The fifth major?
Last updated: 7th May 2008
The Players Championship boasts the strongest field of the year and is hosted by one of the World's great courses.
It has a list of past winners that includes almost all the greats of the last three decades and the season's biggest prize fund (like that matters to these guys!).
The galleries pack Sawgrass all week and Sunday's atmosphere is as electric as it gets.
It is also an event that all the players want to win.
So does the Players Championship rate 'fifth major' status, 'unofficial fifth major' status, or is it just another very good, very rich tournament on the PGA Tour?
Let us know your thoughts... and how would you rank the exisiting four majors in terms of importance and prestige?
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Comments
Alan Marks says...
No way another major in America come on there is already 3 majors held in America we seem to pander to the American PGA at every turn no wonder it's mostly Americans that win the majors as they are playing at there home venues. If there was to be another major it should be held in somewhere like Asia or South Africa. Big Alan Marks.
Posted 11:34 12th May 2008
Mark Pembo says...
defo a big no, why have another in the states i think the pga should be relocated as it is to rotate around differnet countries. If their was to be a new major it should be in south africa or australia countries with rich golfing traditions not in asia as some people above say. This would be for finance, you´ve got choi as a top golfer that´s about it
Posted 18:06 11th May 2008
Stewart Mackenzie says...
The Americans are so negative. They want this as the 5th major so that it gives them an excuse not to travel to the UK for "The Open". The WGC Events are now bigger and they need to accept this. We Europeans play on different styles of courses each week on the tour giving the players a stiffer test opposed to the gallery style courses they play week in week out. Roll on the Ryder Cup.
Posted 08:48 11th May 2008
Caroline Craig says...
I think Sawgrass would make a very good 5th Major, providing the qualification criteria was correct and not overly selective. As much as we all love The Masters when it comes around in April, I do feel that its major status is not always justified, as many players who deserve the opportunity to be playing in the first major of the year are excluded and places are taken by past winners, who have no real chance of success. Television subscribers also play a part in the country some players are selected from. If the Players Championship were to have a similar qualification process as our Open I think it would be great as a 5th major.
Posted 10:35 10th May 2008
Pete Taylor says...
It's a great golf event and you have the best 144 pro's in the world there ( Tigers injured though!), no shelve stackers or amatuer's allowed and certainly no ex winners from thirty years ago taking part unlike the Masters, swap it's status with the Masters for me
Posted 17:04 9th May 2008
D Pearce says...
You have got to be joking!!!. Why not scrap the British Open and have all major golf in the States!!!. My view is scrap the Masters (ludicrous hype and qualification process) and lets see a major on each continent so that we have a genuine world championship. We need an Australasion and Asian major open to only the top 100 players in the world rankings. Golf tournaments are currently a joke with sponsor's invites etc. It's a circus that revolves around money. No other sport comes close to such ridiculous ways of running itself.
Posted 12:29 9th May 2008
Howard Thompson says...
How typically insular of Europe and America, if you want to grow the game of golf and take it to an even higher level the only continent a 5th major should appear on is Asia. With the fastest growing economies in the world and larger GDP's than most of Europe you can not ignore the likes of Singapore, Japan, Chinese Taipei, China, Hong Kong or Korea. These states are the future and if golf wants to grow they have to take this into account, where will the biggest markets be in 20 years? Get ahead of the curve, get rid of the US PGA and replace it with Asia's Major, something like the Singapore Open, a great event in a marvelous country on a great course, with wonderful weather (as long as you finish by 4pm).
Posted 10:34 9th May 2008
Darren Rands says...
As much as i love this event i feel to make this a 5th major it would not only devalue the others but also give another to USA if there was to be a 5th major then surely it should at least be sent to another part of the world maybe South Africa or Australia
Posted 19:57 8th May 2008
Shane O'connor says...
3 of the 4 majors are already in the States. To my mind we're all too parochial. If there was to be a 5th then why not further afield again - Asia, South Africa, Oz. Or a "real" one-off World Series Championship annually moving around the globe. Look at tennis - they have the right idea. As for tradition? Well, every tradition has a "first time". Let's think outside of the box.
Posted 15:18 8th May 2008
Scott Beaumont says...
if this is a '5th' major what about the BMW championship at Wentworth ? thats a big tournement... I think the WGC events are bigger than this one, but still, it's a super week. That 17th is awesome.
Posted 12:46 8th May 2008
Peter Cornwell says...
I second, that. The tournament is indeed very important and all the big names compete in it year in year out, however it lacks the history of the other majors. In time perhaps, but until then i'll just sit back and enjoy it none the less. 1.Masters 2.The Open 3. US Open 4. USPGA
Posted 22:35 7th May 2008
Graham Tweddle says...
I agree with Gary, Tiger obviously thinks more of the 4 Majors than he does The Players, and who wants to win and not have to beat the great man? EVERYONE!!!!
Posted 21:50 7th May 2008
Conor O' brien says...
If Harrington wins then yeah it is certainly the 5th major. If he ends up down the field though, well sure it's not that big a tournament really
Posted 21:26 7th May 2008
Yen chong Yap says...
I don't think they will make the Players Championship another Major unless and until Tiger surpasses Jack's 18 Majors. Making it a Major now might create a another debate of who is the greatest player to grace the wonderful game of golf
Posted 16:34 7th May 2008
Derek Toolan says...
It's not even close to a major - it's just a very rich event....with a picturesque but frightening par 3! My vote for "5th Major" unnoficial or otherwise would be The Scottish Open at Loch Lomond or The English Open after it's been back on the calendar for a few years....
Posted 15:46 7th May 2008
Gary Lucas says...
Do you really think that Tiger would have scheduled routine knee surgery for a week when there was a major on? No, I don't think so. That proves this is not the fifth major. End of.
Posted 14:29 7th May 2008
Bryan Potts says...
One word: Tradition. The Players is a great tournament but lacks the history of the other four. In 30 years time this will be the fifth major. Until then, forget it. 1 The Open, joint 2 Masters, US Open, 4 USPGA
Posted 13:09 7th May 2008
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