$max = array_keys($array,max($array));

Array
(
    [18] => Array
        (
            [0] => 77
            [1] => 79
            [2] => 76
            [3] => 78
        )
)

Array
(
    [18] => Array
        (
            [77] => Array
                (
                    [9] => 18
                    [8] => 16
                    [7] => 14
                    [6] => 12
                    [5] => 10
                    [4] => 8
                    [3] => 6
                    [2] => 4
                    [1] => 2
                )
            [79] => Array
                (
                    [9] => 18
                    [8] => 17
                    [7] => 15
                    [6] => 14
                    [5] => 11
                    [4] => 9
                    [3] => 7
                    [2] => 5
                    [1] => 3
                )
            [76] => Array
                (
                    [9] => 18
                    [8] => 16
                    [7] => 14
                    [6] => 12
                    [5] => 10
                    [4] => 8
                    [3] => 6
                    [2] => 4
                    [1] => 2
                )
            [78] => Array
                (
                    [9] => 18
                    [8] => 17
                    [7] => 15
                    [6] => 13
                    [5] => 11
                    [4] => 9
                    [3] => 7
                    [2] => 5
                    [1] => 3
                )
        )
)

foreach ($ties as $comparekey => &$compareval) {
$tie_loop = 0;
for ($m = 9; $m >= 1; $m--) {
    $compare = array();
    foreach ($compareval as $tie) {
        $compare[$tie] = $tie_perhole[$comparekey][$tie][$m];
    }
    $row = array_keys($compare,max($compare));

    if (count($row) == 1) {
        $indexties = array_search($row[0], $ties[$comparekey]);
        unset($ties[$comparekey][$indexties]);
        // Now update this "winners" finishing position in a sorted array
        // This is a multidimensional array too, with custom function...
        $indexresults = searchForId($row[0], $comp_results_arr);
        $comp_results_arr[$indexresults][position] = $tie_loop;
        $tie_loop++;
    }
    // I think I need conditions here to filter if a subset of players tie
    // Other than count($row) == 1
    // And possibly splitting out into multiple $ties arrays for each thread...

    if (empty($ties[$comparekey])) {
        break;
    }
}
}
usort($comp_results_arr, 'compare_posn_asc');
foreach($comp_results_arr as $row) {
    //echo an HTML table...
}

<?php
/**
* Author    : Carlos Alaniz
* Email     : Carlos.glvn1993@gmail.com
* Porpuse   : Stackoverflow example
* Date      : Aug/04/2015
**/


$golfers = [
"A" => [1,5,9,1,1,2,3,4,9],
"B" => [2,6,4,2,4,4,1,9,3],
"C" => [3,4,9,8,1,1,5,1,3],
"D" => [1,5,1,1,1,5,4,5,8]
];

//Iterate over scores.
function get_winners(&$golfers, $hole = 9){
    $positions = array();                               // The score numer is the key!
    foreach ($golfers as $golfer=>$score ) {            // Get key and value
        $score_sub = array_slice($score,0,$hole);       // Get the scores subset, first iteration is always all holes
        $total_score = (string)array_sum($score_sub);   // Get the key
        if(!isset($positions[$total_score])){
            $positions[$total_score] = array();         // Make array
        }
        $positions[$total_score][] = $golfer;           // Add Golpher to score.
    }
    ksort($positions, SORT_NUMERIC);                    // Sort based on key, low -> high
    return array(end($positions), key($positions));     // The last shall be first
}

//Recursion is Awsome
function getWinner(&$golfers, $hole = 9){
    if ($hole == 0) return;
    $winner = get_winners($golfers,$hole);              // Get all ties, if any.
    if(count($winner[0]) > 1){                          // If theirs ties, filter again!
        $sub_golfers =
        array_intersect_key($golfers,
            array_flip($winner[0]));                    // Only the Worthy Shall Pass.
        $winner = getWinner($sub_golfers,$hole - 1);    // And again...
    }
    return $winner;                                     // We got a winner, unless they really tie...
}

echo "<pre>";
print_R(getWinner($golfers));
echo "</pre>";

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [0] => A
            [1] => B
            [2] => C
        )

    [1] => 35
)

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [0] => B
            [1] => C
        )

    [1] => 32
)

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [0] => C
        )

    [1] => 31
)