matt71
Tour Rookie
Can anyone explain this? And also what do you have to do to make a tournament a major?
cheers
cheers
Why is the players championship not a major?
- Thread starter matt71
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D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Could ask the same question about the BMW PGA -
4 Majors is a good number - No idea who decides
4 Majors is a good number - No idea who decides
D
Deleted Member 1156
Guest
I believe the term 'Majors' was created by Arnold Palmer and it just kind of stuck. Originally it was the professional and amateur opens of both the USA and Britain but later became the 4 tournaments we have today. The Players is often referred to as the 5th Major purely because of the strength of the field it attracts.
There is often talk of changing the existing majors, either dropping one and elevating another tournament to Major status or creating a 5th one, preferably outside of the USA as golf is now such a global sport. I doubt the current setup will change though.
There is often talk of changing the existing majors, either dropping one and elevating another tournament to Major status or creating a 5th one, preferably outside of the USA as golf is now such a global sport. I doubt the current setup will change though.
ToddM1985
Club Champion
4's enough I believe the US PGA championship should be renamed the PGA Championship and moved around the world to create a bit more interest. It would be great to see it at Royal Melbourne, Portrush the Els Club etc! It probably will never happen as the USGA and PGA are typical American Organisations and only care about what happens in the U.S. Bill Elliot commented in Golf Monthly that we should move under two tours PGA Tour of American and PGA Tour of Europe! I fully agree this would mean more big names at the BMW for instance and give the Americans a better chance to play over here!
3565
Journeyman Pro
The last thing we need is another major in yank land.
ToddM1985
Club Champion
Exactly mate iv nothing against America, but people need to wake up to the game being global and not just American based sport. Im sure im not the only one who thinks this! You watch the European tour week to week and see different scenery I.e. the swiss alps, The deserts of Dubai, the wildlife in South Africa etc! Tune in on the evening and boom another American course that looks a lot like the one we watched a week before.
matt71
Tour Rookie
I agree we need more "majors" this side of the pond or in another continent! However would we be able to attract the sponsors ect?
LanDog
Journeyman Pro
A major that moved around countries/continents year to year is unheard of in sport, but I like the idea of it a lot, but the question is which of the current crop would get binned?
British Open? Don't be stupid
US Open? Never gonna happen
The Masters? For the legacy and magic of the event I can't see it, but the fact it's an invitational and past winners get lifetime exemption does add to the majesty of the tournament but it does hinder it slightly as well.
USPGA? It's the tour's showcase, probably the easiest major to win and often where the best golf exhibitions are on offer. The USPGA wouldn't want to lose it because of their ego I think but it's the most logical one to lose for me
British Open? Don't be stupid
US Open? Never gonna happen
The Masters? For the legacy and magic of the event I can't see it, but the fact it's an invitational and past winners get lifetime exemption does add to the majesty of the tournament but it does hinder it slightly as well.
USPGA? It's the tour's showcase, probably the easiest major to win and often where the best golf exhibitions are on offer. The USPGA wouldn't want to lose it because of their ego I think but it's the most logical one to lose for me
3565
Journeyman Pro
I'd like to see the Australian Masters as a major and played at Royal Melbourne solely.. Do you think it would pee the yanks off?
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
LanDog
Journeyman Pro
3565
Journeyman Pro
Maybe us Brits should call it The US Masters?
D
Deleted member 18588
Guest
Actually the PGA Tour does not control the US PGA Championship.
The event is the property of the PGA of America (hence the number of club pro's who qualify) and not the PGA Tour which is a separate entity.
In fact the PGA Tour are jealous of the standing of the US PGA Championship and it is they who first started promoting the Players' Championship (which they do control) as the "fifth Major."
LanDog
Journeyman Pro
Ahhh, didn't know they were separate entities, thanks for that
LanDog
Journeyman Pro
Do whatever feels right for you:thup:
Foxholer
Blackballed
Just to confirm it's The Open
Er. No it's not!
The USPGA also value their PGA Championships for the unique feature that a certain number of places are reserved for qualifiers from elimination events for US Club Pros.
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Oddsocks
Ryder Cup Winner
Global sports always seem to peak in the good old USA, I come from motocross and despite winning many "world championships" racing in Europe, riders would still go the the USA to race their national series as the was more money to be earned with bigger sponsors.
When you look at America as a country, more bikes would be sold in one state on a yearly basis than Europe combined as a market place, with that same principle applied to golf is it any wonder the US golf scene portrays it's self as the premier series... It's where the cash is and cash is why they do it!
When you look at America as a country, more bikes would be sold in one state on a yearly basis than Europe combined as a market place, with that same principle applied to golf is it any wonder the US golf scene portrays it's self as the premier series... It's where the cash is and cash is why they do it!
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Ok for the sake of the pedantic ones
The Open Championship
And it's also returning to Royal Portrush
nemicu
Head Pro
Can anyone explain this? And also what do you have to do to make a tournament a major?
cheers
Basically, the Players is a closed shop event showcase for the USPGA Tour. This means it will never achieve Major status because being a card holder of the USPGA Tour is a condition of entry.
How do you create a major? Well, it has to evolve into one. Events like the Open and the US Open quickly turned into majors simply because of the global interest in the tournaments and the players desire to compete in them. The title of being the best of the best attracted the players and spectators alike. The Masters was slightly different in that it was a blatantly manufactured tournament for players to be invited to play in a sort of exhibition match, but it quickly turned into a must win event because of the course and the title of being the best amongst your peers. Basically, any "major" title is driven by the players desire to compete in and win it - of any sporting event.
Ethan
Money List Winner
In 1960, Palmer was flying to The Open with a well known sports journalist of the day, having just won The Masters and US Open. He remarked that if he also won The Open and the PGA, he would have a grand slam of all the major events. When the story was printed, it sorta caught on, and those four events became known as the majors. Palmer never won that or any other PGA, as it turned out, so doesn't have a career grand slam. Previously, various other events had been considered majors, including the two Amateurs, the Western Open and others.
The Players was the brainchild of the PGA Tour, who do not own any of the majors. Deane Beman, the then commissioner wanted to make an event of major status, possibly to displace the PGA, but there is no mechanism as such for designating an event. It is really by popular acclamation. The LPGA Tour takes a different approach and has de-designated events as majors, and added others. The WGC events would seem to be the best candidates for major status, although they probably need a bit more 'World' in them.
