COMMUNITY

Couldn't disagree more. There is no such thing as a fifth major, nor should there be. Each major has held its place since at least 1934, and while the fields may be slightly weaker they offer more inclusion and a nod to the past...for instance:

The U.S. Open and the Open Championship are open to any challenger and that is the beauty of them. They have the best of the best and some normal guy can qualify to play in those majors.

The Masters invites tournament winners and amateurs champions from around the world. This is a nod to the past when the U.S. And British Amateurs were considered major championships. It also gives us a glimpse of our future golf champions.

The PGA Championship is a nod to the rich history of the PGA of America and is a nod to the great HOF golfers who once were head pros at country clubs during their off seasons.

This whole Players Championship fifth major thing is a marketing scheme put on by the PGA because they technically do not run a single major championship.

That's my two cents. The Players is fun but it never feels like a major to me.

Nope. For one thing, The Open, US Open, and PGA have had 143 (soon to be 144), 115, and 96 (soon to be 97) championships already between the three of them respectively. The Masters had its 79th this year while The Players had its 34th. And while The Masters and Players are very comparable, the biggest difference between the two is that Augusta National is the most flawless design of any golf course in the world. TPC Sawgrass is a one big gimmick. Despite the fact it held one of the most exciting tournaments in recent memory with Fowler, Garcia, and Kisner this year, that golf course couldn't tie Augusta's shoelaces if for some reason golf courses started wearing shoes.

One thing The Players does to lure its great field is boast the best purse in golf. Solo 2nd in The Players nets you more than 1st does in about half a dozen other PGA Tour events. Of course players are going to come if you pay them that much money. They'll make room for the chance at that over anything. Lastly, if you're going to say The Players should be a major, you're almost implying that the BMW PGA (the European Tour's flagship event) should be a major.

Cogolfer 1 and Lyin Lewis: Thank you for your comments regarding the Player's Championship. However while your points are well taken it should be noted that there aren't many golf courses that can match up to Augusta National. I went to Augusta National in 2006 (practice round) and I can only imagine how it would be to play golf in Heaven. Yet attracting the top players in the world at one time to compete for how the tournament is named: PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP well that speaks for itself. I don't know how many top players from the USA play in the BMW in Europe so equating that tournament to be considered for a Major is out of bounds.
Of course money is an issue yet I remember when players did not go to Europe to play the British Open because the purse was only about $5000.00 for the winner. Arnold Palmer changed that trend after he won it back to back in the 1960/1961

I love watching the qualifiers at the US Open, Open, and PGA shoot +27 for two rounds and go home.

It's so exciting!

I think it's the 5th most important event on tour. Lots of people like to call it the 5th major since there is no definition of "major" other than most important/prestigious. So in that instance, the 8th most important event is the 8th major. I don't think there is any reason to have to label it as a "major."

The only reason the ones that are labeled that way are is because Arnie Palmer had a conversation with a sportswriter in 1961. Which by the way, was only 27 years after The Masters was created.

If the Players was such an event to be even considered as a "fifth" major, then the year Rory and Lee Westwood declared that they would not participate due to "scheduling conflicts" would never have surfaced, no matter what their manager wanted at the time. The Players is the PGA Tour's event played on a course which is more for show then anything else.

In my book I see the prestige factor in golf tournaments like this:

-The 4 majors (with The Open being the most valuable and the PGA being the least)
-The Ryder Cup
-The Players and WGC's
-FedEx Cup
-The Preisdent's Cup
-Everything else lumped together, although some tournaments like Bay Hill, Memorial, Wells Fargo, and the playoff events carry more significance than others. And also ones like the Humana, John Deere, Wyndham, and the fall series events rank near the bottom of the totem pole.

I agree with cogolfer1 / LyinLewis. Players SHOULD NOT be considered ever to be a Major. I will say if they EVER consider the Players a 5th Major I will not watch golf anymore. If you consider the Players a 5th Major than you are telling all the players in the field that cannot win a real Major ( US Open, Open, PGA , Masters) bowing down to those players that cannot hack it on the other 4 Majors. They cannot make it a 5th Major, that means all the prior players that won it, their records would have to be changed to wining a Major which is crap.

We cannot start making up golf tournaments to be Majors. There is HISTORY that needs to stay preserved with ( US Open, Masters, Open , PGA )

Trae

I agree with cogolfer1 / LyinLewis. Players SHOULD NOT be considered ever to be a Major. I will say if they EVER consider the Players a 5th Major I will not watch golf anymore. If you consider the Players a 5th Major than you are telling all the players in the field that cannot win a real Major ( US Open, Open, PGA , Masters) bowing down to those players that cannot hack it on the other 4 Majors. They cannot make it a 5th Major, that means all the prior players that won it, their records would have to be changed to wining a Major which is crap.

We cannot start making up golf tournaments to be Majors. There is HISTORY that needs to stay preserved with ( US Open, Masters, Open , PGA )

Trae

I think the beauty of the Players championship is that it is not a major championship. It is a tournament that draws the best players in the world and holds its place rightfully among the top tournaments of the year relative to the history that surrounds it, that of so many great moments in the game of golf.

In addition, I think that changing the format of the majors can skew historical records too greatly. There is something to say about there only being four opportunities a year to win a major tournament that I do not think will ever change.

Additionally, just because it draws so many great players into it's field does not mean that it warrants merit as a major championship. I would say that it doesn't draw any more great players than does the Bridgestone Invitational that is held at Firestone. That tournament draws a plethora of great names and it never seems to get mentioned or compared to a major tournament format in any way, shape, or form.