Should there be a fifth major that isnt based in America?

[GoBeavisLong]

After seeing that the LPGA have set up a fifth major for the ladies that is based in Europe, got me wondering whether the PGA/European Tour should consider making another major that is based somewhere other than America. Maybe out in Asia or Australia? Surely it can only help with attracting new audiences to the game? Thoughts?

 

[shewy]

Yes and no, no 5th Major but droop the PGA and make a major in Asia

 

[boosh]

Why don't we create a 6th or 7th major, then everyone can have one ffs.
Leave it alone, golf doesn't need another major.

 

[GoBeavisLong]

Yes and no, no 5th Major but droop the PGA and make a major in Asia

So not a 5th major but make a major in Asia? confused.com!

 

[GoBeavisLong]

Why don't we create a 6th or 7th major, then everyone can have one ffs.
Leave it alone, golf doesn't need another major.

Have to admit that the current Major system is extremely biased towards the PGA tour though.

 

[Backsticks]

Have to admit that the current Major system is extremely biased towards the PGA tour though.

The PGA tour doesnt run any majors. Three just happen to be located in the US. Which suits everyone fine since all the golfers that matter are playing there anyway.

You cant create major - they evolve. (Ladies tour golf s young enough to be able to mold itself artificially - the mens game has roots to deep to change it now). There arent enough people who care about the ladies game too much anyway so they have a freer hand to make such changes.

 

[Ethan]

The definition of major has changed over the years. It used to be the two Opens and two Amateurs, then around 1960, the concept of the modern majors arose largely due to discussions between Arnold Palmer and a US sports journalist called Bob Drum. Their ideas caught on.

The PGA Tour has been unhappy not to control a major, so The Players and the WGC events are their best attempts to create one.

My opinion is that we do not need another major, and there isn't a logical candidate anyway. There is no way that any of the US events will relocate overseas, and The Players would be another US event, and other events such as the Aussie Open just don't get the global attention and fields necessary for major status, so would be rather contrived if nominated. Like the Evian.

 

[Junior]

I think 4 is enough. What I would like to see is a world golf event (WGC?) back in the UK.

 

[HughJars]

You can't "make" a major - the women can, but then that says more about women's golf, than majors.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Yes and no, no 5th Major but drop the Masters and make a major in Asia

Fixed that for you. The Masters is a brilliant spectacle but the field and the very limited public access doesn't warrant Major status.

 

[FairwayDodger]

The PGA tour doesnt run any majors. Three just happen to be located in the US. Which suits everyone fine since all the golfers that matter are playing there anyway.

You cant create major - they evolve. (Ladies tour golf s young enough to be able to mold itself artificially - the mens game has roots to deep to change it now). There arent enough people who care about the ladies game too much anyway so they have a freer hand to make such changes.

You can't "make" a major - the women can, but then that says more about women's golf, than majors.

Funny how there's a nice way and a nasty way to make the same point.....

 

[Doon frae Troon]

The Austrailian Open and the World Cup [6th major] based in Asia.

 

[HughJars]

Funny how there's a nice way and a nasty way to make the same point.....

I don't think saying that people dont care about ladies golf is particularly harsh. Pretty harsh yourself there on Backsticks imo

 

[FairwayDodger]

I don't think saying that people dont care about ladies golf is particularly harsh. Pretty harsh yourself there on Backsticks imo

Lol

 

[HughJars]

Lol

not funny really.

 

[Ethan]

I think there is a valid point about simply declaring an event a major, or in the case of the Du Maurier Classic, declaring it not to be a major any more. The mens majors came about by acclamation, as it were, although they have now been hard wired into rankings systems and eligibility criteria.

The women's game has been in decline in the US for some time, partly due to the influx of Asian players with whom the US audience does not connect. Creating another major is therefore an attempt to extend the brand, but the logical place for it, Asia, is out. The LPGA Tour gets on better with Europe and presumably Evian were happy to ante up a large slug of dosh for their enhanced status.

The other women's majors all have a title sponsor apart from the US Women's Open. The LPGA Championship is presented by Wegmans (a supermarket chain), the Women's British Open by Ricoh (cameras and copiers) and the other one is the Nabisco-Dinah Shore. This one is the weakest event in the roster and has an image that the LPGA would rather not talk about (lots of women with short hair and comfortable shoes attend - Palm Springs is that kinda place).