US Open Playoff Process Unveiled: Here's How It Works
Slamming the scene every so often, a golfer crushes the competition in the US Open, leaving the rest in the dust.
An instance that sticks out like a sore thumb was when Tiger Woods won by a staggering 15 strokes at Pebble Beach in 2000 - the largest victory margin in Major history[3]. In 2011, Rory McIlroy outclassed Jason Day by eight at Congressional, while Martin Kaymer claimed the same margin at Pinehurst No.2 in 2014. Yet another monstrous victory occurred at Winged Foot in 2020, as Bryson DeChambeau triumphed by six[4].
However, these kinds of landslide victories are far from the norm. Typically, the US Open pushes players to the edge as the United States Golf Association imposes notoriously grueling course set-ups. Consequently, most installments of the Major are decided by a narrow margin, with each error potentially leading to a devastating setback.
In fact, the previous four editions have been won by a single stroke, including the close races between McIlroy and DeChambeau in 2024 - with the latter taking the title[4].
It's tough to imagine that, since 2008, we haven't witnessed a playoff to decide the US Open[5].
Who knows if a playoff will occur in 2025 or not, but it's high time we saw one. Regardless, the playoff format won't resemble the last time we needed extra holes to crown a champion. So, what does this new playoff format entail?
The Revamped US Open Playoff Rules
Once upon a time, a playoff decided the US Open 33 times. Since 2018, however, the 18-hole slugfest has been replaced by a two-hole aggregate showdown if players are tied following the standard 72 holes. If one player emerges victorious after these two holes, they claim the title. In contrast, if two or more players remain tied, the playoff shifts into a sudden-death format until a champion emerges[6].
This format stands apart from the other Major playoff protocols. Unlike the Masters, which jumps straight into a sudden-death playoff, or the PGA Championship with its three-hole shootout, the Open prefers a four-hole marathon[6].
The Latest Playoff Tussle
The last playoff occurred 17 years ago, when Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate squared off in an nail-biting 18-hole duel at the Torrey Pines tournament[5]. Despite the epic five-day battle, the trophy wasn't clinched until Woods claimed victory in the first sudden-death hole[5].
The current 17-year drought between playoffs marks the longest gap in the tournament's history. The previous playoff took place in 2001, when Retief Goosen bested Mark Brooks[5].
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[1] https://www.usga.org/content/faqs/playoff[2] https://www.cbssports.com/golf/news/how-do-playoffs-work-in-the-us-open-and-which-players-have-won-recent-editions/[3] https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard/2000-us-open-championship/39696/leaderboard.html[4] https://www.golfchannel.com/video/best-us-open-wins-history[5] https://www.golfdigest.com/story/the-longest-drought-in-us-open-history-no-playoff-since-2008[6] https://www.pgatour.com/stats/2022/155656/playoffs.html
A two-hole aggregate showdown will decide the US Open if players are tied after the standard 72 holes, as per the revamped playoff rules. The last playoff in the US Open occurred 17 years ago, between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate at Torrey Pines.
