The 5th Major?

[MWard]

Jordan Spieth: 'The Players should be made the fifth major... if you can win at Sawgrass, you can win anywhere'

Jordan Spieth had been busy trying to convince the world’s media about the attributes of The Players before stepping outside to launch an even more impassioned plea for major recognition for the PGA Tour’s flagship event.

www.telegraph.co.uk

“I think this should be a major, I really do,” Spieth said. “Given the calibre of player... look, the entire top 50 in the world is here and, when everything is weighed up, it is the strongest field in golf. And it also has that extra vibe, that aura that the other four majors possess. Just the way the guys talk about it this place... well, it’s different.” ...

“Even if I became the sixth player to complete the career grand slam, my resume in my eyes would still feel a bit empty without a Players title. Hey, I’d be happy with those five titles. I want to but I wouldn’t feel I ‘needed’ to win a World Golf Championship. I definitely do with The Players and maybe that shows why it should be a major.”

It doesn’t need to be a major championship though. It’s a darn good tournament on its own right, why not leave it at that?

 

[OGputtnfool]

Jordan Spieth: 'The Players should be made the fifth major... if you can win at Sawgrass, you can win anywhere'

Jordan Spieth had been busy trying to convince the world’s media about the attributes of The Players before stepping outside to launch an even more impassioned plea for major recognition for the PGA Tour’s flagship event.

www.telegraph.co.uk

“I think this should be a major, I really do,” Spieth said. “Given the calibre of player... look, the entire top 50 in the world is here and, when everything is weighed up, it is the strongest field in golf. And it also has that extra vibe, that aura that the other four majors possess. Just the way the guys talk about it this place... well, it’s different.” ...

“Even if I became the sixth player to complete the career grand slam, my resume in my eyes would still feel a bit empty without a Players title. Hey, I’d be happy with those five titles. I want to but I wouldn’t feel I ‘needed’ to win a World Golf Championship. I definitely do with The Players and maybe that shows why it should be a major.”

Well, that's one. Seems that far from the multitude you were eluding to in your earlier post. Enough said. You've proven why we're right.

 

[LICC]

Well, that's one. Seems that far from the multitude you were eluding to in your earlier post. Enough said. You've proven why we're right.

Rickie Fowler, who won last year's tournament in a three-way playoff with Sergio Garcia and Kevin Kisner, is already convinced.
"I feel like I look at this event as basically like a major," Fowler told reporters at Sawgrass.
"It has the major feel, obviously one of the best fields we play all year, on a tough golf course."

 

[LICC]

Well, that's one. Seems that far from the multitude you were eluding to in your earlier post. Enough said. You've proven why we're right.

Nobilo and Duval say it is a 5th major:

Golf

Watch all the latest Golf clips, highlights, shows, replays, and more on NBC Sports.

www.golfchannel.com

 

[1OCgolfer]

The only reason this event is considered a major is because the PGA Tour pumps millions of dollars into it for it to try and be relevant. It's the same as the European Alfred Dunhill Links at St. Andrews to me. Good field, good golf course but none of the history that the other majors have. Can anyone name the Players Champions from the last 5 years? I could only name last years and that's just because I've seen the ads about how much it means to him....

The real question is if the new golf league starts and the tour bars the top players from playing in PGA Tour events, what does that make the Players? Could it be considered a major if possibly 5 of the top 10 players can't play? I personally don't think so.

Also Jordan's quote it word for word the same as Rory's quote in a PGA Tour ad about feeling like his resume would be empty without calling himself a players championship which makes my eyes roll because that's literally PGA Tour propaganda.
If the criteria for a "major" is a strong field and a good golf course are the WGCs now majors (strong field) ? What about the Genesis Invitational (strong field and great golf course) ? Hero World Challenge (strong field) ? Sentry Tournament of Champions (theoretically the strongest of fields since everyone is a winner and great golf course) ? Every tournament should start calling itself the 5th major for marketing purposes.

 

[swark]

Nobilo and Duval say it is a 5th major:

Golf

Watch all the latest Golf clips, highlights, shows, replays, and more on NBC Sports.

www.golfchannel.com

Sure. And Jack NIcklaus, Geoff Ogilvy and Padraig Harrington have all said the Australian Open should be: e.g. https://uk.reuters.com/article/golf-european-harrington-idUKL0468641520070704. Ian Poulter likes the European Masters as a Major. Lee Westwood the British PGA. Anyone saying it doesn't make it so; as soon as you have to argue that something is a major, it isn't ...

Steve Flesch perhaps said it best ""There are only four majors, so any fifth major is whatever you want it to be."

 

[OGputtnfool]

Rickie Fowler, who won last year's tournament in a three-way playoff with Sergio Garcia and Kevin Kisner, is already convinced.
"I feel like I look at this event as basically like a major," Fowler told reporters at Sawgrass.
"It has the major feel, obviously one of the best fields we play all year, on a tough golf course."

"Like a major". Exactly. It's like one, but it's not one. A Chevy Silverado 1500 is like a Ford F150 as in they're both full size trucks, but it's not one.

 

[OGputtnfool]

Nobilo and Duval say it is a 5th major:

Golf

Watch all the latest Golf clips, highlights, shows, replays, and more on NBC Sports.

www.golfchannel.com

Nobilo and Duval are hardly Tour players. Are we moving on to commentators now?

 

[GoldenBuff]

Major is such an odd thing. But golf is anything but ordinary.

I don’t have a strong opinion either way with the Players as a major. It’s a great tournament, and that’s enough for me. If the majors list was to grow I could see the FedEx Cup as an additional major before Players. It doesn’t peg my meter but does represent a very significant and unique accomplishment.

