Changes to playoff format for women’s US Open Golf Championship

In 2007, the women’s US Open Golf Championship will change their playoff format. Instead of the 18 hole playoff format that has been tradition for both of the US Open Championships, this year the ladies will use a thee hole playoff.

This situation leaves the men’s US Open golf championship as the only major championship left with an 18 hole playoff. This will probably be a subject of debate now and there will probably be pressure to change the men’s format.
All the other major golf championships (men’s, women’s, and senior’s) are currently decided with sudden death or a 3 or 4 hole playoff format. So is the 18 hole playoff going to completely disappear? And is that the right thing to do?
I personally don’t think that the 18 hole playoff will work for all tournaments. And I understand the pressures that are being brought to bear to do away with them—for fans who are there on Sunday, the sponsors who have paid so much money, the cost to have a complete 18 hole round on Monday, etc.
But at this point in time, I would like to see the US Open Championship keep the format. It is the golf championship of the US. It sets it apart. And I think that it allows the champion to stake a different sort of claim to this golf champship; that he didn’t win it on a 2 or 3 hole streak. That he was able to come back after an exhausting 72 holes and stay the course for a complete round of golf and win.
Many who follow professional golf may disagree with this, but it’s just my opinion for what it’s worth. Which may not be much.