The Four Major Championships on the PGA Tour And When They Are Scheduled

Golf's Major Championship Trophies: The Masters, The PGA Championship, The US Open, and The Open Championship

The 2021-2022 PGA Tour calendar is packed with 50 professional events which includes four Major Championships. These tournaments, most commonly referred to as "Majors", are highly sought after and are the most watched events on the tour. Throughout the years, the events that have been considered to be Major championships in a season have been changed a number of times.

Back in the 1930s, for instance, the Majors consisted of 2 amateur events, the US Open, the US Amateur, the British Open, and the British Amateur. The line-up of Majors in a calendar year has since evolved and no longer includes Amateur championships, though amateurs may be invited to most Majors. Here’s everything you need to know about the four Majors on the PGA Tour in the modern Majors era.

The Masters Tournament

Th 2021-2022 PG Tour schedule will include the following golf Majors:

1. The Masters Tournament: Augusta National Golf Club | Augusta, GA
2. The PGA Championship: Southern Hills CC | Tulsa, OK
3. The U.S. Open: The Country Club | Brookline, MA
4. The Open Championship: St. Andrews Links (Old Course) | Fife, SCO

The Masters Tournament

The Masters Tournament Logo, Founded by Bobby Jones

The Masters Tournament ("The Masters" for short), one of the most iconic events on the PGA Tour, is usually  the first Major of the season. It’s held at the same location annually, Augusta National Golf Club. Augusta is the Golf club that Bobby Jones founded, in partnership with Clifford Roberts, after retiring from competitive golf. The Masters Tournament has since become a prime destination for all of Golf’s most talented Players. The most memorable part of the tournament is the Green Jacket Ceremony. Each year, the winner is awarded a green jacket, in addition to the trophy, and is outfitted by the previous champion.

Date: April 7, 2022 - April 10, 2022

Venue: Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, GA

TV Coverage: CBS / ESPN

FedEx Cup Points: 600

Field Size: 156 Players

Defending Champion: Hideki Matsuyama

Total Purse: $11.5 Million

The PGA Championship

PGA Championship Logo, Established in 1916

The PGA Championship was established in 1916, at Siwanoy Country Club in NY. Though the tournament has been around for over 100 years, it has only been a Major for 42 years. The PGA Championship was officially recognized as a Major golf championship in 1968. Since its inception, the PGA Championship was designed to showcase the talents of today’s greatest professionals. This is the reason why the PGA Championship is the only Major that doesn’t extend invitations to the leading Amateur golfers.

Date: May 19, 2022 - May 22, 2022

Venue: Southern Hills CC | Tulsa,  OK 

TV Coverage: CBS / ESPN

FedEx Cup Points: 600

Field Size: 156 Players

Defending Champion: Phil Mickelson

Total Purse: $15 Million

The U.S. Open

The 2020 US Open Logo, Held at Winged Foot Country Club in Westchester, NY

The US Open is a Major that has a rich deep history, with wins from legendary professionals like Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, to phenomenal amateurs like Bobby Jones and Francis Ouimet. The Open is fully accessible to both Amateurs and professionals alike, providing they’ve met the eligibility requirements and/or made it through all the rigorous qualifying rounds. USGA has become largely scrutinized for the course preparation measures taken to ensure that certain parts of the golf game are rewarded. On a US Open setup, you tend to see much thicker rough and faster greens than with other Major tournaments. This setup ensures that players are rewarded for more accurate drives and precision with mid and long irons. 

The tournament was first held as a 36-hole event in 1895 and played in a single day. 125 years later, the Major has evolved into a 4-day, 72-hole tournament that attracts massive audiences and spectators. 

Date: June 16, 2022 - June 19, 2022

Venue: The Country Club | Brookline,  MA

TV Coverage: NBC / Golf Channel

FedEx Cup Points: 600

Field Size: 156 Players 

Current Champion: Jon Rahm

Total Purse: $12.5 Million

The Open Championship

The British Open Logo, Featuring the Silhouette of the Claret Jug 

The open championship is the only one that was among the original list of Majors on the golf calendar and is often referred to as Golf’s original Major. The tournament started in 1860 as a way to determine who would be the champion golfer of that year. The field at that time consisted of 8 professional golfers at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. That venue was the prime location for the Open and was held annually.. Flash forward to today and we see the Open with a field of 156 players, which includes some amateur talent, and being held at different locations each year. The most recent venue was Royal Portrush Golf Club, where Shane Lowry became just the 5th Irish champion of the event

Date: July 14, 2022 - July 17, 2022

Venue: St. Andrews Links (Old Course) | Fife,  SCO

TV Coverage: NBC / Golf Channel

FedEx Cup Points: 600

Field Size: 156 Players 

Current Champion: Collin Morikawa

Total Purse: $10.75 Million