Think of a popular sport. And, think of the league or tournament usually associated with it. Basketball? NBA. Football? The World Cup. Tennis? Wimbledon. Golf? Where did Tiger Woods dominate the sport? An avid golfer or a fanatic will most probably say, “The Majors”.
The Majors
The four most prestigious tournaments in men’s golf are: The Masters Tournament, The PGA Championship, The U.S. Open and The Open Championship. The best golfers from all over the world take part in these tournaments. The most popular professional golfer who has won all majors is Tiger Woods, however, no one has ever achieved a “grand slam” or won all 4 majors in the same year.
The Masters Tournament is every first week of April at the Augusta National Park in Augusta, Georgia . The champion receives the signature green jacket. The current champion is Tiger Woods.
The PGA Championship is every mid-August as of 2019 by the Professional Golfer’s Association of America. The Bethpage Black Course in Long Island, New York was the venue in 2019. The 2019 champion is American golfer and back-to-back champion, Brooks Koepka.
The U.S. Open is every mid-June to avoid weather delays by the United States Golf Association. The Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California was the venue in 2019. The current champion is American golfer, Gary Woodland.
The Open Championship or the British Open began in 1860 at the Prestwick Golf Club in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is the oldest tournament in the world. The British Open is every third Friday of July at various links in the United Kingdom. The current and 148th champion is Irish golfer, Shane Lowry.
Tournaments in the Philippines
The Philippines have hosted local and international golf tournaments:
- The Philippine Open
- The Asian Tour
- The Johnnie Walker Classic
- The World Amateur Golfers Championship
- The World Cup of Golf
Though golf may not be as big as basketball in the Philippines, Filipino golfers are slowly climbing the ranks in international tournaments. Maybe one day we will witness one of our own in The Majors.