The Major Championships Learn About the Major Championships in the Sport of Professional Golf

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The Major Championships Learn about the major championships in the sport of professional golf

Nora Angehrn, Swiss Golf Elite Coach The Majors The most prestigious annual tournaments in the sport of professional golf Men’s and Ladies Majors

Men‘s Major Golf Championships Ladies Major Golf Championships

The Open AIG Women‘s British Open

The U.S. Open U.S. Women‘s Open

The PGA Championship Women‘s PGA Championship

The Masters ANA Inspiration

The Evian Championship Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20

Men’s Major Golf Championships

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20 Overview Men’s Majors

History The majors originally consisted of the following Championships: • The Open Championship • The Amateur Championship • The U.S. Open • The U.S. Amateur à With the introduction of The Masters in 1934 and the rise of professional golf in the late 1940s and 1950s, the term “Major Championship” eventually came to describe the Masters, the US Open, the Open Championship and the PGA Championship à The modern Majors exist approximately since 1960

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20

Overview Men’s Majors

General Information

• Because none of the majors falls under the direct jurisdiction of any professional golf tour, television rights are negotiated separately from those of the tours

• The men’s majors do NOT have any title sponsors

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20 The Open

History: • The British Open is the oldest championship being played for the first time in October 1860 • It is administered by the R&A since 1920 (Prestwick Golf Club administered The Open from 1860 to 1870.) The field for the Open is 156 • made up app 2/3 of leading players who are given exemptions • Made up of players qualified through “Local” and “International Qualifying”

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20

The Open

Special Characteristics: • It’s the only major held outside of the United States of America • only Major that features a four hole playoff, with the playoff continuing into sudden death holes if players remain tied after four holes • There are several medals and trophies that are, or have been, given out for various achievements: - Claret Jug (Winner from 1873 until to date) - Gold medal (Winner from 1872 until to date) - Silver medal (Awarded since 1949 to the best amateur) - Bronze medal (Awarded since 1972 to all amateurs who played in the final round

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20

The U.S. Open

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20 The U.S. Open

History: • Championship was first played in 1895 on a nine hole golf course over 36 holes and completed in a single day • It is staged by the United States Golf Association (USGA) • The course is strategically selected ensuring that the emphasis is put on accuracy on driving The field for the U.S. Open is 156 players • The U.S. Open is open to any professional, or to any amateur with an up-to-date USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 1.4. • Players (male or female) may obtain a place by being fully exempt or by competing successfully in qualifying

03.05.20 Swiss Golf • The Major Championships

The U.S. Open

Special Characteristics: • The U.S. Open is the only major championship which does not go immediately to a playoff. Instead, the players play a fifth 18-hole round the following day (Monday), but if a tie still exists after the round, then a sudden death playoff is held

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20 The PGA Championship

History: • The first PGA Championship was held in 1916 • Conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour • established for the purpose of providing a high-profile tournament specifically for professional golfers (at this time Golf was was largely run by wealthy amateurs) • Initially the championship was a match play event but changed to a stroke play in 1958 The field for the PGA Championship is 156 players • only Major which does not invite leading amateurs to compete • only Major which reserves 20 spots for club professionals (qualifying through the club pro championship)

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20

The PGA Championship

Special Characteristics: • Nicknamed ”Glory’s last shot” due to it being the last of the Majors • The PGA Championship is the only Major that features a three hole playoff, with the playoff continuing into sudden death holes if players remain tied after four holes

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20 The Masters

History: • The Masters was started by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts in 1934 • Conducted by the Augusta National Golf Club committee

The field for the Masters is between 90-100 players • invitational event controlled by the Augusta National GC (only major with no qualifying tournaments) ü World's top 50 prior to the event ü Former champions ü current champions of the major amateur championships ü PGA Tour winners

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20

The Masters

Special Characteristics: • The Masters is unlike the other Majors always held at the same location: Augusta National Golf Club • A green jacket is awarded to the winner of each tournament • The Champions dinner, inaugurated by Ben Hogan • Par 3 Contest has been played on the day before the first round • Masters champions earn a lifetime invitation to the Masters • Jack Nicklaus has won the most Masters (winning six times between 1962 and 1986)

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20

The Open The PGA The U.S. Open The Masters Championship Championship

Established 1860 1895 1916 1934

Augusta, Georgia, Location United Kingdom U.S.A. U.S.A. USA

One of 9 historic Augusta National Course (s) links-style courses Various courses Various courses Golf Club in the UK

Week containing Week containing Mid-August (4th First full week in Month Played the third Friday in the third Sunday weekend after April July in June the Open)

Playoff 18 Holes Three hole Sudden death Four hole playoff Procedure (Monday) playoff playoff

Hosted by The R&A The USGA PGA of America Augusta National

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20 Ladies Major Golf Championships

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20 Overview Ladies Majors

History • Seven different events are classified as having been LPGA majors at some time (the number in each season has fluctuated between two and four): - Western Open: 1930-1967 - Titleholders Championship: 1937-42; 1946-66; 1972 - U.S. Women's Open: 1950-date - Women’s PGA Championship (formerly LPGA Championship): 1955-date - du Maurier Classic: 1979-2000 - Ana Inspiration (formerly Nabisco Dinah Shore): 1983-date - Women’s British Open: 2001-date - The Evian Championship: 2013- date

