Playoff Results in U.S. Women's Open
The U.S. Women's Open dates to 1946, and since 1953 has been run by the United States Golf Association. It is one of the five major championships in women's pro golf, and considered the biggest of them all.
(Related: What is the U.S. Women's Open playoff format?)
18-Hole Playoffs in U.S. Women's Open
Click on a year to read a recap and view final scores (and, in later years, watch video highlights).
1953: Betsy Rawls def. Jackie Pung
The first playoff in U.S. Women's Open history happened in the first year this tournament was run by the USGA. This tournament was launched in 1946 by the short-lived Women's Professional Golf Association. After the WPGA folded, the LPGA Tour took it over. But in 1953, the LPGA passed the USWO on to the USGA.Betsy Rawls and Jackie Pung tied at 302. The playoff was a bit anticlimatic, with Rawls winning by six strokes — 71 to 77. These two players were involved again in the 1957 U.S. Women's Open, where Pung's scorecard error helped get Rawls the victory.
1956: Kathy Cornelius def. Barbara McIntire
Barbara McIntire was an amateur, but she tied Kathy Cornelius at 302 at the end of 72 holes. In the playoff, only one stroke separated them at the turn. But Cornelius pulled away to a 7-stroke win, 75 to 82.
1964: Mickey Wright def. Ruth Jessen
This was Mickey Wright's fourth U.S. Women's Open victory, tying Rawls' tournament record. Ruth Jessen birdied the 72nd hole to get into the playoff, tying Wright at 290. Wright outplayed Jessen by one stroke per nine in the playoff, winning by two, 70 to 72.
1976: JoAnne Carner def. Sandra Palmer
JoAnne Carner and Sandra Palmer, both already USWO champs (Palmer was the defending champion), tied at 292, four ahead of anyone else in the field. Carner won the playoff by two, 76 to 78.
1986: Jane Geddes def. Sally Little
Jane Geddes and Sally Little tied at 287. In the playoff, they traded the lead over the first 13 holes. But Geddes went in front to stay on the 14th and won by two, 71 to 73.
1987: Laura Davies def. Ayako Okamoto, JoAnne Carner
This was the first 3-way playoff in U.S. Women's Open history, and the first time there were playoffs in consecutive years. And it was also Laura Davies' first LPGA Tour win.Due to weather delays, the 18-hole playoff didn't happen until Tuesday, two days after the scheduled end of regulation play (which was pushed to Monday). Davies won the playoff with a 71 to Ayako Okamoto's 73 and Carner's 74.
1992: Patty Sheehan def. Juli Inkster
After tying for the third-round lead, Patty Sheehan and Juli Inkster both had 69s in the fourth round to tie at 280 after 72 holes. In the playoff, Sheehan took a two-stroke lead into the back nine and maintained it, winning 72 to 74.
1998: Se Ri Pak def. Jenny Chuasiriporn
Many people remember, inaccurately, that this was Se Ri Pak's first win on the LPGA Tour. It wasn't. It wasn't even her first major — she won the 1998 LPGA Championship a couple months earlier. Many people also remember, accurately, amateur Jenny Chuasiriporn making a long, 72nd-hole putt to tie Pak and force the playoff. On the live TV broadcast, Johnny Miller called it one of the greatest putts of all-time.In the playoff, the two golfers tied again at 73 after 18 holes. So they continued into sudden death holes. They matched fives on the 19th hole, then Pak won it with a 3 to Chuasiriporn's 4 on the 20th hole.
2003: Hilary Lunke def. Angela Stanford, Kelly Robbins
The tournament's second 3-person playoff resulted in one of the unlikeliest major winners ever. That was Hilary Lunke, who got into the tournament through qualifying. This was not only Lunke's only LPGA Tour win, it was the only time she finished in the Top 10 in any LPGA tournament.Lunke, Angele Stanford and Kelly Robbins tied at 283 (Annika Sorenstam bogeyed the 72nd hole to miss the playoff). Lunke won the playoff with a 70 to Stanford's 71, with Robbins at 73, by making a 15-foot birdie putt on the last hole.
2006: Annika Sorenstam def. Pat Hurst
Pat Hurst came from two behind Annika Sorenstam at the start of the final round to tie her at 284. The playoff began with Sorenstam birdying the first hole and Hurst bogeying it. Sorenstam went on to a 4-stroke victory, 70 to 74. This was Sorenstam's third USWO win, but it was the last time the tournament used the 18-hole playoff format.
3-Hole and 2-Hole Playoffs in U.S. Women's Open
The USGA changed the playoff format to do away with next-day, 18-hole playoffs. The new format was a multi-hole, aggregate-score playoff that took place immediately following completion of the fourth round. The USGA originally called for a 3-hole format. The current format is a 2-hole playoff, first used in 2018.
2011: So Yeon Ryu def. Hee Kyung Seo
Ryu won this 3-hole playoff with a score of 10 to Seo's 13. Ryu scored 3-4-3, Seo 3-6-4.
2016: Brittany Lang def. Anna Nordqvist
Lang won the 3-hole playoff by three strokes, 12 to 15. Lang scored 3-4-5, Nordqvist had 3-6-6.
2018: Ariya Jutanugarn def. Hyo Joo Kim
This was the first time the 2-hole format was used, but Jutanugarn and Kim were tied at 8 after two holes. So they continued playing sudden death from that point. They matched 4s on the first sudden-death hole (the third playoff hole overall), then Jutanugarn won it with a 4 to Kim's 5 on the second sudden-death hole (fourth extra hole overall).
2021: Yuka Saso def. Nasa Hataoka
Scheduled for two holes, this playoff also stretched into sudden-death. The two-hole aggregate playoff resulted in Saso and Hataoka tying at 8. On the first sudden-death hole, Saso won with a birdie.Related articles:
- All winners of U.S. Women's Open
- 72-hole U.S. Women's Open scoring record
- Every U.S. Women's Open hole-in-one
United States Golf Association. U.S. Women's Open Championship 81st Record Book, 2026, Tournament Records.
