With a challenging course setup at Aronimink Golf Club, things might go down to the wire on Sunday evening. Too many players are closely tied together in the 2026 PGA Championship. There is a chance of many of them being tied for first place at the end of the regulation 72 holes. And if that happens, the PGA of America will determine who takes home the Wanamaker Trophy with the help of a playoff.

2026 PGA Championship playoff format

According to the PGA Championship official website, the first leg of the playoff will see players play three holes: the 10th, 17th, and 18th. The player with the best aggregate score in the three-hole contest will be determined the winner and take home the Wanamaker Trophy. However, if there is more than one golfers who have the same score, then the playoff will continue into sudden death.

Under the sudden death rule, the 18th hole will be replayed between the remaining players. They will contest on the hole as many times as necessary until only one remains.

The PGA Championship has gone into playoffs 14 times in history so far. Six times it has been completed in the three-hole aggregate contest, and eight times it has been pushed to sudden-death playoffs.

That said, let’s look at what is happening at the Aronimink Golf Club so far.

Who can be a part of the playoff at the Aronimink Golf Club?

It’s a very tight contest between some of the best golfers in the world in the 2026 PGA Championship. Jon Rahm is among them as he is leading the charge close to the top of the leaderboard.

The LIV Golf pro is eager to complete the Spanish Grand Slam. Having won the U.S. Open and the Masters Tournament, he already has two of the majors covered himself. Late Spanish legend, Seve Ballesteros won the Open Championship thrice in his illustrious career. But no player from their country has ever claimed the Wanamaker Trophy. If Rahm wins it this Sunday, then he will win the Spanish Grand Slam. That will be an incredibly proud moment for him. So he might be a part of the playoffs.

Another player who will be pushing hard to be there is Rory McIlroy. He is already playing exceptionally well on the course. Despite a horried start on Thursday, the Northern Irishman made an exceptional recovery to climb up the top 10 of the leaderboard. Now he is making the charge up to the top and getting close to first place. Considering the form he is in, it won’t be a surprise if he might be thinking of going for a calendar Grand Slam as well. It won’t be a surprise if he is in the mix for the playoff as well.

Finally, the man who ended the third round at solo first, Alex Smalley. He is also a strong contender to enter the playoffs for the event. Smalley has been incredibly consistent across all three rounds of the major. It won’t be a surprise if he delivers another great performance and pushes these top golfers to their limits beyond the regulation 72 holes.