Miles Bennett
Golf's four majors are the most prestigious events in the sport, with each tournament boasting its own rich history and traditions. The four majors are the Masters Tournament, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open, and the Open Championship (also known as the British Open). Each competition is organised by a different golf organisation, and three of the four take place in the United States. The majors are open to both professional golfers and, in some cases, amateurs, with winners receiving the maximum possible allocation of 100 points from the Official World Golf Ranking.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Majors | 4 |
| Tournaments | Masters Tournament, PGA Championship, U.S. Open, The Open Championship (British Open) |
| Order of Competition Dates | Masters Tournament (April), PGA Championship (May), U.S. Open (June), The Open Championship |
| Location | 3 of the 4 majors take place in the United States. The Masters is played at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, while the other 3 rotate courses. The Open Championship is always played on a links course. |
| History | The Open Championship is the oldest major, dating back to 1860. The Masters was co-founded in the 1930s by Bobby Jones, the only player to win all 4 majors in a single season. |
| Prestige | The majors are the most prestigious events in golf. Winning a major boosts a player's career more than any other tournament. |
| Participants | Elite players from around the world participate in the majors. |
| Winners | Jack Nicklaus has won the most majors (18), followed by Tiger Woods (15). |
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What You'll Learn
The Masters Tournament
The Masters was founded in 1934 by golf legend Bobby Jones and American investment banker Clifford Roberts. The tournament is held at the same location every year, the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. The course first opened in 1933 and was co-designed by Jones and course architect Alister MacKenzie. The Masters was initially known as the "Augusta National Invitation Tournament" and was first played in 1934, with Horton Smith taking the top prize of $1,500. The tournament adopted its current name in 1939.
The Masters is famous for awarding the coveted "Green Jacket" to the winner, a tradition that began in 1949. The green jacket, specifically Pantone 342C or "Augusta Green", signifies honorary membership of the Augusta club and must be returned to the clubhouse one year after a golfer's victory. It remains the property of the champion and is stored with other champions' jackets in a designated cloakroom. The Champions Dinner, inaugurated by Ben Hogan in 1952, is held the Tuesday before each Masters tournament and is exclusive to past champions and certain board members of the Augusta National Golf Club.
The Masters has been dominated by some of the sport's biggest names, including Jack Nicklaus, who holds the record for the most Masters wins with six victories between 1963 and 1986. Tiger Woods won five times between 1997 and 2019, while Arnold Palmer claimed four victories between 1958 and 1964.
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The PGA Championship
The tournament is an official money event on the PGA Tour, European Tour, and Japan Golf Tour, with a purse of $11 million for the 100th edition in 2018. The winner of the PGA Championship is automatically invited to play in the other three majors and The Players Championship for the next five years and is eligible for the PGA Championship for life. They also earn a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour and a seven-year membership on the DP World Tour.
The 2025 edition of the PGA Championship will be held at Quail Hollow Club from May 12 to 18.
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The U.S. Open
The tournament is played over 72 holes of stroke play, which equates to four rounds on an 18-hole course. The winner is the player with the lowest total number of strokes. The U.S. Open is staged at a variety of courses, with the courses set up in such a way that scoring is very difficult, with a premium placed on accurate driving. As of 2024, the U.S. Open awards a $21.5 million purse, the largest of all four major championships.
The first U.S. Open was held on October 4, 1895, at a nine-hole course on the Newport Country Club in Rhode Island. It was a 36-hole competition played over a single day. The U.S. Open has since been played on 52 different golf courses across the United States, with the 18th and 19th states to host the tournament being Washington in 2015 and Wisconsin in 2017, respectively. The U.S. Open is staged by the United States Golf Association (USGA) in mid-June, with the final round played on the third Sunday, barring any weather delays.
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The Open Championship (British Open)
The Open Championship, also known as The Open or the British Open, is the oldest golf tournament in the world, founded in 1860. It is considered one of the most prestigious golf tournaments, held in the birthplace of golf, and is one of the four major golf championships.
The tournament was originally held annually at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland, but later the venue was rotated between a select group of coastal links golf courses in the United Kingdom, including England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Ireland. It is organised by The R&A, and the sole organiser since 1920 has been The Royal and Ancient Golf Club.
The Open Championship is unique as it is the only one of the four majors to be played outside of the United States of America. It is also “open” to both professional and amateur golfers, although in practice, it is predominantly a professional tournament. The tournament usually takes place in mid-July and has a format of 18 holes on the first two days and 36 holes on the third day.
The Open has a rich history, with famous winners including Harry Vardon, who holds the record for the most wins with six victories, and other notable winners such as Arnaud Massy, the first non-British winner in 1907, and Tony Jacklin, the only British champion in the period between 1966 and 1978. The most recent Open Championship in 2025, the 153rd Open, was held at Royal Portrush in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, with Shane Lowry emerging as the winner.
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The World Championship of Golf (defunct)
The World Championship of Golf was a tournament that provided a rare showcase for leading international players to compete against the best U.S. professionals, who rarely travelled outside of their country to play. The event began in 1949 and grew into a full-fledged 72-hole championship with a large invited field, becoming part of the main tour, and with its huge prize fund, it became one of the most important tournaments for professionals.
From 1949 to 1951, the winner of the tournament took home a check for over $10,000, while most tour events had a first prize of $2,000. From 1952 to 1957, the purse grew significantly, with the winner receiving $25,000 in 1952 and 1953, and $50,000 from 1954 onwards, along with an additional $50,000 available in the form of a contract with May for 50 worldwide exhibition events. During these years, the winner of the Championship topped the tour's money list by a significant margin.
The World Championship of Golf provided a unique opportunity for international players to test their skills against the top U.S. professionals. Players like Bobby Locke, Norman Von Nida, Roberto De Vicenzo, and Peter Thomson achieved high finishes in the tournament, with De Vicenzo and Thomson notably collecting substantial prize money.
However, in 1958, the tournament faced a setback when May decided to discontinue the event due to a dispute with the PGA over player entrance fees. As a result, the World Championship of Golf disappeared from the tour, and with it, the opportunity for international players to compete directly against their U.S. counterparts on a regular basis. Despite its relatively short existence, the World Championship of Golf left a mark on the sport, showcasing the talent of international players and contributing to the evolution of golf as a global sport.
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Frequently asked questions
The 4 majors in golf are The Masters Tournament, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open, and the Open Championship (also known as the British Open).
The Masters Tournament takes place in April, the PGA Championship in May, the U.S. Open in June, and the Open Championship in July.
The Masters Tournament is played at the same course, Augusta National Golf Club, every year. The other three majors rotate courses, with the Open Championship always being played on a links course.
Winners of the 4 majors receive the maximum possible allocation of 100 points from the Official World Golf Ranking. Major championship prize money is official on the PGA Tour, European Tour, and Japan Golf Tour. Winners of the U.S. Open receive the USGA's iconic silver trophy. Winners of the Masters Tournament don the coveted green jacket, which stays on-site at Augusta except for the year following a player's victory.
