What Does MDF Mean in Golf?

Seeing MDF next to a player's name on a professional golf leaderboard can send you scrambling for answers. It’s not as common as MC or WD, and its meaning isn't immediately obvious. This article will explain exactly what MDF means in golf, break down the tour's official rule behind it, and clarify why you don't really see it on PGA Tour leaderboards anymore. We’ll cover how it affected players and how it differed from other familiar tournament terms.

The Straight Answer: What MDF Stands For

In golf, MDF stands for "Made Cut, Did Not Finish." It was an official designation given to a player who played well enough to make the initial 36-hole cut but was then eliminated from the tournament after the third round due to a secondary cut rule.

Essentially, the player successfully made it to the weekend but was not allowed to finish the tournament by playing the final round on Sunday. Despite this, they were not considered to have "missed the cut" in the traditional sense. It's a slightly strange middle ground, and understanding why it existed requires a look back at an old PGA Tour rule.

The ‘Too Many Players’ Problem: Why the MDF Rule Existed

If you've ever watched the weekend rounds of a PGA Tour event, you know the players go out in pairs (twosomes). This format is ideal for television broadcasts and helps maintain a good pace of play. The goal is to get all the golfers through their rounds in a timely, manageable fashion. The problem arises when too many players make the cut.

For decades, the PGA Tour rule for making the cut was straightforward: the top 70 players and anyone tied with the 70th-place score would advance to the weekend. However, this could create major logistical headaches. On courses with easy scoring conditions or in tournaments with tightly-bunched leaderboards, the number of players at the "cut line" could be huge. It wasn't uncommon for this rule to let 80, 85, or sometimes even more than 90 players into the weekend rounds.

A weekend field that large leads to several problems:

• Slow Pace of Play: To accommodate so many players, tournaments had to send players out in threesomes (threes) instead of twosomes. They also often had to use a "two-tee start," with groups starting simultaneously on both the 1st and 10th holes. Even with these measures, rounds could take much longer.
• Television Nightmares: Longer rounds can wreck a broadcast schedule, potentially pushing the finish past its allotted time slot. It also becomes incredibly difficult for the broadcast team to provide meaningful coverage of so many different groups on the course.
• Player and Caddie Frustration: Long, slogging rounds are draining for everyone involved and can take some of the excitement out of championship Sundays.

The PGA Tour needed a way to protect the integrity and flow of the weekend competition without unfairly penalizing a large group of players at the traditional 36-hole cut line. Their solution was Rule 78 and the birth of the MDF designation.

Rule 78 and How the Secondary Cut Worked

To solve the "too many players" problem, the PGA Tour instituted a rule known informally as Rule 78. This rule created a two-step cutting process that only became active when the weekend field was exceptionally large.

Here's how it would play out:

Step 1: The Friday Cut (36 Holes)

This was the standard cut that everyone knows. After the first two rounds (36 holes), the field was cut to the low 70 players and ties.

Step 2: The Saturday Cut (54 Holes) - The MDF Trigger

This secondary cut only kicked in if the number of players from Step 1 was greater than 78. If 78 or fewer players made the Friday cut, everything proceeded as normal, and everyone played all four rounds. But, if 79 or more players made it to Saturday, a secondary cut would take place after the third round was completed.

After Saturday's round, the field was trimmed again to the low 70 players and ties. The golfers who were between the original cut line and this new 54-hole cut line were the ones designated with MDF. They "Made the Cut" on Friday but "Did Not Finish" the full tournament.

Let's use an example:

1. 156 players start the tournament.
2. After Friday's second round, the cut line falls at even par. A total of 82 players are at even par or better. Since 82 is greater than 78, Rule 78 is triggered.
3. All 82 players play the third round on Saturday.
4. After Saturday's round, a new cut line is established. Let's say the new score for 70th place (and ties) is three-under-par.
5. Any of the original 82 players who are now worse than three-under-par are cut from the tournament. Perhaps this is a group of 10 players. These 10 players would see "MDF" next to their name on the final leaderboard. They pack their bags on Saturday night while the remaining 72 players get ready for the final round.

The Impact on the Players: A Mixed Bag of Emotions

Getting tagged with an MDF was a true "good news, bad news" situation for a professional golfer. While a strange outcome, it was far better than missing the cut outright.

The Good Parts of an MDF

• They Got Paid: The most significant benefit of an MDF is that the player receives official prize money for the tournament, unlike a player who misses the cut (MC). The earnings would be at the bottom end of the pay scale, but a check is a check on tour.
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An MDF also awarded players Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points and FedExCup points (on the PGA Tour). These points are the lifeblood of a touring pro, determining eligibility for major championships, playoff events, and their tour status for the following season. -

For statistical purposes, the tournament finish goes down as a "Made Cut." This is important for a player's official records and for things like tracking consecutive made cut streaks.

The Not-So-Good Part

The obvious downside was disappointment. The player lost the opportunity to play on Sunday. A great final round can mean a massive jump up the leaderboard and a much bigger paycheck. An MDF removed that possibility completely. It capped their earnings and their potential placing for the week. Players often felt like they earned their spot on the weekend only to have it taken away a day later.

A Rule of the Past: Why You Don't See MDF Anymore

If you're an avid golf watcher, you might have noticed that MDF hasn't appeared on a PGA Tour leaderboard in quite some time. That's because the PGA Tour officially eliminated the MDF secondary cut rule starting in the 2019-2020 season.

The system was sometimes considered confusing for fans and frustrating for players. In its place, the Tour adopted a simpler, more direct cut rule:

The new cut rule is now top 65 players and ties.

That's it. It’s a single cut after 36 holes. If more than 78 players make the cut under this rule, so be it. The tour now deals with the larger field by using threesomes and two-tee starts on the weekend. This change made the process more straightforward for everyone and guarantees that if a player makes the cut, they are playing all four rounds.

You may still see MDF pop up when looking at historical leaderboards from before 2019, but it's now a relic of a past era in professional golf.

MDF vs. WD, DQ, and MC: What’s the Difference?

To fully understand MDF, it helps to see it alongside the other common acronyms on a leaderboard. Here’s a quick-glance comparison:

MDF (Made Cut, Didn't Finish)

What it means: The player was part of a field with more than 78 players who made the 36-hole cut and was cut again after the 54-hole round. This rule is now retired.
Result: Receives official money and points.

MC (Missed Cut)

What it means: The player did not post a score low enough after 36 holes (two rounds) to qualify for weekend play.
Result: Receives no money and no points. Goes home Friday.

WD (Withdrawal)

What it means: The player voluntarily removes themself from the tournament at any point. This can be due to injury, illness, personal reasons, or even just poor play.
Result: If a player withdraws *before* the cut, they get no money. If they withdraw *after* the cut, they are given last place official prize money and points.

DQ (Disqualified)

What it means: The player was removed from the event by a rules official for a significant breach of the Rules of Golf, such as signing an incorrect scorecard, taking an improper drop, or receiving impermissible advice.
Result: Receives no money and no points, regardless of when it occurs.

Final Thoughts

In short, MDF stood for "Made Cut, Did Not Finish." It was the PGA Tour's solution for managing overcrowded weekend fields but was phased out in favor of the current, simpler "top 65 and ties" cut rule. It ensured that players who were cut on Saturday still received the money and points they deserved for playing well enough to make it to the weekend.

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