U.S. Open Playoff Format: Rules, Holes, and History Explained

For a long time, the U.S. Open has been known as the hardest test in golf, with 72 grueling holes that require accuracy, patience, and strength. But the real drama doesn’t truly begin until the final putt drops and players find themselves tied for the lead. That is where the U.S. Open playoff format comes into play. Over the years, this playoff format has changed from 18-hole marathons the next day to the high-stakes aggregate and sudden-death model we have now. To really enjoy the most memorable finishes of the championship, you need to know how the playoffs work and how their history has influenced the current format.

What is the Current U.S. Open Playoff Format?

The current format for the U.S. Open playoffs uses a two-hole aggregate tiebreaker. If players are still tied after 72 holes, they play a specific two-hole loop, which is usually the 17th and 18th holes. The player who gets the lowest total score on those two holes wins. If the score is still tied after the aggregate phase, the competition moves into sudden death, repeating a loop of holes (i.e., 17th and 18th holes) determined by the USGA Committee until a winner emerges.

The USGA moved from the traditional 18-hole Monday playoff in 2018 to better accommodate modern broadcast schedules and make sure a champion is crowned on Sunday. Even though this change happened almost eight years ago, the format is still “untested” in men’s games. With a two-stroke win in regulation, J.J. Spaun won the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont, maintaining the trend of tournaments decided without extra holes.

Some of the common playoff formats:

• PGA Championship: 3-hole aggregate (usually 13, 17, and 18 or 16, 17, and 18).
• The Players Championship: 3-hole aggregate (16, 17, and 18).
• The Open Championship: 3-hole total.
• U.S. Open: 2-hole total.

How the U.S Open Playoff Works Step-by-Step?

If two or more players are tied for first place after the 72-hole tournament, they will compete in a playoff. In 2018, the U.S. Open playoff format changed from a full 18-hole round to a two-hole aggregate system that was more immediate.

Here is a step-by-step guide to how the current U.S. Open Playoff Format works:

The Aggregate Phase

If two or more players are tied after 72 holes, they enter a two-hole aggregate playoff where the combined score from both holes determines the winner. The USGA Committee selects these two holes, typically the 17th and 18th, as they are close to the clubhouse and make them easily accessible for fans and viewers. This format ensures that a single mistake on one hole doesn’t immediately end a player’s chances, providing a fairer balance than sudden death for deciding a major championship.

Note: The old 18-hole playoff was changed in 2018 so that the game could end on Sunday.

The Sudden Death Phase

If the aggregate scores are still tied after two holes, the playoff goes into a sudden-death phase, and the first player to win a hole outright is the champion. The USGA Committee determines the specific hole rotation for this phase, which usually involves repeating the 18th hole or alternating between the 17th and 18th in a loop. The tournament ends when one player gets a lower score than their opponent(s) on a single hole.

Note: While the plan is to end the playoff on Sunday. However, the USGA has said that if there are massive weather delays, a playoff could technically happen on Monday, but the format would remain the same.

Official USGA U.S. Open Playoff Procedures

The official USGA rules for the U.S. Open playoff format are designed to make sure that the game ends on the same day, if at all possible.

• Determining Order of Play (The Draw): For a U.S. Open playoff, the starting order is determined by a random draw (such as drawing numbers out of a hat) conducted by the USGA Committee on the first playoff tee.
• Honors on Subsequent Holes: The player with the lowest score on the last hole has the “honor” (tees off first). If there is a tie, the order from the last hole stays the same.
• Grouping Rules: Players who are tied for the lead are put in the same group. If more than two players are tied, they all play together in the same group in a stroke-play format.
• Caddie and Equipment Regulations: The same rules about equipment apply during a playoff as they do during the main competition (for example, the one-ball rule and conforming clubs). Players can have caddies, and the rules for players and caddies stay the same as they were in the Terms of the Competition.
• Practice Regulations: Players usually are not allowed to play the playoff holes between the end of regulation play and the start of the playoff, unless permitted by the Committee.

The Evolution of the U.S. Open Playoff (History)

The U.S. Open playoff format has changed from 18-hole or 36-hole sessions that happened the next day to a two-hole aggregate playoff that started in 2018 and was meant to end the tournament on Sunday. There were 33 playoffs before 2018, and from 1954 to 2017, the standard was 18-hole rounds.

Before the change in 2018, the U.S. Open was the last of the four major tournaments to stop using the full 18-hole playoff. Tiger Woods’ 2008 win over Rocco Mediate was the last 18-hole playoff that took place the next day.

