by tom weppel
And so here we are, after a year of the twists and turns that have come to identify the PGA Tour, with the golf world descending upon Northeast Florida for The Players Championship. This has become an annual ritual here, played at the Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra, located just a few hundred yards from the PGA Tour headquarters.
Over its history, this tournament has made plenty of changes, from the course, to the field of players, and then the change in playing dates, from March to May. The Tour did this because some players and media were starting to look at TPC as a ‘tune-up event’ to The Masters every year. The Tour didn’t want this jewel of an event to be perceived in that respect. And so now, with TPC placed squarely and firmly between The Masters and the U.S. Open, the Tour wants this to be viewed as a prestigious event to look forward to.
Of course, this year they will not have Eldrick “Tiger” Woods, who had knee surgery to repair loose cartilage and is in rehab. His loss definitely affects the perception of the tournament. It also changes the field. Most players will never tell you they feel better without Tiger in the lineup. But I’m serious in telling you that without him, they all feel they have a better shot at victory.
And so now, after starting their first tournament in 1974 as the Tournament Players Championship, and with a stellar list of victors that includes Nicklaus, Trevino, Norman, Woods, and Mickelson, is it fair for players, fans, and the media to consider TPC to be ‘The Fifth Major?’ Should we hold this tournament on the same standards as the Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship? This has become a fairly debatable subject. It seems the PGA Tour has been pushing mightily to anoint this tournament as the Fifth Major. For so many years they have done anything and everything they possibly can to market, promote, and publicize TPC, for so many reasons.
Of course, the PGA Tour would totally go against me even suggesting this is NOT a Major tournament. They hold the stature of The Players above and beyond all others…EXCEPT for the four Majors.
They love having this tournament here at the Stadium Course, a track that has been talked about so frequently, it seems to be overkill. Some still hate it and don’t appreciate the architecture and layout. Many others, on the other hand, are totally in love with what Pete Dye did in designing the Stadium Course, with its uniqueness, capped by the infamous Par-3 17th.
Without question, the Stadium course identifies TPC. The course and the tournament are joined at the hip. They are thought of equally and with reverence.
They also love the fact that the field playing every year is essentially better than all others, including a few of the Majors. They qualify this field by world ranking, and then take it from there. The Masters and PGA Championship use different criteria and may not always have the Top 150 players participate.
In becoming a Major, it takes historical perspective, which in turn determines honor and acceptance. The Players started in 1974, and so this year will be the 35th year of playing the tournament. Compare that to the four Majors, if you will. The Masters began in 1934, the U.S. Open was first played in 1895, the British Open in 1883, and the PGA in 1916. So, as you can see, The Players would be considered a baby, when you match it up against the other four events.
And that alone might be THE reason a lot of golfing experts and fans simply do not perceive TPC as a fifth Major. They cite the ‘infancy’ of the tournament, being 40 years younger than The Masters and they feel that four Majors are enough over the course of an entire year.
There are a few simple questions: would a professional golfer rather win TPC before winning the PGA Championship? Is the Tournament Players Championship, for all intents, the fourth most popular ‘Major’? And also, consider this…would a professional golfer rather win TPC before winning any other event on the Tour, aside from the four Majors? To me, these are the questions that would allow everyone to define the stature and position The Players Championship is currently nestled in.
The Players certainly has shown us that it has achieved a sense of greatness, from past tournament outcomes. The competition between players each year is certainly riveting, and the course itself is very difficult to master.
And so, again I ask you, are we all ready to accept The Players Championship as ‘The FIFTH Major’? Are we all of the mindset that this tournament is equally comparable to the four Majors? Better yet, are the PGA Tour players willing to accept and recognize winning TPC on equal terms as winning the PGA Championship, perhaps?
Whatever the case, TPC carries the substance and stature of the highest respect in the golfing world. The victor will have certainly played a masterful 72 holes of competitive golf in order to finish on top. And we all certainly will look up to him in what he has done at an event we have all come to enjoy and respect, as will his peers.
Call (904) 285-7888 or (800) 741-3161 to purchase tickets. Practice round tickets are $30 and are good for all three days of practice rounds, Monday through Wednesday. Daily tickets are $75, allowing access to the tournament on one competition day: Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Week long tickets are $175 with your choice of individual tickets for each day of tournament week or a Weekly Badge. Youth tickets are available to young duffers. During the practice rounds kids 16 and under are admitted free of charge when accompanied by a properly credentialed adult. Competitive Rounds youths ages 5 and under are free of charge when accompanied by a properly credentialed adult. Youths ages 6-16 are required to purchase $10/day “Youth Tickets” sold ONLY at the gate.
Article Published in the May 2008 Issue of EU Jacksonville
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