TULSA, Okla. — The playoffs are one of the most exciting times in golf.

A playoff unlike any in the history of the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship took place Wednesday morning at Southern Hills Country Club.

After two rounds of stroke play, twenty players were tied for 55th place, meaning there were 10 extra players who could have played match play over 64. That meant a playoff was needed, a historic one at that.

In the history of the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, the most players in a playoff was 16. On Wednesday morning, there were 20 players teeing off on the par-4 10th hole at Southern Hills, four players in five groups at a time.

The pin location remained the same on 10th as it had in the second round of stroke play, at the front of the green. A bunker protects the front of the putting surface, and any shots made slightly too long or to the right will trickle back toward the hole. Anything to the left and players were struggling for bogey or worse.

US Women’s Amateur: Photos

In the first group, Annabelle Pancake was the only player to advance, and she did so with a par. The other three made bogeys and were eliminated. But they didn’t find out for nearly an hour.

The first group started at 7:15 a.m. CT and the last shot fell at 8:33 a.m. CT. It was much more difficult to play for a 371-yard hole.

In the second group, Canada’s Victoria Zheng made one of her two birdies on the first hole. Amanda Sambach added a par, as did Emilia Migliaccio. But Annabel Wilson hit an approach shot that landed three feet from the pin but veered left and fell off a rough about 40 yards from the green. She made a double and was eliminated.

Slowly but surely, groups three, four and five made their way down the hill and over the creek toward the green at the top. Fans, parents and rules officials gathered on the slope above the hole. The numbers slowly became clear.

Depending on how the last group did would determine the future of the playoff. If every player made par, it would be a 10-9 playoff on the second hole. If one bogeyed and three others made par, they were guaranteed 10 spots.

The other 16 players watched from a spot around the 10th green. Those who made par were comfortable knowing they were on another hole or going to another. Those who made bogeys were constantly refreshing their phones and looking around anxiously.

Rebecca Skoler made a perfect birdie putt from the top of the hole to secure her spot in the Round of 64. Her playing partners made pars and an 8-under 9-yard playoff led to the par-3 11th hole.

Pancake and Sambach, now playing three triples, found the green with their shots, but Migliaccio’s shot fell well short of the bunker, hit the face and raced to the bottom. But his bunker shot was disastrous.

He stabbed the ball across the green and over the cart path, forcing him to take a drop to make the putt. The third then rolled off the front of the green. The fourth finally came, stopping about 10 feet from the hole and two putts later he was ready for a three-putt.

The tee timers watched and mentally tallied up what they needed to do to advance. One by one, they hit the green and one by one, they made birdies, pars and a few bogeys.

But the trio made things easy enough for the other eight players that the pairings for the Round of 64 were officially set.