ptodd

Judging by your avatar you probably think that the US open goes to a different country every time it’s played at Pinehurst or anywhere south of the Mason Dixon line. But as we can see Golf is moving in this international direction and in the not too distant future I believe there might be even be something resembling a world tour. The PGA tour just announced a new in Malaysia. Heavens to Betsy maybe the John Deere will go the way of the Dodo.

I think that is a great point Randy. But I think that the fact that it would be a major would make it more likely that the top players would show. Certainly all the top non US players would show as they all go overseas to play on their respective home country tours. Ernie plays the sunshine tour Ogilvy plays the Aussie tour and Paul Casey plays the Euro tour. You would probably see some US players such as KP, David Toms and a few others not make the trip. I think we can look at events such as the HSBC which has drawn great fields and has abolished appearance fees last year and still had a stellar field. So I think the top Americans are less averse to travel now then 2001.

Thats exactly why they should have a major. It seems the PGA tour is behind the LPGA on this one as the LPGA commissioner is considering a Womens major in Asia.

This is not an attempt at trolling, which I had to look up before I responded to you. Many people including the Golf writer John Hopkins have taken issue with the fact that there are 3 majors based in the US. However most of those people do not live in the US or write for US publications. Therefore this may seem to come out of left field to you. I do not believe what I suggested is that offensive or inane based on my experiences living and growing up outside of the US. Lee Trevino skipped the Masters a few times. That must not be a major either. Of course different players at different times have skipped big tournaments. But during the 60's 70's and the 80's many of the top European pros including the winners of the order of merit did not play in the PGA. This was also the case during the 1950's of the open championship. And many have rightfully said that those victories were not quite up to the luster of later championships when the top American pros played. I am not sure that is the case minus tiger. Right now there are 15 American players in the top 50 minus tiger they have won 6 majors. Africa and Australia and Asia have won 11 majors with 13 players in the top 50.

Since 1985 the Ryder cup is 9 Europe US 4. In truth measuring the ability of Golfing nations by cups competitions is quite silly. Last years Prez cup team the US minus tiger had 8 majors the internationals 13. Minus tiger the top 50 internationals are better golfers than the top 50 USA. When you add Europe its laughable. Tiger just skews the numbers.

In 1988 Sandy Lyle won a little tournament in Augusta GA. Was the third ranked golfer in the world and chose not to play in the PGA. In 79 Seve won the open championship and didn't play in the PGA. In 1967 Roberto De Vicenzo won the open championship did not play in the PGA. The PGA was not a major.

Jamo the modern professional grand slam wasn't invented until 1960 by Arnold Palmer and a golf writer. Pre WWII two majors were overseas the open championship and the amateur championship. And it is my contention that the PGA wasn't really a major until around 1990 because outside of the US the tournament wasn't considered that important. I am starting to detect a hint of jingoism in some of these responses. Just because something exists doesn't make it right. Clearly the US is overrepresented in major tournaments when most of the top 100 are not from America.

Alex you are thinking more country specific then I am. I am thinking more regionally. In tennis The French open could be considered Europe’s major. In golf the Open championship could be considered Europe’s major. And in my scenario the PGA would be considered the rest of the world’s major by revolving it around various countries. At the end of 2009 there were 39 golfers in the top 100 from the rest of the world not counting Europe or the USA. This number will continue to grow. Therefore moving a major to the rest of the world would not be subject to the volatility of your tennis analogy, because the major would represent the rest of the world and not one particular country. And clearly the USA is not ever year going to have 60 golfers in the top 100 again. It is definitely possible that Spain could slump and that Australia could rise again in tennis.

The most important point is that 3 out of 4 majors are held in the United States. However the US has less than 40 of the top 100 golfers in the world. Therefore at least 2 of the majors should be overseas. The PGA being the weakest major I think it's natural that they should move or be dropped from the four and be replaced with something like the Aussie open.

[QUOTE=Alex B;423696] Although I think the PGA will never move overseas. Majors can and do change. This is the reason that the Players championship is debated as a major. I would say that the PGA has only been considered a major from about 1990 to the world outside of the US. Therefore I think something possibly the Aussie open could dethrone the PGA. I should revise here. The other three majors are often ranked but there rankings are so varied where anyone could be considered number one that they are basically equal.

I don't think it will happen. I am saying it should. "And someone has to be fourth in any ranking of four things" By that logic you think that the other three majors are ranked in importance ie Open championship1 Masters 2 Something I think most people would disagree with. I think most people would say that the other three are pretty much equal in importance. Plus I think the PGA could make a lot of money striking a deal overseas.

The PGA is clearly the fourth major in terms of importance. The one way to up its status is to give it a different identity, something it lost when it switched from stroke to match play. Now the tournament is a US open lite with club pros. Moving the tournament to Australia, Japan, Korea or South Africa on a revolving basis would make it just as big as the other majors. Instead of Olympic Golf this would be the best way of growing the game internationally. There are only 39 Americans in the top 100 and three of four majors are in the US. That is one too many.

After watching another yet another standard medal play event I have become nostalgic for the days of the International when the players played a modified Stableford scoring system. The PGA tour only has one event (match play) that has a different format. We either need more match play or a team event or something that would distinguish an event from the rest. If I were the chairman of the Deere or some other lesser event I would institute Stableford to create some buzz.

Here is the idea: The Ashes of Golf England (or Uk) versus Australia in a Ryder cup style format. I think it would be huge. I was thinking maybe 8 players a team and could be played around the time of the 3 big Aussie tournies. My big problem with the Presidents cup is that the international team is contrived it doesn’t have anything that binds the team together as compared to team Europe or team USA. The Ashes of Golf would evoke true passions in both the players and the fans. Any thoughts?

Tiger dominates the game much more then Jack ever did. In a few years Tiger will hold all the records.