What happens at the Masters in the event of a tie?

What happens if there is a tie at the Masters?

It doesn’t happen often, but what happens in the event of a tie at the Masters? We take a look at the playoff format at Augusta National

There is nowhere like the Masters, a tournament unlike any other, it prides itself on being the most illustrious major of the year. So, why would a tournament like this not adopt a playoff of the highest pressure?

With a crowded Masters leaderboard on Sunday, you may be asking yourself, how do they choose a winner if they’re tied? Well, I have the answer. Much like the PGA Tour if two or more players are tied after the 72nd hole the golfers involved will head to a sudden-death playoff.

This means that the first player to win a hole will be crowned champion and be putting on the green jacket that evening. It’s the most nail-biting way for a tournament to end with two or more golfers going head to head to win the hole and it’s done there’s no coming back from it once a hole is won.

Types of playoffs

There are two types of extra hole and playoff formats used in golf. They are as follows:

— Sudden death: PGA Tour events use a sudden death format where the first play to win a hole wins the tournament. The holes played depend on the tournament, but at the Masters, they are the 18th and 10th holes.

— Aggregate: This format is less common but is used at the other three majors on the PGA Tour — the PGA Championship, U.S. Open, and Open Championship. In aggregate, select holes are picked after the 72-hole tournament concludes. Players will then play a certain amount of these holes — usually two or three — and the aggregate score on these holes determines the winner.

The Masters adopted a sudden-death playoff to determine the winner of the green jacket back in 1977. The playoff starts on the 18th hole at Augusta. If a winner is not decided after two times down the 18th, it moves onto the 10th hole. This two-hole cycle is repeated until a winner is determined. The 18th and 10th holes run parallel to one another on the course. These two holes not only keep the patrons together but it give them the best chance to watch the action, in the event of a playoff.

Masters Playoff history

About the Author

Will Shreeve-Peacock – Golf Equipment Writer

Will is an expert in golf shoes, GPS watches, rangefinders, and training aids.

He has a degree in journalism from Sheffield Hallam University and four years’ experience working in golf retail with American Golf where he was trained by a host of the big-name manufacturers.

A six-handicapper, Will has played golf for more than a decade and is a member at Burghley Park Golf Club in Stamford, Lincolnshire.