We are about to enter the “majors season” on the PGA Tour. Each year, I seem to anticipate the majors more and more. Perhaps it’s the depth of talent that is now competing for these tournaments? Or, perhaps it’s because it takes me back to my goals growing up as a junior golfer. I would dream of winning these tournaments. But which major would I most like to win?
I often thought about this while I was practicing as a junior golfer. Back then, my answer was most often The British Open. The tournament now goes by The Open Championship.
I’m not sure what it was that led me to this thought. Perhaps it was the voice of famed announcer Peter Allis. Something about listening to him announce the tournament made it that much more important to me.
I spent many late afternoons on the putting green making a 5-foot putt to win the Claret Jug! This dream was magnified when my favorite golfer, Greg Norman, won the tournament in 1986.
As I have grown older, the two tournaments that I deem to be the greatest to win are the Masters and the U.S. Open. The Masters is an obvious choice of many because of the lore of winning the “Green Jacket.”
In addition, the lifetime exemption into the tournament is one than anybody would cherish. Augusta National is a shrine in the world of golf, and any golfer would cherish the opportunity of playing there once, let alone for the rest of your life. I also think it would be cool to host the Champions Dinner. My menu would most likely consist of Mexican food from my home state of New Mexico. What would you serve?
The U.S. Open is thought of by many to be the most difficult championship to win. I’ll never forget watching Curtis Strange win back-to-back championships in 1988 and 1989. A high school golfer back then, I was in awe of this achievement!
The golf courses were typically the most demanding of any on tour. The fairways were narrow, the rough was high, and the greens were lightning fast!
Winning a U.S. Open was as good as it gets, and it may be my top choice today.
I am sorry to admit that the PGA Championship is a distant fourth on my list of tournaments I’d like to win. Even though it is still a major championship, it lacks the significance the others seem to possess. There is no Green Jacket, U.S. Open tradition, or Claret Jug.
Don’t get me wrong, I would LOVE to win this tournament. However, it is an afterthought when it comes to my top choices.