What is sudden death in golf? How Justin Rose won the FedEx St Jude playoffs

JJ Spaun and Justin Rose were after 72 holes at the St. Jude Championship, forcing a sudden-death playoff starting on hole 18. Ultimately, Rose won in 3rd hole.

Updated on: Aug 11, 2025, 05:03:48 IST

By Shamik Banerjee

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JJ Spaun and Justin Rose engaged in a fierce playoff battle in the St Jude Championship of the FedEx Cup Playoffs in Memphis, Tennessee. Following a tie after the 18th hole in the final round of the championship, Rose and Spaun engaged in an epic sudden-death battle to determine the winner of the St Jude Championship. Eventually, Rose got the better of Spaun in the third hole and won.

J.J. Spaun reacts to a missed putt on the 18th green during the first playoff hole of the St. Jude Championship golf tournament Sunday. (AP)

How Sudden Death Works

The FedEx St Jude Championship uses the same sudden-death format as other FedEx Cup playoff events. In the event players are tied after 72 holes, the process of determining the winner happens in the sudden-death format. It starts with the players starting again on hole 18 and repeating as needed, until a winner emerges.

Thus, as per the PGA rules, Spaun and Rose will be playing repeatedly until one of them scores lower than the others on a hole, and will have to forfeit the championship.

Rose managed to force a playoff at the FedEx St Jude after birdieing four of his last five holes on regulation, preventing JJ Spaun from taking the title right away. As the dramatic playoff unfolded in Memphis, Rose took a lead in the third round and emerged as the winner, as per the sudden-death format of the championship.

Here's the moment when Justin Rose won the St Jude Championship:

This story is being updated.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shamik Banerjee
Shamik is a journalist covering the United States for Hindustan Times. He has more than four years of experience reporting on US politics, sports, and major breaking stories across fast-moving cycles. He previously worked at Times Now and Sportskeeda, building strong newsroom instincts and digital storytelling skills. At HT.com, he focuses on day-to-day coverage of US political developments while also handling high-impact stories that demand speed, accuracy, clarity, and context under pressure. Shamik has extensive experience covering NFL game days over the past two years, coordinating live updates, analysis, and explainers. He is particularly drawn to large news moments such as US elections and the Super Bowl, where he thrives at the news desk working alongside the team. He holds degrees in Media Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia and English Literature from Jadavpur University. Before entering journalism, he briefly worked in digital marketing and political consultancy roles. Currently a Senior Content Producer at HT Digital, he is driven by curiosity, discipline, and a constant desire to explore new and obscure topics. Outside work, he enjoys reading, films, sports, and learning continuously.Read More

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