What is the PGA Championship, and what should it be?

[Matthew Runde]

For me, the Masters brings to mind terms such as: luxury, perfection, expensive, upper-class, and idealistic.  The U.S. Open, stern, deep rough, difficult, and test.  The Open Championship, classic, traditional, original, and overcast.  The PGA Championship, though, isn't as well defined in my mind.  What few terms I associate with it include: second-tier, extra, weak, and small.  I still think of it as being one of the majors, but it certainly doesn't have the cachet of the others.  I would like it to be unique and well-respected, though.  I'm still thinking about what it could be.

What do you think the PGA Championship is (with regard to the other majors), and what do you think it should be?

[Bill Seitz]

For me, the Masters brings to mind terms such as: luxury, perfection, expensive, upper-class, and idealistic.  The U.S. Open, stern, deep rough, difficult, and test.  The Open Championship, classic, traditional, original, and overcast.  The PGA Championship, though, isn't as well defined in my mind.  What few terms I associate with it include: second-tier, extra, weak, and small.  I still think of it as being one of the majors, but it certainly doesn't have the cachet of the others.  I would like it to be unique and well-respected, though.  I'm still thinking about what it could be.

What do you think the PGA Championship is (with regard to the other majors), and what do you think it should be?

Maybe it's just a failure of marketing, considering that it usually has the strongest field, by world rankings, of any of the four majors.

[Jud_T]

Match Play!

[Dan Kelly]

Match Play!

That certainly would distinguish it -- and return it to its roots. I'm 1,000% in favor of that.

I have a hunch that CBS wouldn't care for it. Alas. They'd rather bank on the immense appeal of "Glory's Last Shot."

[Mark Pritchett]

Fourth among equals. 

[Bill Shamleffer]

No kid every dreams about making a putt to win the PGA Championship.

Kids dream about winning the Masters, or the US Open or The Open Championship.  A kid is more likely to dream about winning the US Am or possibly the Ryder Cup rather than the PGA Championship.

I too would love to have the PGA Championship at match-play, but this is NEVER happening.  Stroke play makes for much better TV, while match-play makes for much better watching in person.  But if it was match-play it would define itself as a very unique major championship that would be something special rather than the consolation prize for major championship wins.  But the financial return to the PGA will likely always be better keeping the PGA Championship at stroke play.

Although the PGA of America, is just that, an American based organization, the PGA Championship could be something special if it rotated between Australia, Japan, South Africa, South America and the US, and tried to stay with non-US Open courses in the US.  (Europe already has The Open Championship).  Next it might help to sometimes have a March date when playing courses in the Southern US States.

[Jud_T]

Stroke play makes for much better TV, while match-play makes for much better watching in person.

Bill,

I disagree with this.  Stroke play makes for a more certain outcome in terms of big names and the time of finish.  There's nothing more exciting than a nail-biter of a match that comes down to the final holes.  Remember the Battle of Brookline?

[Phil McDade]

Stroke play makes for much better TV, while match-play makes for much better watching in person.

Bill,

I disagree with this.  Stroke play makes for a more certain outcome in terms of big names and the time of finish.  There's nothing more exciting than a nail-biter of a match that comes down to the final holes.  Remember the Battle of Brookline?

Jud:

Sometimes. The World Match Play championship has shown that, on occasion, two very good players will battle it out in the end. But it seems just as often, two modest talents end up in the final match. The nature of the Ryder Cup today -- evenly matched squads, for the most part, and 24 of probably the 40 best talents in the game -- makes the odds in favor of having a compelling singles match in the end. Not so with a match-play tournament.

[Dan Kelly]

Stroke play makes for much better TV, while match-play makes for much better watching in person.

Bill,

I disagree with this.  Stroke play makes for a more certain outcome in terms of big names and the time of finish.  There's nothing more exciting than a nail-biter of a match that comes down to the final holes.  Remember the Battle of Brookline?

Jud:

Sometimes. The World Match Play championship has shown that, on occasion, two very good players will battle it out in the end. But it seems just as often, two modest talents end up in the final match. The nature of the Ryder Cup today -- evenly matched squads, for the most part, and 24 of probably the 40 best talents in the game -- makes the odds in favor of having a compelling singles match in the end. Not so with a match-play tournament.

