The 10 Biggest Golf Tournaments in the World (and the 4 Majors)

Some tournaments decide careers. Four of them, the golf majors, sit above the rest.

Below are the 10 biggest golf tournaments in the world, ranked by prestige, history and reach, starting with the majors. That ranking is our editorial call, not an official list.

Golf's four men's majors are the Masters (April), the PGA Championship (May), the U.S. Open (June) and The Open Championship (July). The Open is the oldest, first played in 1860. Together with the Ryder Cup, The Players, the Tour Championship and a few others, they make up the biggest golf tournaments in the world.

Jump to:

• What are the four majors in golf?
• Golf majors in order
• 2027 major venues and dates
• The Grand Slam and career Grand Slam
• The 10 biggest golf tournaments in the world
• Why golf fans love these events
• What to wear when you watch the majors
• FAQ

What are the four majors in golf?

The four majors are the Masters, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open and The Open Championship. What makes them majors is history and weight: they're the oldest and most prestigious events in the men's game, they draw the strongest fields, and they're the wins a career gets measured by. Every spring the Masters kicks the season off with the green jacket tradition, and every July The Open goes back to golf's Scottish roots and the links where the game began.

Golf majors in order

The majors run one a month from spring into summer: the Masters in April, the PGA Championship in May, the U.S. Open in June and The Open in July. It wasn't always this tidy. The PGA Championship was played in August for decades and moved to May in 2019, which put all four majors inside a four-month stretch.

2027 major venues and dates

The 2026 majors are done, so here's where the four men's majors are headed next season, as listed by the PGA Tour and the official championship sites.

The Grand Slam and career Grand Slam

Winning all four majors at least once is called the career Grand Slam. Only six men have done it: Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, who completed his at the 2025 Masters.

Winning all four in one calendar year hasn't been done with today's four majors. Bobby Jones won the 1930 Grand Slam, but that was a different set of championships: the U.S. and British Opens and Amateurs. Tiger Woods came closest in the modern era with the "Tiger Slam," holding all four majors at once after winning the 2000 U.S. Open, The Open and PGA Championship and the 2001 Masters. New to the vocabulary? Our guide to golf scoring terms covers the basics.

The 10 biggest golf tournaments in the world

The four majors come first.

1. The Masters Tournament

The Masters is the only major played at the same course every year, which is a big part of why it's so recognizable. Read more about the Masters' history and traditions.

• Founded: 1934
• Location: Augusta National Golf Club, Georgia, USA
• Why it's big: The green jacket, Amen Corner and a carefully limited field make it the most tradition-heavy week in golf.

Augusta is all precision and personality. Master Bunny Edition brings both to the course, with Japanese craftsmanship behind it.

2. The Open Championship (British Open)

Known simply as The Open, it's the oldest championship in golf.

• Founded: 1860
• Location: Rotates among historic links courses in the UK, including St Andrews, the Home of Golf
• Why it's big: Wind, rain and firm links turf make it a different test from the American majors, and a Claret Jug won at St Andrews is the kind of win a career gets remembered for.

Links golf calls for layers that handle wind and wet without slowing your swing, which is what WAAC performance outerwear is made for.

3. The U.S. Open

The U.S. Open is known for the toughest course setups of any major. Its past venues include Los Angeles Country Club, which hosted in 2023.

• Founded: 1895
• Location: Rotates among top U.S. courses, such as Pebble Beach and Winged Foot
• Why it's big: Deep rough, narrow fairways and fast greens make it the most grueling test in the game.

The U.S. Open rewards precision over flash. Our U.S. Open style blueprint covers how to dress for it, and men's golf tops with clean lines and real stretch fit the brief.

Watching from the gallery? Here are our picks for hats for U.S. Open spectators.

4. The PGA Championship

• Founded: 1916
• Location: Rotates across U.S. courses, such as Oak Hill, Valhalla and Southern Hills
• Why it's big: It's the one major for professionals only, and it's the PGA of America's showcase. It has grown in profile since its move to May in 2019.

Its history runs through some famous clubs, including Riviera Country Club, which hosted it in 1983 and 1995.

Dressing for May golf? See our skirts for PGA Championship season, or shop men's golf bottoms in tailored fits and performance fabrics.

