Majors

The other day I was thinking and I wanted to get other golfer opinions on this as well.

Since majors are the pinnacle of the professional tour, would it be better to only let the top 30 or so in the world play in them?  I mean, who really wants to see a different guy win a major every time?  I know that still doesn't mean a different guy wouldn't win each time, but still...

In my opinion, I want to see the elite players in the world competing.  I don't want to see some guy who is ranked 500th in the world have a chance to grab the trophy.  I know all these guys have to qualify for them, but I just think a field of 150 contending for a major on thursday and friday is crazy.

Am I wrong for thinking this way?

So watch the Tour Championship...

Being serious though -

I don't think this would be fair at all.  Some of the majors are MEANT historically to be "OPEN" to people who play well enough to qualify.  Such as the US Open - it's called that for a reason.  YOU yourself could enter yourself into a qualifier event to get into the major.  Majors aren't meant to showcase the top 30 golfers in the world.  What's the incentive to win on the PGA Tour if you are ranked 40th in the world and you win a tournament but still don't get to compete in the majors?  Many players don't GET into the top 30 in the ranking until they get a chance to show what they can do in a major.  You're completely eliminating an unfair amount of extremely talented players

Personally, I love seeing the "underdogs" win majors.  Simple fact is when those guys win the majors they clearly outplayed your top 30 in the world that week and are well deserving.  It's great to see guys like Shaun Micheel or Rich Beem win one.  I was excited to see Patrick Reed win the Wyndham because it means he's going to get into the Masters - and he's a very good, young up and coming player.

They are all competing - and usually they're the only ones shown on TV.  And that's why there's a cut.

Horrible idea, sorry.

This.

Yes.  That's just dumb.

First thing you'd have to do is change the name of at least 2 of them.  (Perhaps also the PGA because you'd be excluding the club pros)

Secondly, it's not like you HAVE to watch on Thursday and Friday, and even if you do, they hardly ever bother to show the low ranked players.  All they show is marquee names on Thursday and Friday and leaders (plus some marquee guys even if they're not leading) on Saturday and Sunday.

And I just flat out disagree that watching guys competing for majors who aren't in the top 30 is boring.  Remember that Beau Hossler kid from Olympic?  We'd miss that kind of stuff.  Oh, and Keegan Bradley ... I'm sure he wasn't in the top 30 a couple of years ago and he wasn't a star until AFTER he won the PGA.

So, yeah, you are very, very wrong. ;)

Do you think he would get number 15? Or would he DQ?

Nah... the majors are full of guys ranked 500 in the world or whatever.

Who wants to watch them? They're boring and they're hopeless.
Limit the field to the good players only.

Maybe start next year.

This thread will gain "traction" because we, the grassroots golfers are the game's core.

Maybe make majors top 30 only. Easy.

or just watch the Masters and skip the other 3.

One of the reason the Masters usually gets a big name winner is that it has the most exclusive field of the 4 majors.  Sure, they let in some amateurs and old guys who have no chance, but the rest of the field is mostly top 50 in the world mixed in with a few other good players (like current big event winners or Tour Championship qualifiers from the previous year).  I have argued in the past that the Masters is TOO exclusive- i.e. not letting Ernie Els in last year when he was playing good and went on to win the Open or Webb Simpson in 2011 when he won over $6 M.  I think they should include the top 20 or 30 from the CURRENT YEAR, but by not doing so, they do get mostly big name winners.

i like the way you think

Well, i thought it was a good idea.  That's all that matters...