US Open playoff format: Tiebreaker rules for Pinehurst at 2024 US Open

The 2024 US Open has undoubtedly been quite a thrill over the first 54 holes. Pinehurst No. 2 has threaded the needle beautifully for a brutally difficult but ultimately fair test of the best golfers in the world. And because of that, we've seen the leaderboard change every day with a new leader after 18, 36, and now 54 holes.

It was first Patrick Cantlay and Rory McIlroy who were on top after 18 holes. After both came back slightly on a tough Friday, though, it was Ludvig Åberg who ultimately came out and took the lead, still at -5 at the time. But as he faded on Saturday, it was 2020 US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau who delivered a third-straight round in the 60s to take a three-shot lead at -7 going into the final round.

With how Pinehurst No. 2 has played this week for this championship, though, it feels like anything is in play and with a chase pack that's ready to pounce, a tie after 72 holes is very much in play. But what is the US Open playoff format if a tie needs to be broken? Here's what you need to know about the tiebreaker rules at Pinehurst.

What is the US Open playoff format?

If two or more players are tied after 72 holes at the 2024 US Open, the playoff format will be a two-hole aggregate score toe determine the winner by the lowest score on those two holes. At Pinehurst No. 2 this week, they will play No. 17 and No. 18, a taxing Par 3 and equally difficult Par 4. If the players in the US Open playoff are tied after those two holes, it then becomes a sudden-death playoff where the players will alternate playing No. 17 and 18 until a winner is determined.

This is a stark change from the historical US Open playoff format. In 2018, the USGA instituted a change that moved away from the previous rules, which necessitated a full 18-hole playoff obviously having to be played on Monday with the tournament normally finishing 72 holes on Sunday evening. We have not seen a playoff in the major championship since the rules changed, however.

When was the last playoff at the US Open?

The last US Open playoff we got was a thrilling showdown in 2008 between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate at Torrey Pines. Not only did this use the 18-hole playoff format but we also got even more golf as the two stars of the time were tied following 90 holes as well. It was on the 19th hole of the playoff in sudden-death when Tiger edged out Mediate for the win.

Here's a look at the last five playoffs at the US Open, along with the winner and runner(s)-up.

There have only been five US Open playoffs since 1990 and none since that Tiger-Rocco clash in 2008, 16 years ago. Maybe we'll see another this week at Pinehurst, however.

How do the US Open playoff rules differ from other majors?

Every major championship offers a different playoff format. The US Open format is one of three majors that uses an aggregate playoff but the two-hole showdown is unique to the USGA. The PGA Championship, meanwhile, uses a three-hole aggregate. The Open Championship (or the British Open) uses a four-hole playoff.

The Masters is the outlier in this format discussion, as they used a sudden-death playoff with no aggregate score playoff being utilized to determine a winner in the event of a tie after 72 holes.