Masters playoff format and rules: Sudden death extra holes are tiebreaker at Augusta

After Jordan Spieth’s collapse on the 12th hole, the Masters is wide open. And a playoff might be in the works.

If someone’s able to catch up to clubhouse leader Danny Willett at 5-under par, the Masters would be decided by a sudden death playoff -- starting on No. 18 and alternating between the 18th and No. 10 until one player wins. It’s a fairly simple format compared to other majors, such as the US Open, which plays a full 18 holes the next day. It’s good for fans and players, who don’t have to come back to the course the next day and can go on with their lives. The British Open uses a four-hole aggregate playoff and the PGA Championship a three-hole aggregate so the Masters is the only sudden death setup.

There might be one problem with that this year, however. Daylight could be an issue if the playoff goes deep. If Spieth & Smylie Kaufman finish at around 7:15, a playoff might not get fired up until 10 minutes or so later. That would only leave at most a half hour of daylight to decide a winner. Of course, no Masters playoff’s ever gone more than two holes -- so history would seem to indicate that this won’t be an issue.

Masters playoffs have given us memorable moments in recent years, like this famous how-did-he-do that shot from Bubba Watson in 2012.

And this 12-footer for a breakthrough win from Adam Scott in 2013.

Here’s hoping for another duel at sunset at Augusta.

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