Point taken, Phil -- but the past 20 years of PGA stroke play suggests that (relatively) modest talents are sometimes at the top in the end. If I'm counting right, 10 of the past 20 PGA Champions have 1 (one) major:

2012    Rory McIlroy    The Ocean Course    67-75-67-66-275    -13
2011    Keegan Bradley    Atlanta Athletic Club    71-64-69-68-272    -8
2010    Martin Kaymer    Whistling Straits    72-68-67-70-277    -11
2009    Y.E. Yang    Hazeltine National GC    73-70-67-70-280    -8
2008    Padraig Harrington    Oakland Hills CC    71-74-66-66-277    -3
2007    Tiger Woods    Southern Hills CC    71-63-69-69-272    -8
2006    Tiger Woods    Medinah CC    69-68-65-68-270    -18
2005    Phil Mickelson    Baltusrol GC    67-65-72-72-276    -4
2004    Vijay Singh    Whistling Straits    67-68-69-76-280    -8
2003    Shaun Micheel    Oak Hill CC    69-68-69-70-276    -4
2002    Rich Beem    Hazeltine Nat'l GC    72-66-72-68-278    -10
2001    David Toms    Atlanta Athl. Club    66-65-65-69-265    -15
2000    Tiger Woods    Valhalla GC    66-67-70-67-270    -18
1999    Tiger Woods    Medinah CC    70-67-68-72-277    -11
1998    Vijay Singh    Sahalee GC    70-66-67-68-271    -9
1997    Davis Love III    Winged Foot    66-71-66-66-269    -11
1996    Mark Brooks    Valhalla GC    68-70-69-70-277    -11
1995    Steve Elkington    Riviera CC    68-67-68-64-267    -17
1994    Nick Price    Southern Hills CC    67-65-70-67-269    -11
1993    Paul Azinger    Inverness Club    69-66-69-68-272    -12

[Jason Topp]

I'd love to see it contested at match play but I think the tournament has a nice vibe as it is. 

The Masters has a connection to amateurs, the US Open to the USGA; the Open Championship represents the roots of the game and the PGA reflects the connection of club professionals. 

[Dan Kelly]

I'd love to see it contested at match play but I think the tournament has a nice vibe as it is.  

The Masters has a connection to amateurs, the US Open to the USGA; the Open Championship represents the roots of the game and the PGA reflects the connection of club professionals.  

Playing it at Match Play would *improve* that vibe and *emphasize* that connection, Jason -- and, in addition, offer the chance for some David-over-Goliath stories. which everyone loves.

Instead of being relegated to the bottom of the agate type (that's a newspaper reference, young people), a Match Play PGA Championship would inevitably involve early-round matches between the top players and the club pros. Every few years, at least, some club pros would beat some of the top players and advance.

Can't you see it now? Dave Tentis over Phil Mickelson, 1-up, 21 holes? Who wouldn't love that (other than maybe CBS)?

[Steven Blake]

I understand that the PGA Championship is run by the PGA of America however what if the tournament every couple of years was hosted outside the United States like Royal Melbourne, Valderrama, and in other countries around the world.  Some other examples might include the new Olympic course in Rio, Royal Portrush, some courses in Asia.  Countries like South Korea, China etc are hungry for more golf why not give them an opportunity to host a major every 10 years or so.   The game is getting more worldwide anyway seems like doing this would make it more unique. You could still host the tournament in the USA every 3 years but move it to more international venues the other two.

Tennis has the US Open in the USA, Wimbledon in the UK, French Open in France, and Australian Open in Australia. As it stands we have 3 majors in the United States and one in the UK.  This would give the game of golf more global recognition.  I loved it when the President's Cup is in South Africa or Australia its something we do not get to see every day.... speaking from an Americans perspective.

Could the PGA of America get together with other "like" associations and pull something like this off?? Not sure but I think it would be cooler than its current system. 

