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Mark Schlabach
Multiple Authors
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Rory McIlroy, a two-time Players Championship champion, sees the PGA Tour’s signature event as one of the premier tournaments globally, though he does not classify it as the fifth major.
In a press conference Tuesday before the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, McIlroy was queried about the ranking of The Players among the traditional majors (Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open, and The Open) after securing his career Grand Slam with a Masters win last season.
“I would love to have seven majors instead of five; that sounds fantastic,” McIlroy remarked. “I believe The Players is one of the finest golf tournaments worldwide. No one contests or debates that. From a player’s viewpoint, it’s exceptional. The on-site fan experience is fantastic. It boasts a remarkable golf course, location, [and] venue.
“yet, I am a traditionalist. I appreciate the game’s history. We have four major championships. If you want to see what five major championships resemble, look at the women’s game. I’m uncertain how successful that’s been for them.”
The LPGA features five majors each season: Chevron Championship, U.S. Women’s Open, Women’s PGA Championship, Amundi Evian Championship, and the Women’s Open.
According to McIlroy, vying for the four traditional majors is sufficient for the men’s professional circuit.
“But it’s The Players — it doesn’t need any additional titles,” asserted McIlroy, who triumphed over J.J. Spaun in a three-hole aggregate playoff at last year’s Players. “In terms of identity, I believe The Players has more to offer than the current state of the PGA Championship. From an identity perspective, The Players has it figured out. It is a remarkable tournament in its own right, and whether it’s labeled a major or not doesn’t diminish its significance.”
Regarding the PGA Championship, McIlroy believes the event should revert to August as the final major, echoing its past role as “glory’s last shot” each season. It is currently held in May as the second major of the year.
The discussion surrounding whether The Players deserves the title of the fifth major has intensified recently, particularly following the PGA Tour’s release of a promotional trailer for next month’s event featuring the tagline, “March is going to be major.”
LIV Golf League captain Phil Mickelson, who won the Players Championship in 2007, countered this notion on his X account: “I’ve won it. It’s not.”
The Players Championship has consistently been regarded as one of the hardest tournaments to win due to its robust field — world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is the sole back-to-back champion, winning in 2023 and 2024, in the event’s 51-year history.
Mickelson argued on X that with LIV Golf stars like Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm barred from participating, the PGA Tour’s argument for The Players being a major is weakened.
“I take pride in winning that tournament twice, just as all former champions do,” McIlroy stated. “It stands strong on its own without needing that designation, I suppose.”
