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With the 2023 US Open in its final round, golf fans are on the edge of their seats speculating who might take home the hardware to become the latest US Open Winner.
The Los Angeles Country Club (LACC) has delivered a tough but fair test so far, who has the strength to overcome the mental and physical burdens of being shut down? Only time will tell.
There’s nothing that can happen in the tournament on Sunday, but one possibility is a playoff. Should that happen, do you know the current format of the US Open Qualifiers? If not, continue reading below, because we’ve got you covered.
How does the US Open match format work?
First, let’s dive into a quick history lesson.
Did you know that a US Open playoff hasn’t happened since 2008? That’s when Tiger Woods and Rocco Midyat went the full 18 holes Monday at Torrey Pines to crown the champion (instead of the traditional Sunday finish). This remains one of the defining moments for Woods, given his knee injury at the time.
The drama was epic, but it came before the updated qualifying rules were in effect.
So how does the US Open match format work now?
In 2018, the USGA announced that a two-hole aggregate playoff would replace an 18-hole playoff, ensuring a champion would be crowned on Sunday—something that then-USGA CEO Mike Davis said was important in the decision-making process.
“We know how important it is for everyone in the golf world to see play wrapped up on Sunday in a major championship, and to award the trophy to the champion,” Davis said. “Having received input from a variety of constituents, including players, fans, volunteers, officials and our broadcast partners, it clearly emerged as something everyone would appreciate and benefit from.”
In a two-hole combined playoff, each participating player completes these two holes, with their combined score used to determine the winner. So, if Golfer A combines to shoot a 9 and Golfer B combined shoots a 10, then Golfer A is the winner of the US Open.
However, if the scores are still tied after these two playoff holes, the tournament is reduced to sudden death: the first player to win a hole outright wins the tournament.
In a sense, a two-hole aggregate playoff requires great concentration from the players involved. He squeezes every shot on those two holes, rather than having the luxury of recovering from a bad hole on the full 18 holes. In addition, it gives golf lovers a champ on Sunday.
However, the electric atmosphere in 2008 between Woods and Mediate was at an all-time high. So the updated US Open match format takes fans away from those ups and downs of a full round.
Another fun fact to find out? The US Open is the only major tournament to use this combination two-hole format. The Masters uses a sudden death qualifier, the Open Championship uses a four-hole aggregate playoff, and the PGA Championship uses a three-hole aggregate playoff.
Regardless of how you personally feel about the US Open playoff format, one thing is certain: the pressure will build and golf fans will feel all the emotions.