What is the playoff format of US Open 2024? All you need to know

US Open 2024 is the third Major of the year and is considered as the toughest one by many experts. The tournament has a different identity than the other three Majors as well as the playoff format.

If two or more players are tied after 72 holes, the winner is determined in a two-hole aggregate playoff after the completion of the fourth round on the same day. If the players are still tied after two holes, then the players will compete in sudden death until a winner is decided.

This playoff format has been implemented since 2018 but has never been used. Before 2018, the USGA decided the winner in an 18-hole playoff the next day. This happened in 2008 when Tiger Woods trumped Rocco Mediate at Torrey Pines. Woods famously took 19 holes to win the tournament.

The US Open 2024 is being played at Pinehurst No. 2 in Pinehurst, North Carolina from June 13 to 16, 2024.

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Original playoff format at US Open

Initially, the original format the US Open had was 18-hole playoffs that repeated until a winner was determined. In 1926, Willie MacFarlane defeated Bobby Jones by one stroke in 108 holes i.e. after two 18-hole playoffs.

In 1931, four 18-hole playoffs were played between Billy Burke and George Von Elm. Burke won over Vol Elm by one stroke after 144 holes.

In 1939, Bryon Nelson, Denny Shute and Craig Wood were in the playoffs. After the first 18-hole playoff, Shute was eliminated. Nelson emerged victorious over Wood by three strokes after another 18-hole playoff. Nelson was in an another 36-hole playoff with Vic Ghezzi and Lloyd Mangrum in 1946. Mangrum won the tournament by one stroke.

The rule was changed in the 1950s. If a winner didn't emerge after first 18-hole playoff, the competitors would advance to a sudden-death situation. The sudden-death format has been needed thrice in the US Open in the years, 1990, 1994 and 2008.

There has been 33 playoffs in the US Open. They are as follows:

2008

• Winner: Tiger Woods
• Runner-up: Rocco Mediate

2001

• Winner: Retief Goosen
• Runner-up: Mark Brooks

1994

• Winner: Ernie Els
• Runner-up: Colin Montgomerie and Loren Roberts

1991

• Winner: Payne Stewart
• Runner-up: Scott Simpson

1990

• Winner: Hale Irwin
• Runner-up: Mike Donald

1988

• Winner: Curtis Strange
• Runner-up: Nick Faldo

1984

• Winner: Fuzzy Zoeller
• Runner-up: Greg Norman

1975

• Winner: Lou Graham
• Runner-up: John Mahaffey

1971

• Winner: Lee Trevino
• Runner-up: Jack Nicklaus

1966

• Winner: Billy Casper
• Runner-up: Arnold Palmer

1965

• Winner: Gary Player
• Runner-up: Kel Nagle

1963

• Winner: Julius Boros
• Runner-up: Jacky Cupit and Arnold Palmer

1962

• Winner: Jack Nicklaus
• Runner-up: Arnold Palmer

1957

• Winner: Dick Mayer
• Runner-up: Cary Middlecoff

1955

• Winner: Jack Fleck
• Runner-up: Ben Hogan

1950

• Winner: Ben Hogan
• Runner-up: Lloyd Mangrum and George Fazio

1947

• Winner: Lew Worsham
• Runner-up: Sam Snead

1946

• Winner: Lloyd Mangrum
• Runner-up: Vic Ghezzi and Byron Nelson

1940

• Winner: Lawson Little
• Runner-up: Gene Sarazen

1939

• Winner: Byron Nelson
• Runner-up: Craig Wood and Denny Shute

1931

• Winner: Billy Burke
• Runner-up: George Von Elm

1929

• Winner: Bobby Jones
• Runner-up: Al Espinosa

1928

• Winner: Johnny Farrell
• Runner-up: Bobby Jones

1927

• Winner: Tommy Armour
• Runner-up: Harry Cooper

1925

• Winner: Willie MacFarlane
• Runner-up: Bobby Jones

1923

• Winner: Bobby Jones
• Runner-up: Bobby Cruickshank

1919

• Winner: Walter Hagen
• Runner-up: Mike Brady

1913

• Winner: Francis Ouimet
• Runner-up: Harry Vardon and Ted Ray

1911

• Winner: John McDermott
• Runner-up: Mike Brady and George Simpson

1910

• Winner: Alex Smith
• Runner-up: John McDermott and Macdonald Smith

1908

• Winner: Fred McLeod
• Runner-up: Willie Smith

1903

• Winner: Willie Anderson
• Runner-up: David Brown

1901

• Winner: Willie Anderson
• Runner-up: Alex Smith