Jackson Reid
The PGA Championship is one of the four major golf tournaments, alongside The Masters Tournament, The U.S. Open, and The Open Championship. These tournaments are the most prestigious events in professional golf, offering enormous amounts of prestige, history, and money. Winning a major boosts a player's career far more than winning any other tournament, as it grants them an exemption from the need to re-qualify for a tour card annually. The Masters Tournament, for example, is the only major that is played at the same course every year, the Augusta National Golf Club. The PGA Championship, on the other hand, is known for its rotating venue system, showcasing various challenging courses across America.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Major Golf Tournament events | 4 |
| Tournaments | The Masters Tournament, The U.S. Open, The Open Championship, The PGA Championship |
| First staged | 1934 |
| First winner | Horton Smith |
| Most recent winner | Jon Rahm |
| Player with most wins | Jack Nicklaus (18) |
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What You'll Learn
The Masters Tournament
The Masters was first staged in 1934 as the "Augusta National Invitation Tournament", adopting its present name in 1939. It is the most recent men's major championship to be founded. The tournament was conceived by amateur golf champion Bobby Jones and investment banker Clifford Roberts. After his grand slam in 1930, Jones acquired the former indigo plantation and plant nursery in Augusta, Georgia, and co-designed the course with Alister MacKenzie. The Augusta National course first opened in 1933 and has been modified many times by different architects. The first tournament was played with current holes 10 through 18 played as the first nine, and 1 through 9 as the second nine, then reversed permanently to its present layout for the 1935 tournament. The inaugural Augusta National Invitation Tournament began on March 22, 1934, and was won by Horton Smith, who took the first prize of $1,500.
The Masters is the only major that is played at the same course every year—the Augusta National Golf Club, a private course in Augusta, Georgia. The tournament has a number of traditions, including awarding the winner a green jacket (specifically Pantone 342C, "Augusta Green"), which must be returned to the clubhouse the following year. The Champions Dinner is held on the Tuesday before each Masters and is open only to past champions and certain board members of the Augusta National Golf Club.
The Masters invites a smaller field of players than the other majors, generally under 100. It is also the only one of the four majors that does not use "alternates" to replace qualified players who do not enter the event. Former champions have a lifetime invitation to compete, as do the current champions of the major amateur championships, and most of the previous year's PGA Tour winners.
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The PGA Championship
The tournament was first played in October 1916 at Siwanoy Country Club in Bronxville, New York, and was won by Jim Barnes, who received a $500 and a diamond-studded gold medal donated by Rodman Wanamaker. The winner of the tournament is awarded a replica of the Wanamaker Trophy to keep for one year, as well as a smaller-sized replica to keep permanently.
The tournament has been held at various venues across the United States, with the state of New York hosting the championship the most times, followed by Ohio and Pennsylvania. The courses chosen for the PGA Championship are often as difficult as those selected for the U.S. Open, and the tournament features a rotating venue system, showcasing some of America's finest courses.
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The U.S. Open
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open national championship of golf in the United States. It is the third of the four major golf championships and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour. The U.S. Open has been played on 52 different golf courses across the country, with the 18th and 19th states to host the tournament being Washington in 2015 and Wisconsin in 2017, respectively. The tournament is staged by the United States Golf Association (USGA) in mid-June and is designed to be very difficult for scoring, prioritising accurate driving.
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The Open Championship
The winner of The Open Championship is named "The Champion Golfer of the Year", a tradition dating back to the first Open in 1860. The champion also receives the Claret Jug, a trophy first awarded in 1872. The reigning champion as of 2024 is American Xander Schauffele, who won with a score of 275. The 153rd Open Championship will take place from 17-20 July 2025 at Royal Portrush, with Royal Birkdale hosting the tournament in 2026.
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The Players Championship
The event offers a substantial purse, with the 2022 edition featuring a $20 million purse, the largest in golf history at the time. The winner, Cameron Smith, took home $3.6 million, further elevating the tournament's prestige.
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Frequently asked questions
The PGA golf majors are the four most prestigious events in professional golf: The Masters Tournament, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open, and The Open Championship.
The PGA Tour hosts a series of high-profile tournaments from April to June, followed by key tournaments from July to September. The Masters Tournament, the season's first major championship, takes place from January to March. The PGA Championship is traditionally the final major of the season.
The Masters Tournament is the only major that is played at the same course every year, the Augusta National Golf Club. The PGA Championship takes place at a rotating venue, showcasing an array of America's finest courses, such as Kiawah Island and Oakland Hills.
The Masters invites the smallest field of the majors, generally under 100 players. Former champions have a lifetime invitation to compete, as well as current champions of the major amateur championships, and most of the previous year's PGA Tour winners. The PGA Championship is the only major to invite all winners of PGA Tour events in the year preceding the tournament, as well as 20 club professionals who are non-tour regulars.
The majors are considered to be the most prestigious events in professional golf, offering enormous amounts of prestige, history, and money. Winning a major can boost a player's career more than any other tournament, providing large bonuses from sponsors and the opportunity to negotiate better contracts.
