events held in the Golden State. Always one of the more unique stops on the tour's schedule each year, the event with its pro-am element sees its full field of 156 players compete across three different courses over four days of terrific action.

Players often know coming into the week that they are going to need to pile up the birdies if they hope to make the cut, let alone find themselves in contention at the American Express on a Sunday.

All of this often leads to a very low cut mark at this event and if Thursday's action is anything to go by, we should see more of the same this time around with well over 54 players posting a scintillating tally of 4-under-par or better through just eighteen holes of action in the Californian desert on Thursday. But exactly how many players will make the cut at the 2024 American Express and why is this year's edition unique? Let's take a look.

The American Express cut rules: How many players make the cut?

Unlike your traditional event on the PGA Tour calendar that has its cut take place after 36 holes of action, all 156 players in the field this week will complete 18 holes at three different courses, PGA West's Nicklaus Tournament Course and Stadium Course, and La Quinta Country Club, before a cut following Saturday's action and 54 holes of play is made.

The top 65 players, including ties, will tee it up for a final time on Sunday at Pete Dye's Stadium Course to determine this year's champion.

What was The American Express cut line in 2023 and 2022?

With an extra 18 holes for every player in the field, the cut line at this event has been predictably much lower than your average stop on tour. Still, favorable conditions that often lead to plentiful amounts of birdies at this tournament also play a factor.

Last year, the 2023 American Express cut line was made at an astonishing 9-under mark following the completion of 54 holes by the field. Jon Rahm would go on to win at the Stadium Course on Sunday with an eye-opening 27-under tally.

The cut line wasn't quite as drastic in 2022 when Hudson Swafford claimed the title; this time falling on -6.

What makes the 2024 version of The American Express unique?

With the exception of the 2021 American Express, which saw its cut take place after 36 holes as a result of the pandemic, the tournament has shared similarities every year with the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am as one of two tournaments on the PGA schedule to implement a non-traditional 54 hole cut.

All of that changes in 2024. As one of this season's signature events, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am has eliminated one of the tournament's traditional three courses (Monterey Peninsula CC) and done away with a cut entirely. This due to its new limited 80-man field in 2024.

The result, The American Express is the only tournament on the schedule now with the rare cut after 54 holes of golf.

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