PGA Championship Playoff Format

The treacherous 18th hole at Atlantic Athletic Club has been a nightmare this week for many players.

If players are tied at the end of regulation Sunday, the PGA Championship uses an aggregate score playoff system.

• 3 holes of aggregate stroke play
• low score after 3 holes wins
• If two or more players remain tied following 3-hole playoff, they will continue in a sudden death format until a winner is decided 

Most likely the players will replay the difficult 16th, 17th, and 18th holes at Atlantic Athletic Club. It will be quite entertaining to see a playoff this year as the closing holes are so difficult. The 18th has been a bloodbath with so many balls in the sand and water creating many double bogeys.

This format was first used in 2000 when Tiger Woods defeated Bob May at Valhalla. Last year, Martin Kaymer defeated Bubba Watson at Whistling Straits. 

Each major championship uses a different playoff system. The Masters uses a sudden death playoff. The U.S. Open has an 18-hole playoff on Monday. The British Open has a 4-hole aggregate playoff.