Many people agree that holding three of four major championships in the United States, particularly one that invites 20 club professionals from that country, should not be a thing in these globalised times. One two-time major champion and legend of Australian golf does not agree, however.
And so endeth another United States PGA Championship, this one hosted at Quail Hollow; a long and strong Augusta National Mini-Me down to its pine straw, bubbling brooks, blinding white sand, and uniform, manicured-as-if-by-elite-squad-of-Japanese-artisans aesthetic.
And, for sure, in a breeze, rough like clutching witch-fingers, pins cut in tight corners of greens of pure linoleum, it was a test of the great players in the world.
And, like Augusta, it told a story. For from the great, grasping peloton emerged a worthy champion, Scottie Scheffler, death-ridden by those riding Jon Rahm's brief tilt. Scheffler, though, was a phoenix on a cakewalk and the Spaniard would lose by seven.
But outside of having a cut and being called a “major”, the tournament smacked of any number of “signature” events on the PGA Tour’s eternal rota.
And, as Ronald Reagan said to Mikhail Gorbachev and through him the people of Soviet East Germany and the world, it's time for change. And the PGA Championship should no longer be a major championship.
The PGA Championship is run by - and a massive money-spinner for - the PGA of America, the governing body of PGA professionals in America. Like our PGA of Australia, it’s a member-based organisation, like a union without the labour union sensibilities. It’s more like a professional body for lawyers; a not-for-profit that promotes the interests (read: profit-making ability) of touring and club professionals in the United States.
And good luck to them. All power to your people, comrades. But your flagship tournament should not be a major championship. It should be like the PGA Tour’s flagship, The Players Championship: big money, world class field, ranking points. An example of American exceptionalism, if you will.
Just not a major, as argued above and in a feature piece in the June issue of our magnificent magazine, a steal at $10.38 per month if you subscribe and join the Eagle Club, we’ll give you a polo shirt and a dozen balls and a DVD to do with as you will.
Now. While most agreed with the core tenets of the article – that having three majors in the one country in these globalised times, particularly one that invites 20 club professionals from that one country, is not reflective of golf's place in the world and does little to grow the game outside the United States - some people did not .
“What a stupid article,” David Graham declared on the Facebook. “The PGA Championship may be the most difficult tournament to win owing to the strength of the field. It will always be a major.”
Now, if you’re posting opinion on this occasionally caustic interface, even among “Friends”, the thickness of your skin depends on the origin of the criticism. Critique from actual friends and colleagues, you take on. Critique from ding-a-lings having a crack for fun barely registers. It’s like plumbers wouldn't cop advice from someone who has used a toilet but knows nothing of S-bend hydraulics.
David Graham, though, on August 5, 1979, at Oakland Hills in Michigan, won the – ahem – U.S PGA Championship after beating Ben Crenshaw on the third hole of a play-off. Two years later he won the U.S Open at Merion, the only Australian to win two different majors. Ben Hogan wrote him a letter to say well done. David Graham is in the World Golf Hall of Fame. David Graham's opinion has cachet.
I do not agree with it, however. And wrote back:
“As you know, David, the PGA Championship hasn't always been a major. Was Arnold Palmer and Bob Drum that created the Grand Slam as we know it today. That was bit over 50 years ago. Before that, the majors were the amateur and open championships of UK and USA. Know you know. It was Drum and Palmer decided what the majors would be, and enough people agreed, because who's arguing with the King, right?
“But the event can change. And should with modern times. The format's changed (from match-play). The date's changed. And with sufficient people power, goodwill and America being less inward looking, more giving, more understanding of golf's place in the world, and its capacity for good, the tournament's major status could change.
“It should obviously still exist. But it should be like the Players - a beefed-up PGA Tour event, with big money, great fields, significant ranking points, and a mighty big trophy with the greatest names in the game on it. Like the Australian Open should be.
“But the construct and legacy value should be anointed on a different country's Open championship each year: Thailand, China, Chile and the USA, on a rota. Like the Olympics, and World Cups.
“Convincing the PGA of America this, I'll admit, will take some doing.
"But if the R&A, USGA, Augusta, and any other stakeholders - Tiger, Rory, Adam, if not Pat Cantlay - are fair dinkum about growing the game around the world and not just in the USA, they would prevail upon the PGA of America to do the right thing.”
Perhaps wisely, David Graham did not respond to this long screed of digital gibber-jabber.
But the sentiment holds. It’s time for change.
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