Established some 48 years in the past, the Gamers Championship – formally often called the Match Gamers Championship – has for a few years been dubbed the “fifth main”, and infrequently been thought to be the next-most prestigious event in golf.
The standing of the event is an annual speaking level on the planet of golf as the long-lasting early-season occasion shares many similarities with its ‘Main’ counterparts, which incorporates the Masters, The Open, U.S. Open and the PGA Championship.
The richest sport in golf
Very like the Masters, the Gamers Championship is contested at a single iconic host course. Within the case of the Gamers, the venue is the world-famous TPC Sawgrass situated in Ponte Vedra Seaside, Florida. The event is hosted yearly and at present provides the very best prize fund of any event in golf. Lately, that is usually across the staggering $20 million mark – considerably larger than the subsequent best-funded event, the U.S. Open, which provides $12.5 million.
The staggering purse on supply on the Gamers Championship has made it the richest event in golf. When put next with the 4 majors, the purse on supply on the Gamers is considerably larger, and in some circumstances nearly double, solely growing the event’s declare as a real challenger to the 4 established Main occasions.
A formidable area and iconic location
Greater than some other occasion within the {golfing} calendar, the Gamers Championship really shares related traits to all 4 of the signature Main competitions. The flawless area makes it a must-watch occasion. Not like many different occasions on the PGA Tour, the Gamers is famend for together with the highest 50 gamers on the planet rankings, making the usual of golf on present in contrast to some other.
In addition to the big purse, this occasion which takes place on the famend TPC Sawgrass is dwelling to the worldwide iconic par 3 gap, the seventeenth, which contains a marvellous island inexperienced. Arguably one of the crucial well-known and picturesque holes in golf, the environment generated by the outlet on the ultimate stretch is nothing in need of electrical, including one other string the occasion’s bow.
Does the Gamers Championship have sufficient historical past?
On the flip facet of the argument, the Gamers Championship remains to be a comparatively new event compared to the 4 present Majors. Which means it nonetheless doesn’t have the big historical past of different Majors and so elevating the occasion’s pedigree right into a golden 5 would doubtlessly undermine the longstanding historic integrity of the game.
The Open (or British Open for our American readers) is the oldest of the majors having been launched in 1860, 162 years in the past. The U.S. Open adopted subsequent in 1985, 127 years in the past. Transferring into the 20 th century, the PGA Championships was fashioned in 1916, 106 years in the past after which the most recent Main event, the Masters, was launched in 1934, 87 years in the past. With solely 48 years of historical past hooked up to the Gamers Championship, it may be argued that it’s just too quickly for this competitors’s profile to be raised and given an equal standing to the recognised huge 4 occasions in golf.
Is Sawgrass robust sufficient?
It may also be argued that the signature host course, TPC Sawgrass, isn’t robust sufficient to be included within the common Main lineup, and will in the end forestall the Gamers Championship from being elevated to ‘Main’ standing. Within the final 14 years, and 12 occasions that the Gamers Championship has been performed, the successful rating has all been with double digit figures below half.
Scoring is usually lot a harder on the established Main occasions. It was solely three British Open’s in the past when Francesco Molinari’s eight below par proved to be sufficient to take the Claret Jug on UK soil. The final two U.S. Opens have seen the eventual winner end the event at six below par, and at the same time as not too long ago as 2018, Brooks Koepka’s observe up win was carried out in one of many hardest Main course set ups ever, as his general one over par was sufficient to seal the deal.
The newest PGA Championship received by the left-handed magician Phil Mickelson was additionally beneath the double digit mark as his whole of six below gave him the US PGA title with a two shot lead over joint runners up Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen. Hideki Matsuyama’s emphatic Grasp’s victory final yr sat proper on the border of 10 below par earlier than 5 championships in the past, Sergio Garcia picked up the Inexperienced Jacket at one shot shy of Matsuyama’s last rating.
Essentially, regardless of the Gamers Championship being a novel and prestigious event recognised by golfers everywhere in the world, the occasion nonetheless doesn’t warrant being granted Main standing. The world of golf has been constructed and formed on the idea of legacy, historical past and heritage throughout the sport. With out this, the importance of the 4 Main competitions couldn’t command the respect they get pleasure from in the present day.
The 4 Majors are backed up not solely by the prize cash, however by historical past and heritage – one thing the Gamers Championship lacks. Nonetheless, years down the road, as soon as the acquired historical past has been developed, the calls to ascertain the occasion as fifth Main will solely develop stronger. For now, golf will proceed with its quartet of Majors – however the established order could not final without end.
