US Open Play-off Reduced To Two Holes From 18

US Open change their 18-hole play-off to two holes

US Open Play-off Reduced

The US Open will change from having an 18-hole play-off to a two-hole aggregate format from this year

US Open Play-off Reduced To Two Holes From 18

The US Open will change from having an 18-hole play-off played on the day after the tournament’s fourth round, to a two-hole aggregate format from this year.

The last time the US Open went to a play-off was back in 2008 when Tiger Woods saw off Rocco Mediate in the most dramatic of styles at Torrey Pines.

The 18-hole play-off is one that has split opinion for a while, as it means extending and delaying the announcement of the winner by a day, and can take much of the drama away from the event.

The other Majors all have play-offs that conclude on the scheduled final day of play. The US Masters has a sudden-death format, the Open Championship has an aggregate four-hole play-off, while the US PGA Championship has a aggregate three-hole play-off.

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"We know how important it is to everyone in the golf world to see play conclude on the Sunday of a major championship, and to award the trophy to the champion," said USGA executive director Mike Davis.

The US Golf Association announced that the US Women’s Open, US Senior Open and US Senior Women’s Open would also all be decided by a two-hole aggregate play-off if required.

There has only been three play-offs required at the US Open in the past 25 years, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen being the other winners as well as Woods, so perhaps this being welcome news for fans who want to see a winner crowned on a Sunday night, it may not be needed this year at the event that takes place at Shinnecock Hills in June.

Thomas Patrick Clarke
Sports Digital Editor


Tom Clarke joined Golf Monthly as a sub editor in 2009 being promoted to content editor in 2012 and then senior content editor in 2014, before becoming Sports Digital Editor for the Sport Vertical within Future in 2022. Tom currently looks after all the digital products that Golf Monthly produce including Strategy and Content Planning for the website and social media - Tom also assists the Cycling, Football, Rugby and Marine titles at Future. Tom plays off 16 and lists Augusta National (name drop), Old Head and Le Touessrok as the favourite courses he has played. Tom is an avid viewer of all golf content with a particularly in depth knowledge of the pro tour.