Creating Another Major Championship

History has proven that major championships can evolve. The U.S. Amateur and British Amateur's were once considered majors (not that long ago). The Masters tournament (Augusta invitational) was created by Bobby Jones and evolved into a major. The Western Open was at one time perceived as a major. Major championships were the tournaments "everyone entered..." The Tam O' Shanter tournament was founded by an uber wealthy man and offered the highest prize money. Everyone wanted to play and travelled from far and wide. The prize money was so great, every player set their schedule around that event and hoped to get invited. Sounds like a major to me..

My question is...What if a super wealthy billionaire staged a tournament and offered a prize structure so big nobody could refuse ($100,000,000 1st Place?). Could that evolve into a major???

History has proven that major championships can evolve. The U.S. Amateur and British Amateur's were once considered majors (not that long ago). The Masters tournament (Augusta invitational) was created by Bobby Jones and evolved into a major. The Western Open was at one time perceived as a major. Major championships were the tournaments "everyone entered..." The Tam O' Shanter tournament was founded by an uber wealthy man and offered the highest prize money. Everyone wanted to play and travelled from far and wide. The prize money was so great, every player set their schedule around that event and hoped to get invited. Sounds like a major to me..

 

My question is...What if a super wealthy billionaire staged a tournament and offered a prize structure so big nobody could refuse ($100,000,000 1st Place?). Could that evolve into a major???

Not very likely even with serious money on the line. The Players has long since been considered a "sorta-Major" but tradition seems to hold on the four majors.

100,000,000 first place?

A major failure.

Maybe Bob Parsons will do it and then his throngs of suckers will chime in telling us how the tournament is superior in every way.

No.

Western Open was a very prestigious tourney, but not considered a major. Tam O'Shanter never perceived as a major with $ so kind of argues against the premise.

Sounds like a made for TV carnival sideshow - all the losers have to sacrifice a finger you've got something. Movie stars Bruce Lee.

4 Majors is the right number. Adding more just cheapens them and makes them easier to attain.

The newspaper writers suggested the term and the golfing public grabbed onto it and it morphed into what it is. No group or entity can just come out and claim a new major. It doesn't work that way. It's not under the purview of the USGA, PGA, PGA Tour, or the R&A to tell us what is a major and what isn't.

This could very much happen. As the sport grows and becomes more worldwide a wealthy Asian or Russian billionaire could absolutely move the needle by offering an enormous 1st prize purse. Maybe not $100,000,000 as I first suggested for attention, but certainly $25,000,000?

Trust me, if the prize is big enough, players will enter. Televise the event and I can promise you everyone would be watching.

Play it on a brand new prestigious course (like the Augusta once was) have a huge name behind the event (much like Bobby Jones influence) and perhaps another nation fed up with perception that "unless it's held in US it's not a major or World Championship" and it could happen?

Heck the Players Championship was on its way to becoming 5th major if they didn't screw up the scheduling and move it later in year...

Why are you associating prize money with instant credibility as a major?

A major needs a few things. Prestige of being played on the absolute best course/courses, a unique aspect to it that sets it apart, and as you mentioned, prize money. The problem is that 4 is the correct number and the weakest major, the PGA championship isn't going anywhere because its put on by the governing body of golf (at least in America).

100,000,000 first place?

 

A major failure.

 

Maybe Bob Parsons will do it and then his throngs of suckers will chime in telling us how the tournament is superior in every way.

Then show us their clubs with a pxg towel around them

Ain't happening or The Players would already be a major and many

players think of it as the 5th major because of the 5 year exemption

if you win and it getting close to $2 million for the winner and the

strongest field of the year.

100,000,000 first place?

 

A major failure.

 

Maybe Bob Parsons will do it and then his throngs of suckers will chime in telling us how the tournament is superior in every way.

 

Then show us their clubs with a pxg towel around them

Discuss. :)

If you ask me, the Player's currently feels like more of a major than the PGA Championship does.

The thing about majors is, if you make too many of them - they're not nearly as prestigious.

It's like the Olympics - if they had the Summer Olympics every summer, no one would care. But the fact that they're every 4 years, and most athletes might get two Olympics during their peak years, makes it that much more exciting and intriguing. And it makes an Olympic medal that much more coveted.

The fedex cup should be considered a major IMO. it's harder to win than any of them IMO. You have to be hot for several weeks in a row not just one.

I quite like the 4 we currently have, why fix whats not broken ?

A major needs a few things. Prestige of being played on the absolute best course/courses, a unique aspect to it that sets it apart, and as you mentioned, prize money. The problem is that 4 is the correct number and the weakest major, the PGA championship isn't going anywhere because its put on by the governing body of golf (at least in America).

While many will say that the media has defined the majors, the players themselves have always defined what is a major. That's why a transition from the two amateur tournaments toward two more pro tournaments occurred in the first place. If the players can't officially make The Player's Championship a fifth major, or replace a major as the fourth, I don't think we will see a change or addition in the majors lineup for a very long time, regardless of the circumstances.

The Wynn Ultimate Game offered $2 million to the winner. I think Scott Piercy won and Streelman, Erik Compton, and Tony Finau played along with a few other decent but non PGA tour golfers I think. That is the still the most money ever for winning a tournament I think, and it didn't attract the best players in the world (if they were allowed to play idk, can't remember). But I also think it was like 50k to enter. Money isn't what makes a tournament, but it is a large factor. I'm sure if Jack Nicklaus or Tiger Woods or Arnold Palmer RIP put their names behind a $100 million tournament (or even $20 million) at some fancy new course they built (like bobby jones at Augusta), it would definitely eventually be considered a major.

