Golf playoff
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When a golf tournament is tied after regulation, various playoff systems are used to determine a winner.
[edit] Sudden Death
The most common format; the tied participants one extra hole at a time until the tie is broken. Supporters of this version say that it is the quickest, easiest, and most efficient way of deciding a winner. Others claim that it is not fair to gruel through 72 holes and lose the tournament on one bad swing in sudden death. Nonetheless, all regular PGA Tour tournaments use this system, as well as the Masters Tournament. The PGA Championship used the sudden death format from 1977 to 1999.
[edit] Aggregate Playoff
In this version, a series of extra holes are played. The player with the lowest total score wins. If there is still a tie, extra holes (i.e. sudden death) are played. This is widely considered to be the fairest way of deciding a winner. One flaw of this system is that it takes longer to complete, so a tournament risks not be over before dark. The British Open was the first to use this system; the competitors play a series of 4 holes. In the PGA Championship, it is 3 holes.
The US Senior Open is also decided in this manner.
[edit] 18-Hole Playoff
The oldest playoff format, the tied players return the next day to play another round of 18 holes; lowest score wins. Should there still be a tie, sudden death is played. The major flaw with this system is that all of the players, spectators, and staff involved with the tournament have to return for another day, and television must cancel its regular programming to show the playoff. Still, it is exciting to watch another full round with the tournament's best players. The US Open is the only tournament that still uses this version. However, all major championships used it at one time; the British Open until 1989, the PGA Championship until 1977, and the Masters Tournament until 1979. In fact, the Masters played 36 holes for its first playoff in 1935. The US Women's Open also uses this format.
