Jason Day wanted to talk about the cut.
Actually, a lot of folks want to these days. In a look at the participants in the golf wars, LIV Golf keeps everyone around for the weekend, and everyone is guaranteed a paycheck — and in response, the PGA Tour is kicking around the same idea for its elevated-event series. And that’s got folks debating the merits of the 36-hole elimination.
Like Day.
Who genuinely seemed interested in learning what everyone thought ahead of this week’s Wells Fargo Championship. Even reporters.
Reporter: “Jason, how do you think that the designated-event plan has worked out? How’s it worked for you and what do you think about it going forward?
Day: “I mean, what do you guys think? Do you like it?”
Reporter: “Well, I think …”
Day: “Do you like having a cut compared to a non-cut?”
Reporter. “Well, that’s another issue.”
Day: “Do you like having the cut?”
Reporter: “Yes.”
Day: “I like having the cut, too. I’m like on the other side of what most people think in regards to having a shorter — we’re just going back to the WGC days essentially. You’re going to have a great field, which is great. If you play well in those events, typically you’ll stay inside the top 50 every single year, and typically it’s a lot easier for you to stay in the top 50 that way. I think this year’s worked out great with the cuts. I mean, we’ve had the best players in the world rise to the occasion multiple occasions now. I feel like if we talk about — now, granted I’m not in those meetings, I don’t know all the facts about it, but I look at it and I say if the best players are supposed to stick around for the weekend, we should play better, and I understand that. If we don’t play better, then we have to reevaluate why we didn’t play better and get ourselves in contention.
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“To keep guys around for four days, I totally understand that side as well, but if I was looking at it, I’d rather have a cut and then — granted, I know that like West Coast to right now, there’s daylight issues so there’s certain types of fields that we can only handle. Yeah, I prefer a cut, I think that would be much better.”
Reporter: “But you understand, too, that part of that was, the idea is to reward guys? It’s guaranteed pay basically in those tournaments.”
Day: “Why do we need guaranteed pay?”
Reporter: “It seems to be that — look, some of this is in response to LIV obviously.”
Day: “Yeah, 100 percent. I don’t think — look, we’ve played golf our whole lives. I think the majority of the fans out there know that you come in, you play two days. If you don’t play well, you’re out, you don’t get paid. That’s just how our lives work.
“Don’t get me wrong, if I’m in those events and we’re playing for guaranteed money, tremendous. I mean, that’s great. I think the biggest thing we’ve got to work out is see how this year goes, see how next year goes and then put them up against each other. Did the tournaments around the designated events with the no cuts, did they get better as in fields, were there more players there, was there just better play in general to having a no cut to a cut, and then make the decision from there.
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“I think a lot of the decisions we’ve made, the Tour and the policy board has made over the last year, there obviously has been a reaction to what LIV has brought to the table. To be honest, I think everyone’s better for it. I mean, we’re playing for more money on both sides. What’s more sustainable, I’m not sure, but I’m looking at the picture right now and it feels pretty good. I’m just trying to get back to winning at the end of the day and leave the decision making to Rory and those guys.”
With that, here is the purse for the Wells Fargo Championship. The winner receives $3.6 million, from a purse of $20 million.
To watch it all, PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ starts its coverage at 7 a.m., while the TV broadcast is split between Golf Channel (1 p.m.-3 p.m.) and CBS (3 p.m.-6 p.m.).
2023 Wells Fargo Championship payout info, winner’s share
1. $3.6 million
2. $2.18 million
3. $1.38 million
4. $980,000
5. $820,000
6. $725,000
7. $675,000
8. $625,000
9. $585,000
10. $545,000
11. $505,000
12. $465,000
13. $425,000
14. $385,000
15. $365,000
16. $345,000
17. $325,000
18. $305,000
19. $285,000
20. $265,000
21. $245,000
22. $225,000
23. $209,000
24. $193,000
25. $177,000
26. $161,000
27. $155,000
28. $149,000
29. $143,000
30. $137,000
31. $131,000
32. $125,000
33. $119,000
34. $114,000
35. $109,000
36. $104,000
37. $99,000
38. $95,000
39. $91,000
40. $87,000
41. $83,000
42. $79,000
43. $75,000
44. $71,000
45. $67,000
46. $63,000
47. $59,000
48. $55,800
49. $53,000
50. $51,400
51. $50,200
52. $49,000
53. $48,200
54. $47,400
55. $47,000
56. $46,600
57. $46,200
58. $45,800
59. $45,400
60. $45,000
61. $44,600
62. $44,200
63. $43,800
64. $43,400
65. $43,000
66. $42,600
67. $42,200
68. $41,800
