The 2025 U.S. Open has proven to be a tight-knit affair so far. The Oakmont Country Club is the same unrelenting behemoth that, at the end of three days of action, only four players have a score that is below par. Sam Burns leads the pack with a score of 4 under par, aiming to win his first-ever PGA Tour title since the birth of his child. But he is closely followed by Adam Scott, JJ Spaun, and Viktor Hovland.

With a heavy, low-scoring affair set to take place, there is a high chance that there is going to be a tie for first place. In such a situation, how is the winner determined? Just like other majors and competitions on the PGA Tour, the U.S. Open also follows a set playoff format in order to declare a single champion in the event of a tie. But what is the playoff format for this year? Let’s take a deep look at what happens if two players are tied with the same score at the end of 72 holes at the Oakmont Country Club.

The newest playoff format at the U.S. Open

The existing playoff format came into being at the 2018 U.S. Open when the organizers decided to move away from the 18-hole playoff concept. Since its inclusion in the tournament, the format has not been used as there have been no ties for first place during that time span. The current playoff format is a simpler two-hole concept. Players who are tied for the top spot on the leaderboard will fight out across two holes, the 17th and 18th. At the end of the two holes, if the scores remain tied, the players will engage in a sudden-death system which starts from hole 15 and goes all the way to 18. The holes are repeated until a winner is determined.

The 17th hole is a comparatively easier hole at the Oakmont Country Club. While the rest of the course is usually unrelenting, the 17th which is a 312-yard par-4, has a reputation starkly different from the rest of the course. In 2016, the hole was the easiest hole during the tournament, with players carding six eagles and 129 birdies during the U.S. Open. The 18th, which leads to the clubhouse, is a par-4 hole that is a harder test. Last U.S. Open, players averaged 0.3 strokes over par at the last hole, making it the seventh hardest hole on the course.

The last playoff at the U.S. Open

The last time a playoff took place at the U.S. Open was the 2008 edition. Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate tied for the top spot and had to fight it out across 18 holes for one more round of golf. Woods had come into the major, having narrowly missed out on a possible playoff in 2007, losing to Angel Cabrera by 1 stroke, and was determined to clinch the title. The Big Cat started strong, rushing to a three-hole lead, but Mediate fought back across the back nine to gain a one-stroke lead heading to the last hole.

Woods’s birdie and Mediate’s par tied the affair, leading to a sudden-death playoff. The playoff started at the 7th hole. The experienced Woods made par at the 4-par hole while Mediate’s putt to save par missed right from 18 feet. The victory allowed Woods to clinch his 14th major, his last one before the iconic 2019 Masters triumph. This was the closest Mediate would be to the title, registering his best finish at a major championship at the Torrey Pines Golf Course.

Do you see the 2025 U.S. Open heading to a playoff? If so, who is your pick to come out of the intense, pressure-filled contest?