What do you think are the most important tournaments?

[Lofty Lefty]

I ask this question because I'm interested to see how people rate some of the non majors. Do you think any of the majors could be changed??

A big call perhaps, but here's how I rank my most important tournaments. ie; the ones I would most like to win (in my fantasies!)

1. US Masters

2. British Open

3. US Open

4. TPC Sawgrass (new 4th major)

5. WGC Matchplay

6. US PGA

As an Australian, I would rank the Aus Open up there as well, but let's face it. It ain't the tournament it used to be...

[phillyk]

I think the Pebble Beach Pro-am would be a big tournament as well, because it's huge for publicity, shows how well the players practiced in the off season, and shows how prepared they are for the rest of the season in terms of their mental games.

[clubchamp]

IMO

1. US Open... love watching pro's struggle and grind their way around. I also love most of the courses they pick

2. British Open... could be number 1 but if the wind isn't blowing the pro's eat those courses up, I do like how some unknowns seem to win

3. PGA Champ... could be 2 but sometimes the courses aren't the best but it's usually a good show

4. Masters... The tradition of it is second to none but the course just isn't as challenging with how far players hit it. The greens are still great.

5. The Players (Sawgrass)... It draws a great field and 17 is awesome but that course is just not major championship material IMO

After these 5 I could name a bunch more but most of them are just because they draw a good field of players and the courses are nice.

[jamo]

U.S. Open

Masters

British

PGA
Players

Tour Championship

Bridgestone

Matchplay

Bay Hill

Memorial

Doral

Deutsche Bank

BMW

Barclays

HSBC China

Quail Hollow

Pebble

Riviera

[alo1984]

It's a total toss up.  I'd love to win them all, but the Masters has the best perks for winning.

[The Recreational Golfer]

1. U.S. Open

2. British Open

3. Everything else.

The Masters having the best perks for winning (true, by far) doesn't make it an important tournament. Just the most over-hyped one.

[ghalfaire]

I believe the two most difficult tests of golf skill are the US Open and the British Open (the Open?).  After those two I would rank them as The Masters, Player's Championship, PGA, and the World Championship Match Play (love match play and they should do more of it) and then everything else.

[uttexas]

The Open, US Open, PGA Championship, Masters, WGC Tournaments, The Players, Memorial, Dubai World Championship, HSBC Abu Dhabi, Bay Hill, BMW PGA Championship, The Heritage, Riviera, Mission Hills, Colonial

Forgot about the FedEx playoffs:  I'd put The Tour Championship just behind the WGC Tournaments (including Bridgestone)

[uttexas]

As far as other tournaments where prestige instead of money is the prize:

The Ryder and Waker Cups.  US and British Amateurs.  PGA Professional National Championship.

[max power]

1)  US Open

2)  British Open

3)  Masters

4)  PGA

5)  Ryder Cup

[Brunogolf]

If it were to be ranked by quailty of field

The Open

US Open

PGA

Players

all WGC

maybe The Masters...  IMOP the Masters is just a TV production. Gets sooo much hype.

[dbuck]

I don't see a change in the four majors. They each have a unique character and although an unknown can win, over time the greats have performed well at the majors. The club of golfers who have won all four is very small. The club of golfers who have won all four 3 times is smaller still.

The Players is important for the field, the course, and the drama. It has some characteristics of a major, but for some reason it still doesn't feel like a major to me, but that is personal I guess.  If I miss watching it on TV, I am OK.  If I miss watching at least a few hours of the Masters, I am not happy!

There was a lot of discussion this year regarding Pebble Beach as to the format and timing. I think there is a lot of tradition in the pro-am aspect as well as entertainment value for people who are even non golfers. I think that was capitalized better this year than in some recent years, but not as much as it once was when a lot of the old "characters" were still around and active.  At the same time Pebble is a serious golf course, and I sometimes wonder if it doesn't deserve a more serious annual tournament in addition to the US Open rota.

Anyway for me in order of favorites but not necessarily importance:

Masters

British Open( I am an American-not being unpatriotic, but this is where the game started.

US Open        The US and British can flip flop depending on the course)

PGA

Pebble

Riviera

Players

[johnthejoiner]

there is only one major and thats The Open the rest are just cheap imitations

[Stretch]

Originally Posted by johnthejoiner

there is only one major and thats The Open

And only when it's played in Scotland.

[sean_miller]

Any National Open is special because it's timeless. Whether it's a US, British, or even a Canadian Open, it's always that a a national open championship. And of course each countriy's national amateur championship, Masters, and PGA Championship are important. There are only a few sponsor named events that even register 10 years later. If The Memorial ever has a corporate titile it's dead to me.

Having never won anything, I couldn't really say, but I do know that for > 50 years American professionals had to be talked into playing in the British Open. Some players (e.g. Curtis Strange) regret it. Not to rehash anything, but considering how much money is involved, I don't understand why American golfers don't insist their sponsors set up a village like they do in the Olympics. They could eat reconizable food and sleep in a adult sized beds. Sure Tom, Jack, and Tiger can adapt, but that's because they're awesome.

[Stretch]

Why would their sponsors want to set up a villegas for them to eat out and sleep with? Wouldn't that be a distraction from playing golf?

[jamo]

Originally Posted by Stretch

Why would their sponsors want to set up a villegas for them to eat out and sleep with? Wouldn't that be a distraction from playing golf?

File that under links I wish I didn't click on with my roommate standing behind me...

[johnthejoiner]

Originally Posted by Stretch

And only when it's played in Scotland.

I personally think the us pga or the masters should be scrapped.  A new major must be set up to be played for in different country's each year, or who ever wins the competition the following years major should be played in his home country