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The race for this year’s Masters title and the coveted Green Jacket is heating up.
Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose are engaged in a thrilling battle in the unpredictable 2025 final.
MASTERS 2025 LIVE BLOG
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However, as we all know, golf is often unpredictable, and circumstances can change swiftly – a playoff is very much a possibility.
What is the playoff format at The Masters?
In golf, players can tie for any position on the leaderboard except for first place.
Only one player can claim the Masters title this weekend, and a playoff is how that will be decided if necessary.
If any players at the top finish with identical scores after four challenging days, they will engage in a playoff.
The Masters employs a sudden-death playoff format.
This format is designed to be fast-paced and exciting, distinctly different from a protracted playoff.
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The players will commence by tackling the 18th hole to determine who can achieve the best score.
If all competitors record the same score, the playoff flows to the 10th hole, where they will again attempt to post the lowest score.
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This shootout will continue between the two holes until a champion is declared.
The last playoff at the Masters took place in 2017, featuring Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia in a tie at the top of the leaderboard.
The Spanish golfer emerged victorious after just one hole when Rose’s drive found the trees, allowing Sergio to birdie and don the Green Jacket.
This sudden-death format is exclusive to the Masters, while the US Open uses a two-hole aggregate playoff.
In contrast, both the Open Championship and the USPGA utilize stroke-play playoffs, but over fewer holes (four at the Open and three at the USPGA).
