In professional golf, the final round of a Major Championship is the most pressured environment in the sport. However, the drama doesn't always end at the 72nd hole. When two or more players are tied for the lead after four days of play, they enter a playoff to determine the winner.
Unlike regular PGA Tour events, which typically follow a standard protocol, each of the four men's majors—The Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship, and The Open Championship—utilizes its own distinct rules to crown a champion.
The 4 Golf Major Championships
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The Masters Tournament: Hosted annually at Augusta National Golf Club, it is the only major played at the same venue every year.
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The U.S. Open: Known as the "toughest test in golf," it is the national championship of the United States.
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The PGA Championship: Conducted by the PGA of America, it features the strongest field of professional golfers.
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The Open Championship: Often called the British Open, it is the oldest of the four majors and is always played on a links-style course.
The Masters Playoff Format
The Masters Playoff Format is unique among the four majors because it is the only one that employs a straight sudden-death format. As soon as a tie is established at the end of 72 holes, the involved players immediately head back to the course.
In this format, the first player to win a hole outright is crowned the champion. The playoff begins on the 18th hole and, if a tie remains, moves to the 10th hole. The players continue alternating between these two holes (18, then 10, then 18 again) until a winner emerges. Because there is no aggregate score buffer, every single shot at Augusta carries maximum stakes.
U.S. Open Playoff Format
Historically, the U.S. Open was famous for its grueling 18-hole Monday playoff. However, in 2018, the USGA modernized the rules to ensure a champion could be crowned on Sunday evening. The current U.S. Open Playoff Format utilizes a two-hole aggregate system.
Under these rules, the tied players compete over two designated holes. Their total strokes for both holes are added together, and the player with the lowest aggregate score wins the Jack Nicklaus Medal. If the players are still tied after these two holes, the playoff transitions into a sudden-death format, playing hole-by-hole until one golfer breaks the tie.
PGA Championship Playoff Format
The PGA Championship uses a three-hole aggregate format. This is often viewed by players as one of the fairest ways to decide a major, as it provides a three-hole "mini-tournament" that allows a player to recover from a single bad shot or an unlucky bounce.
The total scores from the three holes are tallied, and the lowest total wins the Wanamaker Trophy. Similar to the other aggregate formats, if the golfers remain tied after the third playoff hole, they move directly into sudden death. The specific holes used for the playoff are determined by the PGA of America based on the course layout, often concluding on the 18th green to maximize the atmosphere for the fans.
The Open Championship Playoff Format
The Open Championship (British Open) was the first major to move away from the next-day 18-hole playoff model. For many years, it utilized a four-hole aggregate, but the R&A recently updated the rules to a three-hole aggregate format to align more closely with modern scheduling.
Like the PGA Championship and U.S. Open, if the players have identical scores after the three-hole stretch, the tournament moves to sudden death. The Open Championship’s format is designed to test a player’s ability to handle the changing wind and links conditions over a series of holes rather than a single "sprint" finish.
Conclusion
Understanding the various ways a major can be won adds a layer of depth to the viewing experience. Whether it is the immediate pressure of the Masters Playoff Format or the tactical aggregate battles seen in the other three championships, these rules ensure that the eventual winner has truly earned their place in history. While the formats differ in length, the end goal remains the same: finding the one player who can keep their composure when the stakes are at their highest.
FAQs
Which major has the longest playoff?
Historically, the U.S. Open had the longest playoff (18 holes). Today, The Open and the PGA Championship have the longest "standard" playoffs with their three-hole aggregate formats.
What happens if a playoff is still tied after the aggregate holes?
In the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, and The Open, if players are still tied after the aggregate holes (2 or 3 holes respectively), they immediately begin playing sudden-death (hole-by-hole) until a winner is decided.
Has the Masters ever used an 18-hole playoff?
Yes. Prior to 1976, The Masters used a full 18-hole playoff on Monday. The last 18-hole playoff at Augusta was in 1970, won by Billy Casper.
Why does the Masters use different holes for its playoff?
The Masters uses the 18th and 10th holes because their tees and greens are located near each other and the clubhouse, making it easier for officials to manage the massive galleries and for television crews to cover the action quickly.
