Most difficult major to win...?

[Zwick]

PGA Championship

It has the deepest field and is the closest to a regular tour stop (setup wise). Almost everyone who's in the field can win it.

[turtleback]

Originally Posted by GaijinGolfer

The Open is the toughest, IMO because its played on some of the most difficult courses in the nastiest weather.  Links courses when its windy and/or rainy are as tough as it gets.

Originally Posted by VoidOfEnigmas

i'll have to choose the us open not only because it just happened, but because I think its more difficult then the british open only slightly and you have to be incredibly accurate to win at it.

Originally Posted by Zeph

The Open. It fights with the US Open, but I believe the challenging courses and wind conditions they can face there are tougher than the sometimes tough layout of the US Open. Playing on windswept links courses is very different from what players normally face. Especially if the rough is half a meter high.

I don't understand what the difficulty of the course set up has to do with it.  That has an effect on what you score, but since everyone is playing the same tough course how does that make it harder to win?

[bwdial]

Originally Posted by turtleback

I don't understand what the difficulty of the course set up has to do with it.  That has an effect on what you score, but since everyone is playing the same tough course how does that make it harder to win?

The Open tends to have the most variability and pure luck involved.  Conditions can soften - or harden - tremendously bestowing an advantage - or disadvantage - on competitors based solely on their tee times.  Likewise, two seemingly perfect tee shots that land inches apart can have drastically different results.  To me, The Open is like playing roulette.  The PGA is like playing poker at a table full of really good poker players.

[Zeph]

I don't understand what the difficulty of the course set up has to do with it.  That has an effect on what you score, but since everyone is playing the same tough course how does that make it harder to win?

Which course would an average player more likely win at? The one they play at John Deere Classic, or Whistling Straits? For the best players, harder courses may be a small advantage. On an easier course, more players are likely to have a shot.

[Beachcomber]

I voted for the US Open.  Simply because the tournament directors trick the US Open courses out so much.  This really makes it incredibly difficult to play well for four consecutive rounds... And really makes it anyone's tournament to win or lose.  Therefore I believe it to be the toughest test of golf.

Let me expand a little... I don't know if any of you have worked for a golf course that has held tournaments - not some silly scramble... But legit tournaments / qualifiers?  Well, when I was in high school, I worked at a course in Zanesville, Ohio - Eaglesticks.  And one of the local golf associations (ZDGA) would have a 4 round tournament every year - and each round was at a different course in the area.  Well our greens keeper and his staff always wanted the course to be known as the best/toughest course in the area.  So during that tournament, when our course hosted the 3rd round (always Saturday), they would tuck pins - triple cut the greens and then roll them, and let the rough lengthen that week to punish you if you missed the fairway.  The difficulty of the course would easily play 5 to 10 strokes harder on average.... Just by making it 'tournament' ready.

So when I see how the tournament committee sets up the US Open courses, I reflect back to when I worked for Eaglesticks and how the course would be altered for that days play to make you earn it... Really pushes the course to the limits to test the best players in the world.

[Dave2512]

Too many variables to pick one. Weather, the field, the setup, etc. all a factor. Historically the Open's have been very dramatic. Not sure an apples to apples comparison can be made.

[zipazoid]

Originally Posted by bwdial

The Open tends to have the most variability and pure luck involved.  Conditions can soften - or harden - tremendously bestowing an advantage - or disadvantage - on competitors based solely on their tee times.  Likewise, two seemingly perfect tee shots that land inches apart can have drastically different results.  To me, The Open is like playing roulette.  The PGA is like playing poker at a table full of really good poker players.

That's a great analogy!

So, the case can be made that the US Open is the 'toughest' to win since there's more of a luck element involved. In other words, you could in theory be the best "player" that week but not win.

[Wansteadimp]

Originally Posted by zipazoid

That's a great analogy!

So, the case can be made that the US Open is the 'toughest' to win since there's more of a luck element involved. In other words, you could in theory be the best "player" that week but not win.

I think the Open can hammer the best players for the week, simply through changes in weather, get on the wrongside of the draw and you stand no chance. McIlroy lost the Open the year Louis won when he had to go out in the teeth of the storm and shot in the 80s, whilst Louis sat inside admiring his morning round in much more benign conditions.

I think Tiger got done one year as well where he started in the worst of the conditions with a double in the morning, by the time the afternoon players went out all was calm(ish) again.