The Professional Golf Association (PGA) is one of the largest sports associations in the whole world. The PGA has 39 tournaments throughout the year, among these include the Masters, the US Open, The Open, the PGA Championship, the Ryder Cup, and the Players Championship. These six are the most prominent tournaments in all of golf and are often debated on which one is the best. Here are my rankings.
In sixth place I have the PGA Championship. This tournament is very bland and often overlooked by many fans. This tournament typically is hosted at very poor locations and doesn’t hold as much weight as any other tournament.
This year’s tournament at Quail Hollow caused lots of controversy because of the tournament site and the way the tournament went.
Typically, major tournaments (US Open, The Open, the Masters, and PGA Championship) are held at special sites where other tournaments throughout the year can not be held. The PGA Championship this year was held at a site that holds a tournament every year. This made the viewership decline and caused controversy over the tournament. Historically, this tournament has been a strong event because of the previous winners, but recently it has fallen off.
In fifth place I have The Players Championship. This is by far the best regular season non-major tournament in golf. There are many great regular season events, but this one separates itself because of its timeliness and the excellent venue.
The Players Championship is held at TPC Sawgrass in Florida. This tournament is held during the beginning of the season, and it is a very exciting and action packed introduction to the season. This tournament is fifth on my list because of its venue, tradition, and significance. Winning this tournament is a hard thing to do, and winning solidifies you as a top golfer.
In fourth place I have The Open. This tournament is held in the UK and is the Major tournament played off American Soil. This tournament adds elements that golfers will see maybe twice a year. It adds wild rain, large gusts of wind, old courses, and hard scoring conditions to the mix.
This tournament is played in golf’s home, the UK. The courses in this tournament go back to the 16th century. This tournament also introduces the game to a large world-wide audience which gives it a fantastic audience.
The only major downside to this tournament is that because of the time change, golfers will start play at around four in the morning eastern time. This makes watching the tournament somewhat difficult, but it doesn’t take away from the magnificent audience and conditions.
Rounding out the top three I have the US Open. This tournament is very special in many different ways. It allows for anyone to qualify and play in it, it is played at some of the hardest golf courses in the world, and it is one of the hardest tournaments to win. The US Open is really open to anyone to play in, it requires many rounds of qualifying but it is certainly possible.
This tournament’s field included 18 year old Mason Howell who made it through qualification. The tournament is also played at some of the hardest golf courses in the world that always produce high scores compared to other tournaments. This year at Oakmont Country Club the best player in the world shot four over through four rounds. This is entertaining for most golf fans because watching professionals struggle is something you don’t often see.
In second place I have the Masters. Held in Augusta Georgia every year is the 91 year old tournament the Masters. This tournament, unlike others, is always held at the same location, Augusta National. This tournament has carved itself into the most prominent tournament to win and play in, winning the masters solidifies you as one of golf’s greats.
The Masters is not only great because of the tournament play, but also the vibes that surround it. Golf fans at this event or patrons get to enjoy golf how it is meant to be enjoyed. There are no phones allowed at the Masters, concession prices are cheap, the course and venue is gorgeous, and the weather is perfect. All of these factors added onto the extremely good golf makes the Masters a peak experience for patrons at the event and fans watching at home, truly a treat.
Finally, in first place I have the Ryder Cup. This 98 year old tournament is held once every two years. The Ryder Cup is a fierce three-day competition between Europe and America’s finest golfers. The venue alternates from American soil to European soil to keep the competition fair. The team format helps keep fans engaged and makes no shot unimportant.
This golf event allows players to show their true competitive side and allows for amazing trash talking moments. To play in this tournament is one of the most sought after opportunities every golfer dreams of and it truly makes for a special tournament enjoyed by everyone.
While all of these events are excellent and captivating, the Ryder Cup takes the cake because of its competitive atmosphere and amazing fans.
