published: Apr 25, 2025

What is the PGA Championship playoff format?

Matt Chivers

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…

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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.

The most recent playoff at the PGA Championship was in 2022 at Southern Hills when Justin Thomas faced Will Zalatoris. Thomas got to 2-under after three holes and that was too much for Zalatoris. Thomas had completed the biggest comeback win in the tournament’s history, recovering from a seven-shot deficit in the final round.

How many PGA Championships have gone to a playoff?

To date, the Wanamaker Trophy has been decided in extra holes on 14 occasions. The first one took place in 1961 and in total, there have been two playoffs in which there were three participants. There were also three consecutive playoffs in 1977, 1978 and 1979.

Year	Winner	Opponents
1961	Jerry Barber	Don January
1967	Don January	Don Massengale
1977	Lanny Wadkins	Gene Littler
1978	John Mahaffey	Jerry Pate and Tom Watson
1979	David Graham	Ben Crenshaw
1987	Larry Nelson	Lanny Wadkins
1993	Paul Azinger	Greg Norman
1995	Steve Elkington	Colin Montgomerie
1996	Mark Brooks	Kenny Perry
2000	Tiger Woods	Bob May
2004	Vijay Singh	Chris DiMarco and Justin Leonard
2010	Martin Kaymer	Bubba Watson
2011	Keegan Bradley	Jason Dufner
2022	Justin Thomas	Will Zalatoris

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About the author

Matt Chivers

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 Masters, The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spoken to many 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: Cleveland HiBore XL Driver driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, Benross BR-Pro irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.

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