The Players: Fifth Best But Still Not a Major

I’ll make no bones about it – I love the Players. There is something about it that makes me happier than Jim Nantz dreaming up his next final-second call.

But as we know, the Players is not a major. It’s not ahead of the PGA, it’s not the Fifth Major, and it’s not the PGA Tour’s answer to anything. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love nothing more than to see the Players hyped as much as the U.S. Open, but realistically it’s just not there.

Here are the top five reasons why.

Number Five: It’s Still a Baby.
In 1974, at Atlanta Country Club, the Players Championship was born. Some veteran golfer that went by the name of Jack Nicklaus won that year, picking up a $50,000 winner’s check after putting up a score of -16. The next year, the tournament was moved to Colonial, and once again to Inverrary Country Club in Ft. Lauderdale in 1976. Between 1977 and 1981, the Players was held at Sawgrass Country Club, its first stop in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Jack would win three of the first five Players, including scores of -19 in 1976 and +1 in 1978. For 1982 the Players was relocated for the last time to a new course, TPC Sawgrass’ Stadium Course, that had just been designed by Pete Dye distinctly for the purpose of hosting an event that was quickly becoming one of the Tour’s flagship events.

The course was designed with excessive mounding (great for fans enjoying the tournament, not so great for golfers), pot bunkers, waste areas, minimal rough, tight fairways, and tall trees. The greens played hard and fast. At first, the Tour’s players hated the new venue. Jack Nicklaus, in particular, when asked if the course fit his playing style, said, “No, I’ve never been very good at stopping a 5-iron on the hood of a car.” Ben Crenshaw called TPC Sawgrass “Star Wars golf,” and stated that it was designed by “Darth Vader.”

Number Four: The Players Was Born to Be a Major…
…But that doesn’t mean it deserves to be one. Compared to the four majors, the Players was created in a much different way.

The first Open Championship was played in one day at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland in 1860. Only eight players, all professionals, participated, and no prize money was awarded. In fact, the only reward for victory was a red leather and silver belt. Throughout the 1800s and early 1900s most of the winners of the Open were greenskeepers, clubmakers, and caddies who were trying to make a living playing professional golf. Old and Young Tom Morris dominated the early years of the event, and Young Tom’s first win at the age of 17 is a record in major championship golf that still stands today. The tournament’s inauguration was modest to say the least.

The U.S. Open had similar humble beginnings. It was first played in 1895 at Newport Country Club in Rhode Island, a nine hole course. The entire 36-hole tournament was played in a single day. Out of 10 pros and one amateur, an Englishman won the first U.S. Open, and a native-born American wouldn’t even win it until 1911. In 1895 That first winner, Horace Rawlins, won $150 cash, plus a $50 gold medal for his accomplishment.

The PGA Championship was first held in 1916, at Siwanoy Country Club in New York. The PGA Championship was match play for more than its first 40 years, which initially set it apart from most other professional tournaments. The first winner won a $500 diamond-encrusted gold medal.

Horton Smith won the first ever Augusta National Invitational Tournament in 1934. Though Bobby Jones lobbied the USGA to hold the U.S. Open at Augusta, Jones decided hold his own event. It was initially comprised of Jones close friends in the world of professional golf, though it quickly grew to one of the premier events on the schedules due to Jones’ fame.

The Players, as much as I love it, has none of those characteristics. It was created not even 40 years ago as a way for the PGA Tour to compete with the UGSA, the R&A, and the PGA of America in the realm of major championship golf. It was created, born even, to be a major. And to me, that’s just not right. Bobby Jones didn’t built Augusta National so he could host a major. The U.S. Open wasn’t the brainchild of one of the world’s largest sports organizations. The Open Championship wasn’t built to attract the world’s biggest stars. And the PGA Championship never had to have the biggest payout in golf to get attention.