I would love for it to return to match play but no way that is going to happen.  Or better yet match play and the inclusion of international venues!!!

[Rick Shefchik]

Stroke play makes for much better TV, while match-play makes for much better watching in person.

Bill,

I disagree with this.  Stroke play makes for a more certain outcome in terms of big names and the time of finish.  There's nothing more exciting than a nail-biter of a match that comes down to the final holes.  Remember the Battle of Brookline?

Jud:

Sometimes. The World Match Play championship has shown that, on occasion, two very good players will battle it out in the end. But it seems just as often, two modest talents end up in the final match. The nature of the Ryder Cup today -- evenly matched squads, for the most part, and 24 of probably the 40 best talents in the game -- makes the odds in favor of having a compelling singles match in the end. Not so with a match-play tournament.

Point taken, Phil -- but the past 20 years of PGA stroke play suggests that (relatively) modest talents are sometimes at the top in the end. If I'm counting right, 10 of the past 20 PGA Champions have 1 (one) major:

2012    Rory McIlroy    The Ocean Course    67-75-67-66-275    -13
2011    Keegan Bradley    Atlanta Athletic Club    71-64-69-68-272    -8
2010    Martin Kaymer    Whistling Straits    72-68-67-70-277    -11
2009    Y.E. Yang    Hazeltine National GC    73-70-67-70-280    -8
2008    Padraig Harrington    Oakland Hills CC    71-74-66-66-277    -3
2007    Tiger Woods    Southern Hills CC    71-63-69-69-272    -8
2006    Tiger Woods    Medinah CC    69-68-65-68-270    -18
2005    Phil Mickelson    Baltusrol GC    67-65-72-72-276    -4
2004    Vijay Singh    Whistling Straits    67-68-69-76-280    -8
2003    Shaun Micheel    Oak Hill CC    69-68-69-70-276    -4
2002    Rich Beem    Hazeltine Nat'l GC    72-66-72-68-278    -10
2001    David Toms    Atlanta Athl. Club    66-65-65-69-265    -15
2000    Tiger Woods    Valhalla GC    66-67-70-67-270    -18
1999    Tiger Woods    Medinah CC    70-67-68-72-277    -11
1998    Vijay Singh    Sahalee GC    70-66-67-68-271    -9
1997    Davis Love III    Winged Foot    66-71-66-66-269    -11
1996    Mark Brooks    Valhalla GC    68-70-69-70-277    -11
1995    Steve Elkington    Riviera CC    68-67-68-64-267    -17
1994    Nick Price    Southern Hills CC    67-65-70-67-269    -11
1993    Paul Azinger    Inverness Club    69-66-69-68-272    -12

Looking at this list of winners, I'm inclined to defend the PGA Championship as played the way it is now. I love match play, and I'd never object to the PGA going back to that format, but I doubt that match play would create as many memorable Sundays as the current format has. Just glancing at the list, I instantly recalled Azinger's playoff win over Norman, Elkington sinking a long putt to beat Monty in a playoff on the 18th at Riviera, Davis Love's lone major win (w/ rainbow), Tiger vs. teenaged Sergio at Medina, the Woods-Bob May playoff at Valhalla, both Beem and Yang holding off Tiger at Hazeltine, Toms laying up on the final hole then beating Mickelson with a 15-footer at AAC, Sean Micheel nearly holing out on 18 to win at Oak Hill, and the more recent ones...

[PCCraig]

Try telling a club professional that the PGA doesn't mean anything...

It's the strongest field in golf and over the past decade it's arguably produced the strongest winners. I love match play but I don't think it has anyplace in deciding a PGA Tour-level major. The worst thing that it has going for it is that it's the last major and it's in late August. Other than that...what's wrong with it?

[David Stewart]

Stroke play makes for much better TV, while match-play makes for much better watching in person.

Bill,

I disagree with this.  Stroke play makes for a more certain outcome in terms of big names and the time of finish.  There's nothing more exciting than a nail-biter of a match that comes down to the final holes.  Remember the Battle of Brookline?

