The Players Championship: What is the playoff format at TPC Sawgrass?

The Players Championship loves to deliver drama. But for the first two days in the 2022 edition that drama was replaced with water.

Water, water, everywhere and not a drop of golf. When the players did get out to resume play after several rain delays: we had wind. 

And lots of wind, too. The wind was gusting. It was howling. It was absolutely brutal and the 17th hole was carnage. 

Not for everyone, though, as Shane Lowry joined an exclusive club with a beautiful ace at the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.

Such has been the trouble with the weather we will see a Monday finish for the first time since 2005 at the unofficial fifth major. 

Fred Funk won the last Players that required a Monday finish. It was the signature win of his career and he balled his eyes out by the 18th green, clutching his wife and children. 

More: Shane Lowry aces the iconic 17th at The Players

More: Matthew Wolff tosses his club in the water

More: PGA Tour pro gets brutal two-shot penalty

More: Stroppy Justin Rose smashes his fairway wood

The playoff format

The Players playoff format used to begin with sudden death on the 17th, but it was changed to its current three-hole aggregate in 2014. 

So, if two or more golfers are tied after 72 holes at The Players, they go and play the par-5 16th, the par-3 17th and par-4 18th. 

If the players are still tied, the format changes to sudden death and moves to the 17th (then moves to the 18th, 16th, 17th and back to the 18th until a winner is found). 

Since the change in 2014, there has been one playoff. Rickie Fowler saw off Kevin Kisner and Sergio Garcia in 2015. 

Fowler beat Kisner on the 17th with a sensational birdie. 

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