5. The Ryder Cup

The Ryder Cup is golf's most emotional team event: three days of match play between Team USA and Team Europe, every two years. There's no prize money. Players are in it for their side and for pride. Our Ryder Cup guide has the full story.

• Founded: 1927
• Location: Alternates between courses in the U.S. and Europe
• Why it's big: Loud crowds, a long rivalry and the match-play format make it one of the most exciting weeks in the sport.

Supporting your team? Golf hats and visors hold up across a long day on the course.

6. The Players Championship

• Founded: 1974
• Location: TPC Sawgrass, Florida, USA
• Why it's big: Often called the fifth major, The Players is the PGA Tour's flagship event, with one of the deepest fields of the year and the famous island green on the 17th hole.

Asian players have made their mark here too, including South Korean golfers like K.J. Choi, who won it in 2011.

7. The FedEx Cup Playoffs (Tour Championship)

• FedEx Cup Playoffs since: 2007
• Location: East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
• Why it's big: The Tour Championship ends the FedEx Cup Playoffs and crowns the season's champion. In 2026 the winner took home $10 million.

It's had its emotional moments too, like Tommy Fleetwood's Tour Championship win.

8. The Presidents Cup

• Founded: 1994
• Location: Alternates between the U.S. and international venues
• Why it's big: Like the Ryder Cup, but Team USA plays an International Team made up of players from outside Europe. It's a showcase for global golf talent.

9. The DP World Tour Championship

• Founded: 2009
• Location: Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, UAE
• Why it's big: It's the season finale of the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour) and crowns the Race to Dubai champion, with one of the biggest purses outside the U.S.

10. The LIV Golf Team Championship

• First played: 2022
• Location: Changes from year to year; in 2026 the team title was decided at LIV Golf Indianapolis
• Why it's big: LIV Golf shook up the pro game with big purses, a team format and global venues, and its season finale crowns the league's team champions.

Why golf fans love these events

Golf is one of the fastest-growing sports, and these events are a big reason why. They bring:

• Traditions unique to each tournament
• Dramatic playoff finishes
• Legendary venues like Augusta, St Andrews and Pebble Beach
• Team competitions that create national pride
• Chances for underdogs to make history

What to wear when you watch the majors

Augusta has a dress code, and so do most clubs hosting a U.S. Open or PGA Championship. Whether you're going in person or watching with friends, the majors are when golf fashion matters even to people who don't play. Start with our Masters tournament hats, then our broader guide to dressing for a golf tournament.

WAAC goes bold and performance-first, while Lanvin Blanc is the quiet luxury that passes any private club dress code.

Le Coq Sportif adds French sporting style, and Keypote covers women's skirts and sets for warm tournament days.

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FAQ

What are the 4 majors in golf?

The four men's majors are the Masters, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open and The Open Championship. They're the four most prestigious tournaments in men's professional golf.

What order are the golf majors played in?

The Masters comes first in April, then the PGA Championship in May, the U.S. Open in June and The Open in July. The PGA Championship moved from August to May in 2019.

What is the oldest major in golf?

The Open Championship. It was first played in 1860, which makes it the oldest of the four majors and the oldest golf championship in the world.

What is the biggest golf tournament in the world?

There's no official answer, but most fans and players point to the Masters for prestige and tradition. The Open has the longest history, and the Ryder Cup draws some of the loudest crowds in the sport.

Is The Players Championship a major?

No. The Players is the PGA Tour's flagship event and is often called the fifth major, but it isn't one of the four.

Is the Ryder Cup a major?

No. The Ryder Cup is a team match-play event between Europe and the United States, held every two years. It's one of golf's biggest events, but it isn't a major.

What is the career Grand Slam in golf?

Winning all four majors at least once over a career. Six men have done it: Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, who completed it at the 2025 Masters.

Has anyone won all four majors in the same year?

Not with today's four majors. Bobby Jones won the 1930 Grand Slam, which then meant the U.S. and British Opens and Amateurs. Tiger Woods held all four modern majors at once in 2000 and 2001, but across two seasons.

Are there majors in women's golf?

Yes, five: the Chevron Championship, the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, the U.S. Women's Open, the Amundi Evian Championship and the AIG Women's Open.

Conclusion

The four majors are still golf's gold standard, and the Ryder Cup, The Players and the season finales round out the biggest stages in the sport. If Augusta is on your list, start with our guide to dressing like a Masters patron.