Jud:

Sometimes. The World Match Play championship has shown that, on occasion, two very good players will battle it out in the end. But it seems just as often, two modest talents end up in the final match. The nature of the Ryder Cup today -- evenly matched squads, for the most part, and 24 of probably the 40 best talents in the game -- makes the odds in favor of having a compelling singles match in the end. Not so with a match-play tournament.

Point taken, Phil -- but the past 20 years of PGA stroke play suggests that (relatively) modest talents are sometimes at the top in the end. If I'm counting right, 10 of the past 20 PGA Champions have 1 (one) major:

2012    Rory McIlroy    The Ocean Course    67-75-67-66-275    -13
2011    Keegan Bradley    Atlanta Athletic Club    71-64-69-68-272    -8
2010    Martin Kaymer    Whistling Straits    72-68-67-70-277    -11
2009    Y.E. Yang    Hazeltine National GC    73-70-67-70-280    -8
2008    Padraig Harrington    Oakland Hills CC    71-74-66-66-277    -3
2007    Tiger Woods    Southern Hills CC    71-63-69-69-272    -8
2006    Tiger Woods    Medinah CC    69-68-65-68-270    -18
2005    Phil Mickelson    Baltusrol GC    67-65-72-72-276    -4
2004    Vijay Singh    Whistling Straits    67-68-69-76-280    -8
2003    Shaun Micheel    Oak Hill CC    69-68-69-70-276    -4
2002    Rich Beem    Hazeltine Nat'l GC    72-66-72-68-278    -10
2001    David Toms    Atlanta Athl. Club    66-65-65-69-265    -15
2000    Tiger Woods    Valhalla GC    66-67-70-67-270    -18
1999    Tiger Woods    Medinah CC    70-67-68-72-277    -11
1998    Vijay Singh    Sahalee GC    70-66-67-68-271    -9
1997    Davis Love III    Winged Foot    66-71-66-66-269    -11
1996    Mark Brooks    Valhalla GC    68-70-69-70-277    -11
1995    Steve Elkington    Riviera CC    68-67-68-64-267    -17
1994    Nick Price    Southern Hills CC    67-65-70-67-269    -11
1993    Paul Azinger    Inverness Club    69-66-69-68-272    -12

Not sure this is the best way to analyze this. In the past 20 years of the U.S. Open, winners with only one major include Simpson, McDowell, Glover, Ogilvy, Campbell, Furyk, Jones, and Pavin. That's 8. The Open has Clarke, Oosthuizen, Cink, Hamilton, Curtis, Duval, Lawrie, Leonard, Lehman. That's 9. Both fairly close to 10.

[Dan Kelly]

Not sure this is the best way to analyze this. In the past 20 years of the U.S. Open, winners with only one major include Simpson, McDowell, Glover, Ogilvy, Campbell, Furyk, Jones, and Pavin. That's 8. The Open has Clarke, Oosthuizen, Cink, Hamilton, Curtis, Duval, Lawrie, Leonard, Lehman. That's 9. Both fairly close to 10.

David --

Of course, I was not saying that this is the best way to analyze this. Nor was I saying that the PGA is uniquely capable of producing one-and-done Majors winners.

I was merely suggesting, in reply to Phil McDade's observations, that MATCH PLAY is not unduly capable of rewarding "modest talents" -- that that happens in stroke play, too.

Thank you for buttressing that observation....

Dan

[Tim_Cronin]

The PGA should move it back to late May, where it was played for decades. It was the first major of the summer. Eventually it was shifted to July, then August to get away from the British Open when that became an attraction to North Americans again.

Think of this lineup: Masters in April, PGA in May, U.S. Open in June, British Open in July, Players Championship in August (in balmy Florida). Two fixed tournaments sandwiching three movable tournaments. Feel free to argue!

[David_Tepper]

"Try telling a club professional that the PGA doesn't mean anything..."

PatC -

Very good point. You could also add "try telling the son of club professional that winning the PGA doesn't mean anything."

DT

[Matthew Rose]

Play the PGA in May and bump the Players back to March.

Maybe on Memorial Day weekend.

Most people are already thinking football by August anyway.

[Dan Kelly]

Try telling a club professional that the PGA doesn't mean anything...

