Which Major championship would you want to win most?

[mvmac]

It's the Masters for me, green is my favorite color

Came across this article from '12

http://www.forbes.com/sites/monteburke/2012/06/12/which-golf-major-is-the-most-prestigious/

Prize Money:

1. British Open

2. PGA Championship

2. Masters

2. U.S. Open

Media Hits (based on a Factiva survey from the past year):Prize money is basically a wash, with all four of the majors awarding $1.44 million to the winner. The British offers just a tad more, thanks to currency conversions.

1. U.S. Open

2. Masters

3. British Open

4. PGA Championship

Alas, this is fairly subjective, too. Masters winner Bubba Watson was undoubtedly more fun for the press to write about than Louis Oosthuizen (who finished second) would have been.

Sponsorship Money (estimated):

1. PGA Championship: $45 million (sponsors include: American Express, RBC, National Car Rental)

2. British Open: $24 million (sponsors include: MasterCard, HSBC, Mercedes-Benz)

3. U.S. Open: $22 million (sponsors include: Chevron, American Express, IBM, Rolex)

4. Masters: $18 million (sponsors: IBM, AT&T;, ExxonMobil)

I got these numbers from IEG, a sponsorship consultant, whose senior vice president, Jim Andrews, included the following caveat: “It’s not quite apples to apples because the USGA (which puts on the U.S. Open) and PGA of America (which puts on the PGA Championship) don’t sell tournament-only sponsorships. So the numbers for the U.S. Open and PGA Championship reflect the total sponsorship revenue for those two organizations.” In other words, those numbers are a bit inflated. Also, you have to factor in that the Masters limits itself to three major sponsors (IBM, AT&T; and ExxonMobil).

Television ratings (based on Nielsen numbers in the U.S., 2011-2012):

1. Masters: 8.1 rating

2. U.S. Open: 5.1

3. PGA Championship: 4.3

4. British Open: 2.6

Player Preferences (based on a Sports Illustrated survey in April that asked 50 pros: “Which major would you most like to win?”):

1. Masters 50%

2. British Open 25%

3. U.S. Open 23%

4. PGA Championship 2%

Given the sum of these metrics, the final rankings would be:

1. Masters

2. U.S. Open

3. British Open

4. PGA Championship

My guess is that for some folks in Europe, the British Open would be the most prestigious. Here are my very subjective personal rankings:

1. Masters (first tournament: 1934)

2. British Open (1860)

3. U.S. Open (1895)

4. PGA Championship (1916)

[mmoan2]

The U.S. Open, because I plan on qualifying for it soon.

[Lastpick]

The Masters because it is played on such a beautiful and challenging course.  I love the tradition of the Masters and Augusta National.  The least favorite of the majors is the US Open because the USGA screws up the course to make it unplayable.  I had never given the PGA it's just due, but I will in the future.  The only problem with "The Open" is the time difference, but it is a great tournament.

[joekelly]

Well, the Masters for sure,  Imagine, a  delicious free dinner once every year for the rest of my life,  as long as i can get to Augusta. Didn't Schwartzel serve roast hippo?  Come next April we will see kangaroo on the menu.  That is one beast i have eaten. Delicious.

[mjes]

I would go with the US Open. The Masters gets the big hype on TV so many golfers think it's the best. I like the US Open because it allows the average Joe to bust his butt and play with the Big Boys. Here is how you have to qualify for the Maters:

•      Masters Tournament Champions (Lifetime)
•      US Open Champions (Honorary, non-competing after 5 years)
•      British Open Champions (Honorary, non-competing after 5 years)
•      PGA Champions (Honorary, non-competing after 5 years)
•      Winners of The Players Championship (Three years)
•      Current US Amateur Champion (6-A) (Honorary, non-competing after 1 year) and the runner-up to the current US Amateur Champion
•      Current British Amateur Champion (Honorary, non-competing after 1 year)
•      Current Asian Amateur Champion
•      Current US Amateur Public Links Champion
•      Current US Mid-Amateur Champion
•      The first 16 players, including ties, in the previous year's Masters Tournament
•      The first 8 players, including ties, in the previous year's US Open Championship
•      The first 4 players, including ties, in the previous year's British Open Championship
•      The first 4 players, including ties, in the previous year's PGA Championship
•      The 30 leaders on the Final Official PGA Tour Money List for the previous calendar year
•      Winners of PGA Tour events that award a full-point allocation for the season-ending Tour Championship, from previous Masters to current Masters
•      Those qualifying for the previous year's season-ending Tour Championship
•      The 50 leaders on the Final Official World Golf Ranking for the previous calendar year
•      The 50 leaders on the Official World Golf Ranking published during the week prior to the current Masters Tournament

And now for the US Open:

Any professional golfer, or any amateur with a USGA men's handicap index of 1.4 or lower, can attempt to qualify for the U.S. Open golf tournament.The qualifying process is this: Enter a local qualifier. If you finish high enough, advance to a sectional qualifier. If you finish high enough, advance into the U.S. Open.

You gotta love this game!!!!!

[TheWood]

The U.S. Open, because I plan on qualifying for it soon.

One in a million

As for the poll - I would say The Masters.

[cubdog]

The Open Championship for me. It's been my favorite since I was a little kid. I love its history, the courses, everything about it.

cubdog

[TryingtoPlay]

It is an incredible honor any of the four, but I had to list them I think that it would be:

The United States Open

The Open Championship

The PGA Championship

The Masters

....in that order.

[woodzie264]

The Masters - no long list of reasons...just my feelings on it. 

[jamo]

I'm sure I've answered this in various threads over the years, but for me it's the U.S. Open, hands down.

[Natural Patrick]

U.S. Open hands down for me, followed by.

British Open

PGA Championship

Masters

I would even put the Players Championship over the Masters, givin the choice.

 

[CarlSpackler]

Masters. 

[David L Yskes]

Hell, i'd love to just be able to Qualify for the US OPEN........ 

 

i think for me it would go 

US OPEN

Master's

British OPen

PGA Championship 

 

[Patch]

For me it would be The Masters. Just something about that place. 

If not The Masters then The Open would be my next choice followed farther down the line by the U.S. Open. 

[Vinny Cap]

The Masters for sure!

I remember watching this ever year as a little kid at my Grampa's house.  We all sat around watching and cheering and when a commercial would come on, we would take turns putting like we were in a playoff for the jacket.  Good times.