Number Three: It Lacks History.
Think of all the great Masters moments. Gene Sarazen’s “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” 4 wood hole-out from 220 yards in 1935. Byron Nelson going toe-to-toe with Ben Hogan for an 18 hole playoff to win in 1942. Palmer winning wire-to-wire in 1960. Jack winning in 1986 at the age of 46. Greg Norman losing on a chip-in in 1987 and imploding in 1996. Tiger’s record breaking showing in 1997, and his 16th hole chip-in in 2005. And, of course, Phil’s amazing back nine last year.

What about U.S. Open moments? How about Francis Ouimet shocking the world in 1913, Ben Hogan’s 1-iron at Merion in 1950, Palmer birdying six of the first seven holes in 1960, Johnny Miller’s final-round 63 at Oakmont in 1973, Phil’s implosion at Winged Foot in 2006, and Tiger’s thrilling playoff with Rocco Mediate in 2008.

How about the Open Championship? Start with Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus’ Duel in the Sun in 1977. Then John Daly’s battle with Constantino Rocca in 1995, Van de Velde’s meltdown at Carnoustie in 1999, Tiger Woods’ trouncing of St. Andrew in 2000, and Sergio’s putting getting the best of him in 2007.

The PGA Championship might be considered by many to be the lesser of the four majors, but it has had its fair share of great happenings as well. How about Bob Tway’s chip-in againt Norman in 1986? Then there’s John Daly’s destruction of Crooked Stick in 1991, Sergio’s galloping sprint from behind a tree at Medinah in 1999, Tiger Woods playing the last 12 holes at seven-under in 2000, and Y.E. Yang’s final-round take-down of Tiger in 2010.

The Players has some great moments, I’ll grant you, but far fewer than the majors. Going through the years, I can only think of three. The first is Hal Sutton’s holding-off of Tiger, and his 18th hole yell of “Be the right club- today!” The second is Tiger’s “Better than most” putt on 17 in 2001, and subsequent win. The third is Craig Perks’ one putt over the last three holes in 2002. Maybe you could consider Sergio’s fist pump at the 17th a big moment, but really all he did was hit a green with a short iron. He’s expected to do that. Since then it’s been mostly bland, and before that none of the big moments could really live up to major championship scrutiny.

Number Two: It Fails to Attract Worldwide Attention.
I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t think Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy skipping the Players this year is anything but their loss, but I think that their absences are indicative of a general trend that is going to take place for a while, maybe even forever. While golf at the highest level has generally been played on American soil for most of the 20th and 21st centuries, it is increasingly becoming a global game, with Europe, Asia, Australia, and South Africa inching ever closer to the United States. The Euro Tour in nearing the PGA Tour, and the Asian Tour is fast approaching as well. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing for golf, in fact it’s probably a great thing, but the days of U.S. dominance may be coming to an end. As long as golf in the U.S. is on the relative decline, we can’t expect to claim a fourth major championship in our country.

Number One: The Course Falls Short.
Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to play TPC Sawgrass, especially at the fair price they ask, but it’s not up to par with its primary competition. Everyone knows that only one of the four major championships is held at the same course every year, and that’s the Masters. Augusta National is light-years ahead of TPC Sawgrass. Golf Magazine’s most recent ratings of the greatest courses in the U.S. puts Augusta at third and TPC Sawgrass at 29th, while Golf Digest has the two even farther apart, with Augusta first and Sawgrass at 41st.

Closing and Your Thoughts?
The Players is a great tournament. It’s one of six events annually that Golf Channel offers Live From coverage of (in addition to the four majors and the Ryder/Presidents Cup), and it offers the biggest paycheck in golf. It offers more OWGR points than any non-major, it has long been held that the Players hosts the best field in golf (though this year that’s taken a hit), and it’s on a pretty great golf course, albeit a slightly gimmicky one. Unfortunately, it lacks the things that make a tournament a major. It doesn’t have the history, the memorable moments, or the global attraction that a major must have.

That’s my opinion on the Players. Despite my love for the tournament, it falls short of major status. What do you think? Is it better than the PGA, or the Masters even? Is it time for the PGA Tour’s baby to get a promotion?

Photo Credits: © Richard Heathcote, © Andy Lyons, © Richard Heathcote, © Stephen Szurlej.