US Open golf playoff format
Definition
A tie-breaking procedure used in professional golf's U.S. Open tournament to determine a champion if players remain tied after the regulation 72 holes of play.
Currently defined as a two-hole aggregate playoff, a format adopted after the USGA retired its former grueling 18-hole Monday playoff structure in 2018.
Examples
The USGA's shift from the legendary 18-hole Monday marathon to a two-hole aggregate playoff is arguably the most efficient way to kill the romantic suffering of a golf fan.
Trying to explain the current US Open golf playoff format to a golf traditionalist is like trying to convince a cat that the vet is actually a spa resort.
Since we haven't actually seen the new two-hole playoff format in action yet, it remains the Loch Ness Monster of golf rules: everyone talks about it, but nobody has proof it exists.
Deep down, every purist misses the 18-hole Monday playoff where Tiger Woods wore his red and black armor to victory, mostly because it gave us an excuse to ignore our responsibilities for an extra day.