The men’s major golf championships, often simply referred to as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments on the professional golf calendar.
They are, in order of play, the Masters Tournament which takes place in April, the U.S. Open which takes place in June, the Open Championship which takes place in July, and the PGA Championship which takes place in August.
As well as the biennial Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup competitions, the majors are the most important events in professional golf and elite players from all over the world participate in them.
While the prizes aren’t the largest in golf, winning a major elevates a golfer’s career unlike any other event.
The Masters Tournament
The Masters, often referred to as the U.S. Masters, is scheduled for the first full week of April and is the first major of the year.
Unlike other majors, the Masters is held annually at the same location, the Augusta National Golf Club, a private course in the city of Augusta, Georgia.
Started by noted amateur champion Bobby Jones and investment banker Clifford Roberts, the Masters was established in 1934 after Jones acquired the former plant nursery in 1930, and co-designed the Augusta National Golf Club with architect Alister MacKenzie.
The par is 72, the course length is 7,435 yards or 6,799 metres, and the prize fund is $11,000,000.
The U.S. Open
The United States Open Championships, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the second of the four major annual pro golf championships and takes place in mid-June. Staged at a variety of courses, the U.S.
Open is set up in such a way that scoring is very challenging and a premium is placed on accurate driving.
However if things slow down at any point, you can always enjoy NZ casinos online while you wait for the action to heat up again! The event is scheduled so that, if there are no weather delays, the final is played on the third Sunday in June which is Father’s Day.
The 2017 U.S. Open was held at the Erin Hills Golf Club in Erin, Wisconsin, and was won by Brooks Koepka to the tune of $2,160,000.
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, often referred to as simply The Open or the British Open, is the oldest of the four major pro golf championships.
Held at various locations across the United Kingdom, the Open Championship is administered by the R&A, an offshoot of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.
First played in October 1860, the Open Championship is the third major of the year and is held annually in July.
The current prize fund is $10,250,000 and the 2017 Open was held at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England and won by Jordan Spieth with a score of 268.
The PGA Championship
The PGA Championship, often referred to as the U.S. PGA Championship, is the fourth and final major pro golf championship of the year and is played in mid-August on the third weekend prior to Labor Day weekend.
As with other majors, winning the PGA Championship drastically improves career security and champions are automatically invited to compete in the other 3 majors for the next 5 years, and are exempt from qualifying for the PGA Championship for life.
The location of the event varies, the current prize fund is $10,500,000 and the 2017 championship was held at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina.