Matt Kuchar learned just last week that the format for the Rio Olympics will be the same old 72 holes of individual stroke play he grinds out almost every week on the PGA Tour. Kooch, however, may not be the only golfer — male or female — surprised to discover that Olympics golf requires playoffs for second and third places.
Will someone please tell Matt Kuchar about Olympic golf playoffs?
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It’s kind of a no-brainer that if, at the end of play on Sunday, say, Rickie Fowler and Sergio Garcia were tied for the gold, the two international stars would have to go at least one extra hole to determine the overall winner. Such sudden-death overtime is no different from what happens frequently on the PGA and LPGA Tours.
What does not occur on either the men’s or women’s circuit (and this, as Alistair Tait explained, is where things can get tricky) are extra frames to decide who finishes runner-up or third.
The potential for even more confusion exists if playoffs are required for more than one medal.
Should playoffs be necessary for the gold and silver, golfers would tee it up on the 18th, 17th, and first holes in a sudden-death format, according to Tait. If a sudden-death playoff for the bronze were needed as well, the golfers would play the first, 17th, and 18th holes, in that order.
Got that, Matt?
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