 

[LICC]

Nobilo and Duval are hardly Tour players. Are we moving on to commentators now?

Do you not think Nobilo and Duval played on the Tour?

 

[LICC]

Well, that's one. Seems that far from the multitude you were eluding to in your earlier post. Enough said. You've proven why we're right.

Three-time major winner Jordan Spieth hasn’t won the event and spoke about its importance in his pre-tournament press conference, likening it to the majors.

“I have not won the Players, and we look at this tournament up there in about equal value with the major championships.

“The only thing that holds it away from being a major is simply people jotting down how many majors people won.”

 

[swark]

Again, I wonder how much of this may be a US-centric thing.

Geoff Ogilvy, Sergio Garcia, Mike Weir, Ernie Els ... the list goes on. They have all said that the tournament they would most like to win, outside of the four Majors, is their national open. Perhaps in the US, where the US Open is a major, they place more importance on the Players than elsewhere in the world?

 

[TheDoctor]

I understand that, I just see the game growing and I think another major outside the US would be interesting. You would get to see some interesting courses and set up outside the US etc.

I agree, it gets pretty boring watching the bomb and gouge golf on the standard PGA Tour venue

And assuming it is played in a faraway time zone, where would the ratings come from for this non-US and, I assume, non-GB&I major?

If people want to watch, they will, if they don't, they won't - who cares about ratings?
I watch very little golf these days for 2 reasons - one is the fact that it is only available on subscription from Sky Sports and I refuse to pay their fees to watch a couple things a year, and secondly, it isn't as interesting as the Ryder Cup events

Again, I wonder how much of this may be a US-centric thing.

Geoff Ogilvy, Sergio Garcia, Mike Weir, Ernie Els ... the list goes on. They have all said that the tournament they would most like to win, outside of the four Majors, is their national open. Perhaps in the US, where the US Open is a major, they place more importance on the Players than elsewhere in the world?

Probably hit the nail right on the head with that one

 

[LICC]

I agree, it gets pretty boring watching the bomb and gouge golf on the standard PGA Tour venue



If people want to watch, they will, if they don't, they won't - who cares about ratings?
I watch very little golf these days for 2 reasons - one is the fact that it is only available on subscription from Sky Sports and I refuse to pay their fees to watch a couple things a year, and secondly, it isn't as interesting as the Ryder Cup events



Probably hit the nail right on the head with that one

The event can’t be held if not financially viable, so that means it needs ratings.

 

[DataDude]

I don’t think it is a major in March. I liked it better in May. The course was little bit more fiery then. I also liked the schedule better with the PGA in August. It takes out a lot of courses in the north for the rotation too.

I definitely agree with this. In May the course is firm and fast. In March it's overseeded and slow. In March it's bomb and gouge, in May it's a test of golf. Honestly with the new schedule and having the PGA in the north in May they basically turn both these events into bomb and gouge which sucks.

 

[LICC]

I definitely agree with this. In May the course is firm and fast. In March it's overseeded and slow. In March it's bomb and gouge, in May it's a test of golf. Honestly with the new schedule and having the PGA in the north in May they basically turn both these events into bomb and gouge which sucks.

Having the PGA in May opens up more southern venues that wouldn’t be considered keeping it in August.

 

[MattyD-MPLS]

Having the PGA in May opens up more southern venues that wouldn’t be considered keeping it in August.

There enough events in the south. There are 4 months for a northern event and that’s pushing it. I have long thought Doral would be a great major venue so this is the chance for that.

 

[LICC]

There enough events in the south. There are 4 months for a northern event and that’s pushing it. I have long thought Doral would be a great major venue so this is the chance for that.

Doral is a boring course. Flat, tight landing areas hole after hole. Good infrastructure for a tournament and looks nice on tv but a major should be on a better course.

 

[TheDoctor]

Doral is a boring course. Flat, tight landing areas hole after hole. Good infrastructure for a tournament and looks nice on tv but a major should be on a better course.

Could say exactly the same about Augusta without the grandstands and everything else they do for the TV

 

[OGputtnfool]

Could say exactly the same about Augusta without the grandstands and everything else they do for the TV

Not sure I'd call Augusta flat.

 

[TheDoctor]

Not sure I'd call Augusta flat.

I didn't say anything about flat, just that without all the stuff they do for the TV, it looks boring

 

[OGputtnfool]

Do you not think Nobilo and Duval played on the Tour?

In the past, but they're hardly active. You mention Tour players, not former Tour players.

Even including those, you're up to what? 3?

 

[LICC]

Could say exactly the same about Augusta without the grandstands and everything else they do for the TV

Nonsense. Have you ever been? You seriously just tried comparing Doral to Augusta? Augusta has outstanding land movement and elevation changes, with the course brilliantly routed to make use of the excellent land features. Comparing Doral to Augusta is laughable.

 

[TheDoctor]

Nonsense. Have you ever been? You seriously just tried comparing Doral to Augusta? Augusta has outstanding land movement and elevation changes, with the course brilliantly routed to make use of the excellent land features. Comparing Doral to Augusta is laughable.

I said nothing about trying to compare Doral to Augusta - I said that without the stuff they do for TV it isn't anything special as per what I highlighted in your post

Good infrastructure for a tournament and looks nice on tv

 

[LICC]

I said nothing about trying to compare Doral to Augusta - I said that without the stuff they do for TV it isn't anything special as per what I highlighted in your post

Augusta is an amazing course. What “stuff” they do for tv? The course alone is outstanding.