Maybe Bob Parsons will do it and then his throngs of suckers will chime in telling us how the tournament is superior in every way.

Tour players would pay Parsons to get into the tournament.

No chance the golfing world will ever recognize a true fifth major. The history of the great players of the game are so intertwined with 4 majors. Adding another would drastically cheapen the major counts that we all use as a barometer for differentiating good from great. There would forever be an asterisk (real or perceived) attached to anyone's name who won this fifth 'major'.

The Players and the WGC events are already major. They're more prestigious and are of more value to players who are filling out their HOF resumes than the average tour event. Same goes for the FedEx Cup. But for all that, they're never going to be considered a MAJOR.

No chance the golfing world will ever recognize a true fifth major. The history of the great players of the game are so intertwined with 4 majors. Adding another would drastically cheapen the major counts that we all use as a barometer for differentiating good from great. There would forever be an asterisk (real or perceived) attached to anyone's name who won this fifth 'major'.

 

The Players and the WGC events are already major. They're more prestigious and are of more value to players who are filling out their HOF resumes than the average tour event. Same goes for the FedEx Cup. But for all that, they're never going to be considered a MAJOR.

This ^

That's what they tried with the WGC events. Yes, they are big tournaments. But, we don't need more majors, then they all become 'normal'.

Not very likely even with serious money on the line. The Players has long since been considered a "sorta-Major" but tradition seems to hold on the four majors.

The Players was never gonna achieve major status when it was played in March. No way would the Augusta members let their first major of the year status slip. Now it is in May it would make a lot of sense. It is a major in everything but name already, I think bumping it up would fill that lengthy gap between Masters and Open nicely.

Not very likely even with serious money on the line. The Players has long since been considered a "sorta-Major" but tradition seems to hold on the four majors.

The Players was never gonna achieve major status when it was played in March. No way would the Augusta members let their first major of the year status slip. Now it is in May it would make a lot of sense. It is a major in everything but name already, I think bumping it up would fill that lengthy gap between Masters and Open nicely.

My issues with the Players becoming a major are pretty limited but I still think its just fine as is. It would be interesting to see how the PGA Tour would set up the course as a major, hopefully they would leave it as is. The second point I'd like to raise is how previous winners would be viewed, either their wins would come with an asterisk or would they rebrand the tournament and keep "The Players" as a separate entity.

There is no need to add anything else. The 4 majors we have now work fine. Simply throwing up a larger than average purse does nothing to push a tournament to the major level.

Why are you associating prize money with instant credibility as a major?

Because it's all about the money. If a foreign billionaire put up a guaranteed 1st Place price excess of $25,000,000 (and same purse structure) week of PGA Championship...everyone would play and it would garner huge attention. Then the PGA Championship would schedule their event around the new foreign event to still attract players. Once an event starts scheduling around something else...that something else is now credible. It's always about the money. Maybe not likely but it has happened before.

The Fed Ex Cup has done this (not quite $100m, but a more realistic big, big cash total of $10m) and it's still not considered a major.

In my opinion, the majors should stay at 4 to protect history, since the pursuit of records is one of the great things that professional golf has going for it, and as a game it respects its history more than most.

The only amendment worth even considering, in my opinion, would be a change to the PGA Championship to bring it outside the United States, since there's 3/4 majors already there.

I don't think we need another one, but The Players would be a no brainer if they were to add another. I think the LPGA has jumped the shark a bit with the additional majors.

I really like the idea of a major being hosted on same course year after year. One reason The Player's gets so much attention (besides the strong field) is the general public knows the course, i.e. 17th island). Obviously, same attitude with The Masters held at Augusta.

Recent perception is that the PGA is losing prestige. Maybe align themselves with the perfect host course for a set period of years (5?) and see how the public's course knowledge/anticipation would enhance the event?

Thoughts?

is it not true that the players is basically already nicknamed the 5th major?

also - hate to say it but with the WGC events, 4 majors already, Presidents cup/Ryder cup every other year and the Playoffs --- I don't know if these boys could handle another huge venue to prepare for on the menu. Sure they're professionals, but that is a lot of prep.

I also don't agree with the logic that a huge purse should/would dictate a major -- it's a major based on history in my eyes. 1 over seas, 1 at home, 1 for the pros (PGA), and the Masters.

I really like the idea of a major being hosted on same course year after year. One reason The Player's gets so much attention (besides the strong field) is the general public knows the course, i.e. 17th island). Obviously, same attitude with The Masters held at Augusta.

 

Recent perception is that the PGA is losing prestige. Maybe align themselves with the perfect host course for a set period of years (5?) and see how the public's course knowledge/anticipation would enhance the event?

 

Thoughts?

Recent fact is the PGA has been growing in stature every year by playing better courses and having the overall strongest field.

Need to have a better grasp on the facts for the current majors before trying to invent one?

Not a serious thread but quickly devolving into the same discussion we have 4-5 times a year, which beats watching snow melt but nothing new.

First prize is $100MM

Anybody want to see second prize?

3rd prize is you lose your tour card.

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