The Players Championship Changes Playoff Format

For the first time in the tournament’s history, The Players Championship is undergoing a change to its playoff system.

Starting in 2014, The Players will go from a sudden-death playoff system to a three-hole aggregate score playoff system. If the tournament ends in a tie, the players involved will play the three hole stretch of 16,17, and 18. If there is still a tie after the three hole playoff has been completed, a sudden-death playoff with start begging at the famed 17th island green hole. Playoffs at The Players used to use a sudden-death format beginning at the 17th.

The Players will now be one of only four PGA Tour sanctioned golf tournaments that won’t feature a sudden-death playoff system and the only non-major to employ the system. The PGA Championship also uses a three-hole playoff, while The British Open uses a four-hole playoff. The U.S. Open uses a full 18-hole playoff played the day after the completion of the main tournament. The Masters Tournament is the only major that is decided by sudden-death.

There have been three playoffs since The Players Championship moved to TPC Sawgrass. The last two ended on the first hole, the par-3 17th. Sergio Garcia won with par in 2008 after Paul Goydos hit his tee shot in the water, while K.J. Choi won with par in 2011 after David Toms missed a short par putt.

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About Dan Hauser

As an avid golfer and sports enthusiast, Dan has had a passion for sports starting at a very young age. Dan’s other passion has always been writing. Since the time he could write, he has always enjoyed sharing information with people and telling stories through writing. In middle school he combined his two loves by joining the school newspaper in the sports department.

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