The cut has been made at the 2026 Players Championship, and a large group of big names are safely through to the weekend at TPC Sawgrass.

Quick Scoop

On Friday, March 13, the 36-hole cut line was set at 2-over par, with players outside the top 62 and ties heading home early. Ludvig Åberg leads the tournament at 12-under after a blistering second-round 63, giving him a two- shot edge over Xander Schauffele heading into the weekend.

What was the cut at The Players?

  • Cut line: 2-over par after 36 holes.
  • Field size: Players at 2-over or better (top 62 and ties) advanced to the weekend.
  • Format note: Like standard PGA Tour events, the cut comes after two rounds, with the top portion of the field playing the final 36 holes.

Big names who made the cut

Several star players survived a tense Friday at Sawgrass:

  • Ludvig Åberg at 12-under (solo leader after a 9-under 63 in Round 2).
  • Xander Schauffele at 10-under, two shots back.
  • Rory McIlroy, who needed a clutch birdie at the 18th to get inside the number and avoid missing the cut.
  • World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who also birdied 18 after an underwhelming 73 to sneak inside the cut line.
  • Keegan Bradley and Sam Burns, who played strong second rounds to move safely into the weekend.
  • Brian Harman, who jumped 72 spots with a 64 to reach T10 by the end of Round 2.
  • Michael Thorbjornsen, who fired 65 to move into the safe zone.
  • Jordan Spieth, Sahith Theegala, Jason Day and others in the red figures and comfortably through.

Here’s a small snapshot of some notable players who are in for the weekend (scores after 36 holes):

[3] [3] [3] [3] [3] [3] [3] [3]
Player Score Status
Ludvig Åberg -12 Leader after 36 holes
Xander Schauffele -10 2 shots back, in contention
Brian Harman -8 (T10) Huge move after second-round 64
Rory McIlroy Inside cut at +2 or better Birdied 18 to make the cut
Scottie Scheffler Inside cut at +2 or better Birdied 18 to avoid missing weekend
Keegan Bradley Inside cut Strong Friday to move into safe zone
Sam Burns Inside cut Survived Sawgrass test
Michael Thorbjornsen Inside cut Second-round 65 moved him clear

Note: The full list of every player who made the cut is long; tournament coverage sites are publishing complete leaderboard and “made the cut” breakdowns if you want every name.

How this fits into the latest news and chatter

  • The “who made the cut at The Players” question is trending because several elite players were flirting with the number, especially McIlroy and Scheffler, both needing late birdies.
  • Ludvig Åberg’s surge to a 9-under 63 is a major talking point, with fans and analysts debating whether this could be his breakout win at the PGA Tour’s flagship event.
  • Brian Harman’s 72-spot leap after a 64 is another storyline driving forum and social discussions, as it dramatically changed the shape of the top 10.

How the cut works at The Players (quick explanatory note)

  • Standard rule: After two rounds, the top 65 players and ties make the cut at The Players Championship, similar to most PGA Tour events.
  • 2026 implementation: The operational cut was effectively players inside the top 62 and ties at 2-over or better, matching how the leaderboard bunched around that score.
  • Practical impact: One birdie or bogey near the end of Round 2 can be the difference between playing the weekend and missing out on prize money and FedEx Cup points.

TL;DR (bottom)

  • Cut line: 2-over par after 36 holes at the 2026 Players Championship.
  • Big names through: Ludvig Åberg (leader at -12), Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Keegan Bradley, Sam Burns, Brian Harman, Michael Thorbjornsen and more.
  • Åberg’s 63 and dramatic last-hole birdies from McIlroy and Scheffler are driving most of the “who made the cut at The Players” buzz right now.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.