Key Historical Shifts in the U.S. Open Playoff Format:

• 1895–1925: 18-hole playoff.
• 1925–1927: 18-hole playoff on the following day.
• 1928–1931: 36-hole playoff. In 1931, a tie resulted in a second 36-hole playoff.
• 1932–1953: 18-hole playoff.
• 1954–2017: 18-hole playoff, with sudden-death if still tied.
• 2018–Present: Two-hole aggregate playoff (often using holes 17 and 18). If still tied, the match proceeds to sudden death.

Iconic U.S. Open Playoff Moments

The U.S. Open is one of golf’s four major championships and has given us some of the most exciting and memorable moments in sports history. They also changed the sport and made or broke careers. Below, we list some of the most famous moments for the U.S. Open playoff format that fans will celebrate for decades.

Ben Hogan’s Miracle at Merion (1950)

• When: June 8-11, 1950
• Where: Ardmore, PA
• Course: East Course at Merion Golf Club

Ben Hogan wrote one of golf’s best comeback stories just 16 months after a car accident that almost killed him. His famous 1-iron shot to the 18th green made it a three-way playoff with Lloyd Mangrum and George Fazio. Hogan won the playoff with a score of 69, giving him his second U.S. Open title and inspiring a generation after the war with his strength.

Jack Nicklaus’ First Major (1962)

• When: June 14-17, 1962
• Where: Plum, PA
• Course: Oakmont Country Club

Jack Nicklaus made his big debut at the age of 22. Nicklaus beat Arnold Palmer in an 18-hole playoff after they tied in regulation. Nicklaus surged four ahead after six holes, then withstood Palmer’s birdie run before a costly three-putt at 13. He won by 71-74, becoming the youngest U.S. Open champion since 1923. This win gave him his first professional title and the start of a legendary career in major championships.

Hale Irwin’s Historic Win In Sudden Death (1990)

• When: June 14-18, 1990
• Where: Medinah, IL
• Course: No. 3 Course at Medinah Country Club

Hale Irwin, 45, needed a special exemption to get in. He charged from four shots back with a stunning final-round birdie on the 18th hole to force a playoff. Irwin won the first sudden-death hole after tying Mike Donald in an 18-hole playoff. This was the first U.S. Open ever decided that way, making Irwin the oldest champion till date in tournament history.

Tiger Woods’ Grit-Fueled Victory (2008)

• When: June 12-16, 2008
• Where: California, San Diego
• Course: The South Course at Torrey Pines Golf Course

Tiger Woods made a dramatic birdie on the 72nd hole to force a playoff, even though he had a broken leg and a torn ACL. He then beat Rocco Mediate on the first sudden-death hole following a full 18-hole playoff. Many people think Woods’ 14th major title was one of the best performances in sports history. The new two-hole aggregate model, which was first introduced in the 2018 U.S. Open, has not yet been seen.

Amateur Francis Ouimet’s (1913)

• When: September 18-20, 1913
• Where: Brookline, MA
• Course: The Country Club

In the most famous U.S. playoff, in an 18-hole playoff, 20-year-old Francis Ouimet beat British legends Harry Vardon and Ted Ray, with his 10-year-old caddy Eddie Lowery. This historic win helped make golf popular in the United States and earned him the title “Father of American Golf.”

U.S. Open vs. Other Majors: Playoff Comparison

Compared to the other three golf majors, which have mostly stopped using long, multi-hole showdowns, the U.S. Open has a unique, modern, and relatively quick playoff format. As of 2018, the U.S. Open uses a two-hole aggregate score to break ties, which is different from its traditional 18-hole format.

Here is a look at the different ways the playoffs work for all four men’s major championships:

1. U.S. Open (Two-Hole Aggregate)

• Format: The players who are tied play a two-hole aggregate stroke-play playoff on certain holes, like 17 and 18. If the score is still tied after those two holes, the playoff goes to sudden death. The players usually go back to the same holes until one player wins.
• Context: This format was introduced in 2018, replacing the 18-hole Monday playoff that had been a hallmark of the championship.
  Last Used: In 2008, when Tiger Woods beat Rocco Mediate in an 18-hole playoff.

2. The Masters (Sudden Death)

• Format: A sudden-death playoff that starts on the 18th hole and, if necessary, goes to the 10th hole, repeating until a winner is found.
• Distinction: The Masters is the only major that goes straight to sudden death without an aggregate holes buffer.

3. The Open Championship (Three-Hole Aggregate)

• Format: A playoff with a score from all three holes. If players are still tied after three holes, they go to sudden death.
• Context: In the past, this was a three-hole playoff, which is different from the U.S. Open’s current two-hole format and the 18-hole format it used to have.

4. PGA Championship (Three-Hole Aggregate)

• Format: A playoff with scores from three holes added together. If the score is still tied, it goes to sudden death.
• Context: Similar to the Open Championship, but with one less hole for the aggregate part.

Summary of Majors Playoff Format Differences