For years, there has been a heated discussion about how to decide major championships. Rocco Mediate has maintained that, in the event of a tie at the top, every tournament should conclude with an 18-hole playoff.
Reminiscent of his historic 2008 matchup with Tiger Woods at the US Open, former PGA Tour star Rocco Mediate has declared that, in the event of a tie at the summit, he thinks all major championships should end with an 18-hole playoff. The epic match at Torrey Pines resulted in a Monday extension following a dead heat with Woods after 72 holes.
Following yet another tide in the thrilling fifth round, the title was in jeopardy. Despite Mediate’s valiant effort, Woods won in sudden death, proving why golf considers him one of the greats. It was his third US Open title and 14th major victory.
Major tournaments now use shorter deciders instead of the 18-hole playoffs; in 2018, the US Open switched to a two-hole aggregate format.
“The 18-hole playoffs are over,” Mediate bemoaned to Golfweek, expressing his continued belief that the biggest stages should have longer playoffs. which is absurd. There should be an 18-hole playoff in every major. Additionally, it should be 18 more if you tie. It’s a major. This is not a typical occurrence.
Before switching to an 18-hole playoff, the Masters, arguably the most prestigious event in golf, had a drawn-out 36-hole format.
Since 1976, a one-hole sudden-death playoff has been used to break ties at Augusta National. Mediate strongly objects to this change, asking, “Sudden death at Augusta National? What? We’re only going to have one hole, The Masters? Mediate keeps expressing his thoughts on a crucial component of major tournament resolution.
The bosses at the time argued that it was crucial to finish tournaments by Sunday, referring to the USGA’s decision to do away with their 18-hole playoffs, ending a 117-year tradition at the U.S. Open.
“Very serious. He emphasized his desire for victory and dismissed worries about TV schedules, saying, “100 percent serious.” “We know how important it is to everyone in the golf world to see play conclude on the Sunday of a major championship and to award the trophy to the champion,” said Mike Davis, the former head of the USGA, back in 2018.
“It became evident that everyone appreciated and would gain from it after getting feedback from a range of stakeholders, including players, fans, volunteers, officials, and our broadcast partners.”
Although there is no right or wrong way to decide a winner in stroke play, the aggregate playoff has proven to be effective over the years in both the U.S. Senior Open and the U.S. Women’s Open. In addition to allowing a player to bounce back from any one error, two holes will give everyone involved a memorable—and possibly dramatic—experience.”
Leave a Reply