These guys really do have a lot on the line.
I've slimmed the quote down, I hope that's okay.
"A lot on the line"?
Finish 1st, get a claret jag, loads of kudos and loads of £$£$
Finish 2nd, maybe get sympathy, gets loads of £$£$
Finish near the top, pretty similar to 2nd above.
Make the cut, a scaled down version of the above.
Please excuse the cynicism, and no slight intended, but to me the guys who have 'a lot on the line' are not the guys at the top of the field or top of the world rankings. The guys who have a 'lot on the line' are the guys struggling to make the cut, or even qualify, or even hoping to qualify, but who don't have sponsors etc but do have mortgages to pay and families to feed. Decades ago a top player remarked that even if he didn't win he'd still have steak for dinner. This is not necessarily the case for the also rans at the back of the field or trying to make a name for themselves on a mini-tour somewhere. It's all a matter of relativeness and perspective.
ATB