The PGA championship should move overseas

[ptodd]

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.

[iacas]

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.

Yeah, the Professional Golfers Association

of America - their championship - is going to be played in Japan? Or Korea? Or... anywhere outside of the United States of America? C'mon. The PGA is fine. Heck, I like it more than The Masters in recent years. And someone has to be fourth in any ranking of four things.

[ptodd]

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.

[DavidFehertysBike]

The PGA isnt going to be played outside the US, there is no reason to do so. The PGA shouldnt even be a major. Neither should the masters, IMO. The world matchplay should be a major and an eastern tourey like the Austrialian open should be the fourth if you want some overseas action.

[Alex B]

I don't think it will happen. I am saying it should.

And since there's a .0001% that it will happen, who cares?

"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.

So now we move from an impossible hypothetical to speculation. From personal experience, of the ten or so people I asked to rank the majors, no one has refused to differentiate between them. Granted, that's a small and biased sample, but it's more evidence than you gave ...

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.

Sure it could. The R&A; would also make a ton of cash if they brought the Open Championship to America. Again, however, since it ain't gonna happen, who cares?

[ptodd]

[QUOTE=Alex B;423696]

And since there's a .0001% that it will happen, who cares?

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.

So now we move from an impossible hypothetical to speculation. From personal experience, of the ten or so people I asked to rank the majors, no one has refused to differentiate between them. Granted, that's a small and biased sample, but it's more evidence than you gave ...

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.

[Shindig]

There are already overseas PGA Championships. They aren't majors.

[Phil McGleno]

What a stupid thread.

[MrKadash]

Moving the tournament to Australia, Japan, Korea or South Africa on a revolving basis would make it just as big as the other majors.

What??

[Shanks A Million]

Yeah, the Professional Golfers Association

PGA of

America . Totally what I thought. The Masters is like marriage, same course, year in, year out... No variety. The Masters is definitely the lowest major, it's not open, and it's static.

[ptodd]

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.

[Alex B]

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.

Sometimes when you make an argument, it's a good idea to use an analogy to confirm the sensibility of your argument. Thus:

Only one of the top 50 men's tennis players in the world are from Australia. Meanwhile, nine of the top 50 are from Spain. The Australian Open is the weakest of the four tennis majors. Therefore, the Australian Open should move to Spain, or the Spanish Open should become tennis's fourth major. (Note that, as of today, these numbers are in fact the case -- and I'd say that the Australian Open is more firmly stuck in last place than the PGA is.) Do you agree with this argument as well? If you don't, then I believe you are contradicting yourself.

[ptodd]

Only one of the top 50 men's tennis players in the world are from Australia. Meanwhile, nine of the top 50 are from Spain. The Australian Open is the weakest of the four tennis majors. Therefore, the Australian Open should move to Spain, or the Spanish Open should become tennis's fourth major.

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.

[brodkorbtd]

I'm officially dumber for having read this thread.

[jamo]

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.

Lets see... United States Golf Association - Has US in the name.

Professional Golfer's Association of America - Once again, America in the name. Masters - Bobby Jones was an American Royal and Ancient - It's ancient, who would change it. And you said majors change, the Masters hasn't changed since it was renamed in the '30s, the PGA changed from match play, what, 50 years ago, and the other 2 haven't changed hardly ever.

There are already overseas PGA Championships. They aren't majors.

Haha, every country already has it's own PGA Championship, Masters, and Open.

What a stupid thread.

Eloquently put Butch.

[ptodd]

Lets see... United States Golf Association - Has US in the name. Professional Golfer's Association of America - Once again, America in the name. Masters - Bobby Jones was an American Royal and Ancient - It's ancient, who would change it. And you said majors change, the Masters hasn't changed since it was renamed in the '30s, the PGA changed from match play, what, 50 years ago, and the other 2 haven't changed hardly ever.

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.

[Par Fore]

I don't get this thread, it's like saying you should have more European Tour events in America?????

Methinks the gent with the tennis analogy has a good point.

[Randy4h]

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.

Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Lanny Wadkins, Dave Stockton, David Graham, Raymond Floyd, Lee Trevino and Hal Sutton will be glad to know that their PGA Championships don't mean anything, since they were before 1990. Get a clue!