What is the PGA Championship playoff format?

How is the winner of the Wanamaker Trophy determined if any players are level through 72 holes?

If two or more players are tied after 72 holes, they will need to play extra holes to decide a winner. So what is the PGA Championship playoff format?

A history of the PGA Championship playoff format

Originally, any players involved in the playoff would compete over 18 holes.

In 1977 the PGA of America, wanting a Sunday finish, swapped it to a straight sudden-death playoff.

This was the first time that the sudden-death playoff was used in any of the four majors. Lanny Wadkins defeated Gene Litter on the third extra hole at Pebble Beach.

This format lasted until 1996 with Mark Brooks requiring just one extra hole to see off Kenny Perry. After that, the PGA of America decided to change again…

What is the current format?

Now, players will compete in a three-hole aggregate playoff.

This takes place as soon as the final players finish their fourth round.

The player with the lowest score after the three holes is the winner. If the players still can’t be separated then they will enter a sudden-death playoff until a winner can be determined.

The current format was first used in 2003 when Tiger Woods defeated Bob May on the East Course at Oak Hill.

How many PGA Championships have gone to a playoff?

To date, the Wanamaker Trophy has been decided in extra holes on 13 occasions:

1961: Jerry Barber defeated Don January
1967: Don January defeated Don Massengale
1977: Lanny Wadkins defeated Gene Littler
1978: John Mahaffey defeated Jerry Pate and Tom Watson
1979: David Graham defeated Ben Crenshaw
1987: Larry Nelson defeated Lanny Wadkins
1993: Paul Azinger defeated Greg Norman
1995: Steve Elkington defeated Colin Montgomerie
1996: Mark Brooks defeated Kenny Perry
2000: Tiger Woods defeated Bob May
2004: Vijay Singh defeated Chris DiMarco and Justin Leonard
2010: Martin Kaymer defeated Bubba Watson
2011: Keegan Bradley defeated Jason Dufner