Majors For The Tours

Legend says that the modern concept of the golf Majors was conceived by Arnold Palmer on a plane flight to the (British) Open Championship in 1960. Palmer, who had won the Masters and the US Open was asked by Pittsburgh sports writer Bob Drum about Bobby Jones’ accomplishment in winning the US Amateur, the US Open, the British Open Championship and the British Amateur. Palmer agreed that feat would never be duplicated but suggested that a “modern” equivalent could be found in winning the Masters, the US Open, the British Open and the PGA Championship.

The King had spoken. The Majors were born.

It’s interesting to speculate however, about what might have been if Palmer had named another quartet. The Masters, US and British Opens were obvious accomplishments. I don’t think the PGA was. He could easily have named the Western Open, a tournament with a very long and prestigious history. Or perhaps the Los Angeles Open, which has been played since 1923 and had always attracted a stellar cast.

If he had chosen the Western, or LA Open (now the Northern Open), the PGA Tour would have been much more happy. As it is, the PGA Tour—the richest and arguably the best professional golf tour—“owns” none of the Majors. Augusta National owns the Masters, the US Open is administered by the USGA, the British Open by the Royal and Ancient, and the PGA Championship by the PGA Of America (which is NOT the same thing as the PGA Tour) That’s why the PGA Tour is so desperately trying to get the Players designated as the “Fifth Major,” in spite of its total lack of history (it was created in 1974).

The Majors for the men’s professionals are well known. But what about the other tours? The PGA European Tour recognizes the four men’s majors, but it could be argued that—in terms of its importance—they actually have a fifth: the Volvo Masters. As for the other major tours, they’re listed below:

LPGA
Kraft Nabisco Championship (formerly the Dinah Shore)
LPGA Championship
Women’s British Open
US Women’s Open

Champions Tour
US Senior Open
Senior PGA Championship
Senior Players Championship
The Tradition
Senior British Open Championship

European Seniors Tour
Senior PGA Championshipo
US Senior Open
British Senior Open

European LPGA
Evian Masters
LPGA Championship
Womens British Open