I say the Players a MAJOR! Let's discuss...

[FaldosEgo]

It can't be a major. Sergio won it.

[Golfingdad]

I already pointed him to it the first time he asked in the 250+ page thread.  It is still there.  And he acknowledged it. So I really don't get his point in asking again.

[quote name="isukgolf" url="/t/81853/i-say-the-players-a-major-lets-discuss/30#post_1139231"] And I have the page marked ... the point is ... we have changed, yet people seem to think we can NOT change because it how we measure "great players".[/quote]Didnt realize it was a rhetorical. [quote name="FaldosEgo" url="/t/81853/i-say-the-players-a-major-lets-discuss/30#post_1139275"]It can't be a major. Sergio won it.[/quote]LMAO ... FTW!!!!

[Big Lex]

And I have the page marked ... the point is ... we have changed, yet people seem to think we can NOT change because it how we measure "great players".

Exactly. The very concept of the majors was created as a result of one player's opinion, and he changed the focus from what Jones called The Majors to what are now regarded as majors. To my mind, this means it can change, and should change if it reflects the opinions of contemporary players, particularly the greatest champions. If Rory and Tiger and Phil, for example, were to say they considered it a major, that would be a powerful statement.

[iacas]

I say it's not.

We have four majors, and I think (men's) golf is not in the position to go to five, so that would mean kicking out one of the four.

So…

• The Masters is the youngest.
• The U.S. Open is the… most grueling?
• The British Open was barely thought of as an important event let alone a major for decades, yet is one of the oldest tournaments in golf let alone among the majors.
• The PGA Championship is thought of by many as the lamest, yet it produces the strongest field of any of the current majors and the PGA still licenses terms to the PGA Tour, so… good luck with that.

IMO, the weakest major is the British Open, and yet I'd also say it's ridiculous to propose removing it from the docket as a major championship. Like inconceivably ridiculous. You'd have all four in the U.S. and be losing one of the oldest tournaments in the world. So no.

The arguments for adding a fifth major are even worse.

The Players is simply a great tournament with a strong field. Enjoy it for that.

[ChrisP]

Not really a huge point....but while the champions list is nice, the leaderboards at the Players don't tend to have that star-studded feel like the others do. Maybe it's the fact it's not considered a major and there's not that pressure, I don't know. But just look at the front page now. Not a lot of star power up there. Just doesn't have that major feel to it. I like it the way it is now. A big tournament that's not a major. It works fine. No need to fix something that's not broke.

[saevel25]

Not really a huge point....but while the champions list is nice, the leaderboards at the Players don't tend to have that star-studded feel like the others do. Maybe it's the fact it's not considered a major and there's not that pressure, I don't know. But just look at the front page now.

I'm not sure about that. I think a lot of players hold this tournament as one of the top tournaments you want to win in your career.

I kinda think the course doesn't help. Its a nice course. It is fun to play. I would not consider TPC Sawgrass a course that would be a good venue to host a major, let alone have one there ever year.

IMO, the weakest major is the British Open, and yet I'd also say it's ridiculous to propose removing it from the docket as a major championship. Like inconceivably ridiculous. You'd have all four in the U.S. and be losing one of the oldest tournaments in the world. So no.

The arguments for adding a fifth major are even worse.

The Players is simply a great tournament with a strong field. Enjoy it for that.

I agree on the British Open. It wasn't even considered an important tournament till Arnie brought it back into the fold.

I don't see the Players Championship replacing any of those four. I kinda like having 4 majors only. 5 sounds to cluttered.

[mvmac]

I kinda like having 4 majors only. 5 sounds to cluttered.

It does and having 5 doesn't add any "importance" to the rest of the majors.

[ChrisP]

I'm not sure about that. I think a lot of players hold this tournament as one of the top tournaments you want to win in your career.

I kinda think the course doesn't help. Its a nice course. It is fun to play. I would not consider TPC Sawgrass a course that would be a good venue to host a major, let alone have one there ever year.

Agree about the course. But just looking at the leaderboard right now, it just doesn't look like a major. Kevin Na, David Hearn, Branden Grace, Derek Fathauer, Chris Stroud....I mean in the end, Rory may end up winning this thing (like I expect him to), but there's just not that drama feel of stars clashing down the stretch like the Masters had or the PGA and British last year when there were top tier players all on the leaderboard.

[turtleback]

Can someone remind me when Jack and the media turned the focus on major wins as the measuring stick? For a community that prides its self on tradition, it left folks like Sam Snead and a few others out of the conversation when it changed focus.

Might be slightly off topic to The Players, but the topic comes up that we can't change tradition/measuring stick by adding a major?

And I have the page marked ... the point is ... we have changed, yet people seem to think we can NOT change because it how we measure "great players".

There is a difference between a rhetorical question and one that seeks information.  No one even remembers that it was you that asked the question (AND got an answer) a week ago.  So when someone posts a message asking for information they will generally get a response.  No one remembers that the same person asked the same thing a few days ago.

Nope. Never. Doing so would only serve to devalue the current major championships and those that have won them in the past.

Ain't gonna happen. Nor should it.

And yet we have done it in the past and then later used the change to anoint a GOAT.

In a 5 major world how many majors would someone have to win to "equal" Jack's 18?

[Golfingdad]

In a 5 major world how many majors would someone have to win to "equal" Jack's 18  21?

FTFY

[jshots]

I enjoy watching the Players far more than watching the PGA.

[mvmac]

I enjoy watching the Players far more than watching the PGA.

I'm the opposite. PGA has had a lot of great battles down the stretch the past 15 years and I tend to prefer those courses over Sawgrass.

[iacas]

I'm the opposite. PGA has had a lot of great battles down the stretch the past 15 years and I tend to prefer those courses than Sawgrass.

I agree. The PGA has stepped up its game the past decade or so and had some very compelling tournaments.

[bwdial]

Can someone remind me when Jack and the media turned the focus on major wins as the measuring stick? For a community that prides its self on tradition, it left folks like Sam Snead and a few others out of the conversation when it changed focus.

Might be slightly off topic to The Players, but the topic comes up that we can't change tradition/measuring stick by adding a major?

Sam Snead would've probably liked to have seen the U.S. Open lose major status and be replaced by the Greater Greensboro Open.

[Rick Martin]

I enjoy watching the Players far more than watching the PGA.

same here - don't like the idea of club pros out there either........

[iacas]

same here - don't like the idea of club pros out there either........

A) The ones who qualify aren't really often "traditional club pros." B) The PGA still has the strongest field of any major. Let's ditch the Masters. It is often the weakest. Both opens are pretty weak too.

[FaldosEgo]

British Open major is best major.

[ChrisP]

I think the fact that we all have different opinions of which major is the best is what makes these majors so great. They all have their own identity and it's which identity you like most. Do you like the mystique of Augusta? The tough test and watching these guys struggle to make par? The links of England and Scotland mixed with crazy weather? The drama that the PGA has produced the last 6 or 7 years which tops all the other majors?

The fields of the other 4 are not as good as the Players. However, like I've stated before, the leaderboards at the other 4 traditionally are better. I personally love the British Open. I love the links style golf and waking up at 7 am in the morning, pouring a cup of coffee and watching golf all day. I think it's awesome. It's also produced some great drama the last few years with Ernie and Phil both winning in dramatic fashion and Rory beating out Rickie and Sergio last year.