What is the PGA Championship playoff format?
How is the winner of the Wanamaker Trophy determined if any players are level through 72 holes?
If two or more players are tied after 72 holes, they will need to play extra holes to decide a winner. So what is the PGA Championship playoff format?
A history of the PGA Championship playoff format
Originally, any players involved in the playoff would compete over 18 holes.
In 1977 the PGA of America, wanting a Sunday finish, swapped it to a straight sudden-death playoff.
This was the first time that the sudden-death playoff was used in any of the four majors. Lanny Wadkins defeated Gene Littler on the third extra hole at Pebble Beach.
This format lasted until 1996 with Mark Brooks requiring just one extra hole to see off Kenny Perry. After that, the PGA of America decided to change again…
What is the current playoff format for PGA Championship?
Now, players will compete in a three-hole aggregate playoff.
This takes place as soon as the final players finish their fourth round.
The player with the lowest score after the three holes is the winner. If the players still can’t be separated then they will enter a sudden-death playoff until a winner can be determined.
How many PGA Championships have gone to a playoff?
To date, the Wanamaker Trophy has been decided in extra holes on 14 occasions:
1961: Jerry Barber defeated Don January
1967: Don January defeated Don Massengale
1977: Lanny Wadkins defeated Gene Littler
1978: John Mahaffey defeated Jerry Pate and Tom Watson
1979: David Graham defeated Ben Crenshaw
1987: Larry Nelson defeated Lanny Wadkins
1993: Paul Azinger defeated Greg Norman
1995: Steve Elkington defeated Colin Montgomerie
1996: Mark Brooks defeated Kenny Perry
2000: Tiger Woods defeated Bob May
2004: Vijay Singh defeated Chris DiMarco and Justin Leonard
2010: Martin Kaymer defeated Bubba Watson
2011: Keegan Bradley defeated Jason Dufner
2022: Justin Thomas defeated Will Zalatoris
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Matt Chivers
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spent time with some of the biggest names in the sport.
Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.
What’s in Matt’s bag: Cobra LTDx LS driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, TaylorMade P7MC irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.