It's the strongest field in golf and over the past decade it's arguably produced the strongest winners. I love match play but I don't think it has anyplace in deciding a PGA Tour-level major. The worst thing that it has going for it is that it's the last major and it's in late August. Other than that...what's wrong with it?

Pat --

I don't think anyone has said that the PGA doesn't mean anything. (Someone, help me out. Is that a red herring or a straw man?)

Just teasing, there, but seriously:

What's "wrong" with the PGA is that everyone in the world who cares about golf (with the exception of the PGA of America and its members) thinks it's the fourth of four majors. It's not even in the discussion when people talk about which of the majors is their favorite!

Well, OK, there's nothing "wrong" with that -- but wouldn't it be *better* if the PGA Championship had some reason to be considered someone's favorite? I think it would.

And I think making it a match-play event would give some people that reason.

Match play has no business being the format for a major? Tell that to Walter Hagen and Bobby Jones!

Dan

[Chris Cupit]

Try telling a club professional that the PGA doesn't mean anything...

It's the strongest field in golf and over the past decade it's arguably produced the strongest winners. I love match play but I don't think it has anyplace in deciding a PGA Tour-level major. The worst thing that it has going for it is that it's the last major and it's in late August. Other than that...what's wrong with it?

My father was a PGA Professional (Life Member) and four of my uncles were PGA pros (one in the Texas Hall of Fame) and yet I admit that I dreamnt of wining the "other" majors first.  The Masters (I am mostly a Georgian), was my "pick" when growing up I guess

I am not sure it is the strongest field though--with 25 or so club pros it can't be as strong as either Opens can it?  I always thought the TPC event had the strongest field?   

[Jud_T]

Here's the thing.  As it stands the PGA will always be a bit of an afterthought.  Imagine if it were match play.  OK many years the final would be either anticlimactic and/or include lesser names.  In that case, IT WOULD STILL BE THE 4th MAJOR AS IT IS NOW!  Now imagine the one year when it's Tiger and Rory dueling it out with their best golf to extra holes and a nail biting finish.  Not only would it be the best Major of the year, it would be one of the best Majors in history, have one of the highest ratings ever and put every one on notice that the PGA is no longer the redheaded stepchild.  Which is preferable?

[Scott Warren]

Jud - good point and good post.

I can accept the hesitations of those who worry that match-play would produce a no-name final four and the ratings and attendance would be terrible, though I personally think it should be match play.

To satisfy both camps, what if the PGA Championship followed this formula:

Wed: 18 holes stroke
Thur: 18 holes stroke, field cut to top 36 and ties, plus top 12 club pros.
Fri: 18 holes stroke, field cut to 8 with a sudden death playoff for the final spot(s) if required. Any playoff would be in prime time Friday night and would be nail-biting with plenty of great storylines. Having had 54 holes of stroke goes a long way to minimising the chance of a final four full of no-names, and yet there's still plenty of chance for a Cinderella story with a journeyman or two in in the top 8 after three rounds. In addition, the top four or eight club pros go through to their own match play playoff.
Sat: Match play 18-hole quarter finals in the AM, semi-finals in the PM.
Sun: 18 or 36-hole final and 18 or 36-hole third place playoff. Gold, silver and bronze medals in the club pro section.

[Sam Morrow]

The PGA is in a tough spot, it does have a great field but lacks that defining identity. I've always wanted the PGA to play the event on the "new classic" courses, play it on modern courses. They already do this with places like Whistling Straits and last year Kiawah but just think about if the PGA had a rotation of something like this.

Chambers Bay
Castle Pines
Somewhere in Arizona
Oak Tree
Old American
Liberty National or Bayonne
Boston Golf Club
Erin Hills

These are just a few options I throw out, obviously the USGA might have some issues with this but I would like the USGA to then stick to the classic courses.

[jeffwarne]

It's the 4th best major.
One of the majors has to be
Still a great spot to be in.
many of the suggested formats would risk it falling out of major status.
It's fine.

The first three majors each have their own unique identity.
the PGA has some site similarities to the US Open,but it's not an Open