Editor's note: Rory McIlroy and J.J. Spaun are headed to a playoff to decide the winner of THE 51st PLAYERS Championship. McIlroy and Spaun finished tied at 12-under 276. The three-hole aggregate playoff will begin Monday at 9 a.m. ET.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – With a tight leaderboard at THE PLAYERS, it's worth asking: What is the playoff format to settle ties at TPC Sawgrass?

Players tied for the lead after 72 holes will settle THE PLAYERS in a three-hole aggregate playoff. This format was instituted in 2014 after the tournament had used a sudden-death playoff format in previous years.

The three-hole playoff will use players' total scores from TPC Sawgrass' famed trio of closing holes: Nos. 16, 17 and 18. If there’s still a tie after those three holes, the playoff will move into sudden-death format. Sudden death will start on the island-green 17th before proceeding to No. 18 if necessary. If there is still a tie, the sudden-death playoff will continue at No. 16 and then 17 and 18.

THE PLAYERS last entered a playoff in 2015, when Rickie Fowler defeated Kevin Kisner and Sergio Garcia. Fowler and Kisner were tied after three playoff holes; Fowler won on the next playoff hole, the par-3 17th, with a 5-foot birdie.

Here’s a look at past playoffs at THE PLAYERS:

• 1981: Raymond Floyd def. Barry Jaeckel and Curtis Strange with a par on the first extra hole (Sawgrass Country Club).
• 1987: Sandy Lyle def. Jeff Sluman with a par on the third extra hole, No. 18 (TPC Sawgrass).
• 2008: Sergio Garcia def. Paul Goydos with a par on the first extra hole, No. 17 (TPC Sawgrass).
• 2011: K.J. Choi def. David Toms with a par on the first extra hole, No. 17 (TPC Sawgrass).
• 2015: Rickie Fowler def. Kevin Kisner and Sergio Garcia. Fowler and Kisner were tied after the first three-hole aggregate playoff in championship history; Fowler def. Kisner with a birdie on the first sudden-death extra hole, No. 17 (TPC Sawgrass).