Last Updated on June 12, 2024 by Britt Olizarowicz
It’s US Open week, like Christmas for most golf fans. The worst part about the US Open? It only lasts for four days. Although it’s great to get a winner on Sunday afternoon, sometimes the playoff gets some extra golf that we really can’t turn down. Maybe this year, we’ll see golfers like Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, Rory McIlroy, and even Bryson DeChambeua get involved in a playoff situation. Here are 5 classic US Open players that make us all more excited about the potential of one in 2024.
Ben Hogan vs. Lloyd Mangrum and George Fazio (1950)
The 1950 US Open was probably the most famous playoff the championship will ever see. They even named this playoff as the Miracle at Merion.
Ben Hogan was still recovering from a near-fatal car accident. One in which he jumped across his wife to save her and left himself with chronic pain.
Hogan was worried about being able to make it through the four rounds of the event, let alone an additional 18 holes for a tournament. He hit his famous 1 iron shot on the 72n’d hole, which led to birdie and earned him a spot in the playoff.
After the final 18-hole playoff, he defeated Lloyd Mangrum and George Fazio to shoot a 69 and win by four strokes. Hogan is my favorite golfer of all time, and a good portion of why I have so much respect for him is this exact championship.
Arnold Palmer vs. Jack Nicklaus (1962)
About 12 years later, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer wound up in a playoff for a US Open.
Think about how much we know about these two players now and how amazing it would be to watch them in a playoff against each other.
This one occured at Oakmont. Nichlake won by three strokes shooting a 71. This was his first major championship win and certianly set off hte start of an incredible career in the game of golf.
Payne Stewart vs. Scott Simpson (1991)
Anything that helps us remember the late Payne Stewart and his impact on the game is worth thinking about as we go into another major at Pinehurt. Payne Stewart found himself tied with Scott Simpson in 1991 at Hazeltine after regulation play.
Steward won with a score of 75 and defeated Simpson by two strokes. These scores were slightly higher, but don’t let them fool you. Hazeltine provided a real test, and Stewart had to rely on clutch putting to make his way through this round of golf.
Retief Goosen vs. Mark Brooks (2001)
Retief Goosen has one of the smoothest swings in the game. Goosen was tied with Mark Brooks in 2001 and went on to an 18-hole Monday playoff. Goosen won by two strokes, shooting a 70 when Brooks shot a 72. At the time, Goosen was playing really solid golf, and Southern Hills was an incredible test. This was his first US Open title.
Tiger Woods vs. Rocco Mediate (2008)
I remember this playoff like it was yesterday. Not only did I watch it on that Monday in 2008, but I’ve also been known to watch the replay of this one because it’s just so good.
The tournament was held at Torrey Pines, and Mediate played impressive golf all week long. Tiger Woods was playing with a torn ACL and stress fracture. Of course, his game was not at its prime.
Not only did this tournament require a playoff, but it also included a sudden-death playoff when the 18-hole playoff ended in a tie.
Tiger Woods came out on top, and Rocco battled incredibly hard to win that year. He has talked about this experience and said he even surprised himself with some of the shots he could play under pressure. This was the last US Open Tiger won. It remains to be seen if he or Rocco will compete for a US Open title again.
What is the playoff format for the US Open?
Those 18-hole US Open playoffs were magical, but they are a thing of the past. In 2018, the USGA decided to do away with this format. From a logistics standpoint, this makes sense. However, from a US Open fan standpoint, we were sad to see it go.
Now, a two-hole aggregate playoff is used. Anyone tied plays the first and 18th holes, and the golfers with the lowest score will win. This means we get a winner on Sunday, but in my opinion, it’s not quite the same.
Final Thoughts
There have been 33 playoffs in US Open history, but we haven’t had one in a while. Maybe this will be our lucky year. Who do you think could end up in a playoff?
