The PGA Championship

It Needs to Find an Identity

The PGA Championship concluded yesterday with Scottie Scheffler winning comfortably. It seemed inevitable when the day started. By the time Scheffler made the turn, he found himself in a tie with Jon Rahm. Scheffler reclaimed the lead before Rahm fell away in the last few holes. For a brief moment, this PGA seemed like it would overcome its flaws and be an amazing finish. Instead, Scheffler bogied the last hole to win by five. With its new home in May, it follows The Masters as the second of the four majors. For me, in terms of how I rank the four majors, the PGA Championship has always been the least compelling of the majors. As a result, it sometimes doesn’t quite feel like a major. This year, except for the brief moment on Sunday when it looked like a duel down the stretch might happen, this PGA did nothing to change my opinion.

The Masters has always been my favorite. Watching the tournament unfold on the back-9 on Sundays rarely fails to produce excitement. The US Open serves as the premier USGA championship. The Open Championship often features links courses, and, when the wind and weather are factors, the golf is so different than what we normally see. Each of these three have an identity.

And that is the problem with the PGA Championship. It doesn’t seem to know what it is. Of the four majors, players agree it boasts the deepest and strongest field. Yet, it more often than not falls short.

Sure, there have been great moments. There was Tiger and Bob May in 2000 at Valhalla with Tiger finally winning in a three-hole playoff. The year before, in 1999, Tiger battled 19-year-old Sergio Garcia. And, who could forget the 1991 PGA Championship at Crooked Stick when John Daly introduced himself to the world and walked away with Wannamaker Trophy. Despite these moments, however, the PGA Championship feels too much like an elevated PGA Tour event to me.

Prior to 1958, the tournament was a match play event. While some have called for a return to match play, match play is a hard sell for TV. The final match, with only two players, can produce great golf, but it is only two players. This leaves a lot of time to fill on air. The Showdown showed how difficult it is to fill all the time in between shots with so few players.

The PGA of America runs the PGA Championship by trying not to be the US Open while contesting the tournament on US Open golf courses. The PGA of America keeps the courses under relatively fair conditions. The rough isn’t unusually thick or deep. The fairways are normal width. The course often is not as firm and fast as a traditional US Open setup. The PGA tries to be the kinder and gentler major.

Which is why, while I still consider it a major, it often doesn’t quite feel like one.

I believe the PGA needs to find their own great courses which are willing and able to host a major. Rather than choose courses we have seen before, find courses fans and players have no familiarity with at all. This would create a different identity from the other majors. The Masters has Augusta. The Open Championship has its rota with ten current courses. The US Open has its classic courses all entrenched in American golf with an occasional new entry.

To be fair, the PGA has tried to do this at times. For instance, Crooked Stick, where Daly won, was a new course. For some reason, they have never been back. This could be the club deciding not to host again, or the PGA deciding not to offer it again. However, Crooked Stick will host the 2028 US Senior Open.

The other change is to move it back to August. Seeing the players in the heat of August trying to win on an unfamiliar course with the last opportunity to win a major for the year would add more intrigue to the tournament.

Finally, set the course up more difficult than a PGA Tour event and almost as harsh as a US Open set up. This still allows for scoring when a player gets it going but penalizing for the player who is a little off with their game.

Until the PGA of America figures out what the identity of the PGA Championship actually is, it will remain the fourth major in my opinion. While it is still and always should be one of the four majors, it needs to find its rightful place.

As always, be grateful when you play. Be thankful for the privilege and opportunity to play this amazing game. Now, go golf!