Often, in professional events, the winner is decided over 72 holes but, on some occasions, it takes more than the regulation amount of holes to decide a winner.
Throughout the history of golf, there have been a number of memorable playoffs and, throughout the history of the DP World Tour (formerly European Tour), there have been times when it’s taken a record amount of holes to decide a winner!
On the Japan Golf Tour, there has been a 14 hole playoff and, on the PGA Tour, we have seen an 11 hole playoff all the way back in 1949.
Regarding the DP World Tour, the record for the most amount of playoff holes to decide a winner is nine, with the feat happening three times!
The first came at the 1989 Dutch Open, when Jose Maria Olazabal carded a double bogey at the ninth playoff hole but still claimed victory over Ronan Rafferty and Roger Chapman.
Olazabal secured his sixth DP World Tour title in the process at the 1989 Dutch Open
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The record stood alone for 24 years but, in 2013 at the Spanish Open, Raphael Jacquelin secured a fourth title on the DP World Tour by defeating Maximilian Kiefer on the ninth playoff hole. Along with the pair, Felipe Aguilar was eliminated at the third extra hole.
Just 11 years on from that, the 2024 Andalucia Masters saw a playoff between Julien Guerrier and Jorge Campillo, with the duo parring all eight holes in the playoff. After over 90 minutes of play, it was Guerrier who got over the line, as he parred the ninth playoff hole to defeat home favorite, Campillo.