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20 Overview Ladies Majors

History

• The Ladies European Tour does not sanction any of the LPGA majors which are played in the United States, and only has two events which it designates as majors on its schedule, namely the Women's British Open and the Evian Championship

• The LPGA of Japan Tour, which is the second richest women's golf tour, has its own set of four majors: World Ladies Championhsip Salonpas Cup, Japan LPGA Championship Konica Minolta Cup, Japan Women’s Open Golf Championship and the Japan LPGA Tour Championship Ricoh Open

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20 Overview Ladies Majors

General Information

• Unlike the men's equivalents, with the sole exception of the U.S. Women's Open, the women's majors have title sponsors

• Also unlike the men's majors, none of which fall under the direct jurisdiction of any professional golf tour, the LPGA organizes two of its four majors, namely the Ana Inspiration and the Women’s PGA Championship

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20 Ana Inspiration

History: • Founded in 1972 by Dinah Shore • Been classified as a major since 1983 • hosted by the LPGA • Tournament names through the years: • 1972-1981: Colgate Dinah Shore • 1982-1999: Nabisco Dinah Shore • 2000-2001: Nabisco Championship • 2002-2014: Kraft Nabisco Championship • 2015-present: Ana Inspiration

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20 Ana Inspiration

Characteristics: • Always played at Mission Hills Country Club, CA • Beginning in 1988, the tournament winner has celebrated her victory by jumping in the pond surrounding the 18th green

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20 Women’s PGA Championship

History: • The Women’s PGA Championship, is the second-longest running tournament in the history of the LPGA • hosted by the LPGA and since 2015 also by the PGA of America • Tournament names through the years: • 1955-1986: LPGA Championship • 1987-1993: Mazda LPGA Championship • 1994-2009: McDonald's LPGA Championship • 2010-2014: Wegmans LPGA Championship • 2015-present: KPMG Women’s PGA Championship

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20 Women’s PGA Championship

Characteristics: Professional-amateur controversy: • Prior to 2005, the Women’s PGA Championship (back then LPGA Championship) had a professionals only rule • In 2005 this rule was revoked, effectively to allow then-amateur Michelle Wie to compete in order to attract more media coverage and sell more tickets • In 2006, the LPGA Championship reverted to its professionals-only status, with only professionals in the field

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20 U.S. Women’s Open Championship

History: • The U.S. Women’s Open was first a match play event organized by the WPGA from 1946-1949 • The U.S. Women’s Open is the only event to have been recognized as a major by the LPGA since its founding in 1950 • From 1950-1952 the LPGA organized the U.S. Women’s Open • Since 1953 the U.S. Women’s Open is hosted by the USGA

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20 U.S. Women’s Open Championship

Characteristics: • The US Open is open to any professional or amateur female golfer through qualification (local and sectional qualifying) • In 2007, non-American players outnumbered Americans for the first time

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20 Women’s British Open

History: • established by the Ladies Golf Union in 1976 • hosted by the LGU (Ladies Golf Union) • it has been an official LPGA major since 2001 (when it took the place of the du Maurier Classic on the LPGA's list of majors)

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20 Women’s British Open

Characteristics: • Qualification (The field for the tournament is 150) - The overwhelming majority of the field is made up of leading players who are given exemptions (LPGA, LET, JLPGA, KLPGA) - The rest of the field is made up of players who were successful in "Final Qualifying“ (for non-exempt players) • unlike its male counterpart, the tournament has not adopted a links-only policy • The 2007 Women's British Open made history by becoming the first ever professional women's tournament to be played at the 'Home of Golf’

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20 The Evian Championship

History: • Founded in 1994 on the Ladies European Tour (LET) as the Evian Masters, it is one of two major championships on the LET • it became an LPGA co-sanctioned event in 2000, which included a significant increase in purse size • in 2013, the Evian Masters would be renamed "The Evian Championship" and would become the fifth women’s major

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20 The Evian Championship

Characteristics: • Always played at Evian Resort Golf Club • The purse of $4.1 million in 2019 is the biggest in Europe for Women’s Golf and the second biggest in the World (after U.S. Women’s Open) • Field consists of 120 players

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20 The U.S. Ana Women’s PGA The British The Evian Womens Inspiration Championship Open Championship Open

Established 1972 1955 1946 1976 2013

United United States United States of United States of Evian, France Location of America America Kingdom America

Mission Hills Evian Resort Course (s) Various courses Various Various Country Club Golf Club

Month Played March – April June June-July August July

Playoff Sudden death Sudden death Three hole Sudden death Sudden death Procedure playoff playoff playoff playoff playoff

LPGA & PGA of The Ladies Hosted by LPGA USGA LET & LPGA America Golf Union

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20 Swiss Participants at a Major Championship

Men’s Side Ladies Side

• André Bossert • Morgane Metraux (1) The Open Championship: 1994, 2005 U.S. Women’s Open: 2017 • Nora Angehrn (1) Women’s British Open: 2006 Ladies Side • Evelyn Orley (2) • Albane Valenzuela (11) LPGA Championship 1993 Evian Championship: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 DuMaurier Classic 1993 Ana Inspiration: 2016, 2017, 2019 U.S. Women’s Open: 2016, 2018, 2019 • Carole Charbonnier (7) U.S. Women’s Open: 7 times between 1980 and 1992

Swiss Golf • The Major Championships 03.05.20 03.05.20