Tour News
USGA says goodbye to 18-hole playoffs at the U.S. Open

The next time the U.S. Open is decided in a playoff, you won’t have to tune in Monday. You also won’t have to watch 18 holes of golf. Starting this year, the USGA is scrapping the round-long Monday playoff for a two-hole aggregate playoff.
All four of the USGA’s Open championships will feature the two-hole aggregate format (followed by a sudden-death playoff if players are tied).
“We know how important it is for everyone in the golf world to see play conclude on the Sunday of a major championship, and to award the trophy to the champion,” said USGA executive director Mike Davis. “After receiving input from a variety of constituents, including players, fans, volunteers, officials and our broadcast partners, it clearly came across as something that everyone valued and would benefit from.”
“I could have used this rule change in 2008,” you can hear Tiger Woods saying. There hasn’t been an 18-hole playoff since a hobbled Woods defeated Rocco Mediate at Torrey Pines a decade ago.
“There is no right or wrong way to determine a winner in stroke play, but we’ve seen over the years how the aggregate playoff has served us well in both the U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open,” Davis said. “Two holes will allow a player to recover from any single mistake, and at the same time, provide a memorable, and perhaps dramatic, experience for all involved.”
The playoff formats for each of the four majors are now as follows.
- Masters: Sudden-death
- U.S. Open: 2-hole aggregate score
- Open Championship: 4-hole aggregate score
- PGA Championship: 3-hole aggregate score
Here’s Davis explaining the changes in a bit of #OriginalContent from the USGA.
Starting in 2018, ties will be broken with a 2??-hole aggregate playoff in all USGA Open championships:#USWomensOpen??@usopengolf ??#USSeniorOpen ??#USSeniorWomensOpen?? pic.twitter.com/RICxgCyOof
— USGA (@USGA) February 26, 2018
Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2025 Wyndham Championship

GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.
Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.
Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.
General Albums
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #2
- 2025 Wyndham Championship – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Davis Riley – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Scotty Kennon – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Austin Duncan – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Will Chandler – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kevin Roy – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ben Griffin – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Ryan Gerard – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Adam Schenk – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Kurt Kitayama – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Camilo Villegas – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matti Schmid – WITB – 2025 Wyndham Championship
Pullout Albums
- Denny McCarthy’s custom Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Swag Golf putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Karl Vilips TM MG5 wedges – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- New Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Matt Fitzpatrick’s custom Bettinardi putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
- Cameron putters – 2025 Wyndham Championship
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2025 3M Open

GolfWRX is live from the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities!
Back from our overseas journey, we have plenty for you to digest from Minnesota, including WITBs and in-hand looks at some pretty impressive putters.
Check out links to all our photos below.
General Albums
- 2025 3M Open – Tuesday #1
- 2025 3M Open – Tuesday #2
- 2025 3M Open – Tuesday #3
- 2025 3M Open – Tuesday #4
WITB Albums
- Luke List – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- Isaiah Salinda – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- Akshay Bhatia – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- Kaito Onishi – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- Chris Gotterup – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- Rickie Fowler – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- Seamus Power – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- Chris Kirk – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- Vince Whaley – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- Andrew Putnam – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- David Lipsky – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- Thomas Campbell – Minnesota PGA Section Champ – WITB – 2025 3M Open
- Max Herendeen – WITB – 2025 3M Open
Pullout Albums
- Rickie’s custom Joe Powell persimmon driver – 2025 3M Open
- Custom Cameron T-9.5 – 2025 3M Open
- Tom Kim’s custom prototype Cameron putter – 2025 3M Open
- New Cameron prototype putters – 2025 3M Open
- Zac Blair’s latest Scotty acquisition – 2025 3M Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2025 Open Championship

GolfWRX was live this week across the pond for The Open Championship! Check out links to all our galleries from Royal Portrush below.
General Albums
- 2025 The Open Championship – Sunday #1
- 2025 The Open Championship – Monday #1
- 2025 The Open Championship – Monday #2
- 2025 Open Championship – Monday #3
- 2025 The Open Championship – Tuesday #1
- 2025 The Open Championship – Tuesday #2
- 2025 The Open Championship – Wednesday #1
Pullout Albums
- Cobra’s 153rd Open Championship staff bag – 2025 The Open Championship
- Srixon’s Open Championship staff bag – 2025 The Open Championship
- Scotty Cameron 2025 Open Championship putter covers – 2025 The Open Championship
- TaylorMade’s 153rd Open Championship staff bag – 2025 The Open Championship
- Shane Lowry – testing a couple of Cameron putters – 2025 The Open Championship
- New Scotty Cameron Phantom Black putters(and new cover & grip) – 2025 The Open Championship
- FootJoy x Harris Tweed limited-edition shoes – 2025 The Open Championship
- Nike “Open Championship” collection shoes, bags and hoodies – 2025 The Open Championship
Sam the Loaf
Mar 3, 2018 at 8:31 pm
The USGA messed up again. Players at the highest level need to play a 36 hole qualifier, 72 hole regulation on three different courses with a 36 hole playoff on an entirely new course. That would separate the men from the boys.
dat
Mar 2, 2018 at 2:19 pm
I can’t blame them. The USGA needs to do everything possible to get their tournament in order after the last two years.
Happyday_J
Feb 26, 2018 at 11:57 pm
Personally I think all Majors should be multiple holes, but the key is:
One dogleg left, one right and either a straight hole or par 3 (if a 3rd hole).
This way you don’t have a playoff hole that may favour a player with a certain shot shape. I feel this happened in the 2017 Masters, 18th hole set up for a cut, Sergio’s bread and butter, while Rose favours a draw.
Just seems silly that a golfer is tested with all different shapes and shots throughout the day, while it can get decided by one type of hole.
Two holes work , as long as they alternate directions. I think the Masters should go to this, play 18 and 10.
Travis
Feb 26, 2018 at 11:02 pm
I would have liked to see a 3 or 4 hole playoff like the Open and PGA. 3-4 holes usually allows (typically) for a Par 5, Par 3, and two Par 4’s. That way, no certain type of player has an advantage on any particular type of hole, and any player can come through. Two holes seems a little too short for something as important as a Major Championship to be decided on…
Simms
Feb 27, 2018 at 10:26 am
The better player is going to come through on the first hole…..
Speedy
Feb 26, 2018 at 7:23 pm
I’m for Nine & Dine.
Acemandrake
Feb 26, 2018 at 5:28 pm
It used to be a 36-hole playoff.
Josh
Feb 26, 2018 at 7:21 pm
That clearly was too much as they shortened it. Now they’re shortening it again. Very surprised to see 2 holes decided upon as there’s already precedent for 3-hole playoffs (The Open) and 4-hole playoffs (PGA)
ROY
Feb 27, 2018 at 10:47 am
well guess thats why they did 2 – USGA cant copy anyone….