19 Most Important Golf Tournaments

Golf, a sport with a rich history and global appeal, hosts numerous prestigious tournaments for both professional and amateur players.

Here is an overview of the most important golf tournaments.

Most Important Golf Tournaments:

Masters Tournament
U.S. Open
The Open Championship
PGA Championship
The Players Championship
Ryder Cup
Presidents Cup
World Golf Championships
The Tour Championship
BMW PGA Championship
U.S. Women’s Open
Women’s PGA Championship
The Canadian Open
Australian PGA Championship
Walker Cup
Evian Championship
Major League Soccer (United States)
Eredivisie (The Netherlands)
The Solheim Cup

#1 Masters Tournament

📍 Location: Augusta, Georgia, USA
📅 Established: 1934
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Participants: Approximately 100 players

The Masters Tournament, held at the Augusta National Golf Club, is one of golf’s four major championships. Iconic for its green jacket awarded to winners, the Masters has an exclusive, invitation-only field.

Jack Nicklaus holds the record with six titles. The event has witnessed historic moments, like Tiger Woods’ breakthrough win in 1997, and it signifies the start of golf’s major championship season.

#2 U.S. Open

📍 Location: Varies across the USA
📅 Established: 1895
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Participants: 156 players

The U.S. Open, organized by the United States Golf Association (USGA), is a renowned major championship. Notorious for its challenging course setups, the U.S. Open tests a golfer’s mental and physical prowess.

Historical records include the most wins by Willie Anderson, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, and Jack Nicklaus, each with four titles. The competition takes place on a variety of courses and often leads to notable upsets.

#3 The Open Championship

📍 Location: Varies across the United Kingdom
📅 Established: 1860
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Participants: 156 players

The Open Championship, often called “The Open” or “the British Open,” is the oldest of golf’s major championships. Governed by the R&A, the championship takes place on iconic links courses around the UK.

The Claret Jug is awarded to the winner. Harry Vardon holds the record with six championships. The Open’s historical venue rotation and unpredictable weather often contribute to dramatic results.

#4 PGA Championship

📍 Location: Varies across the USA
📅 Established: 1916
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Participants: 156 players

The PGA Championship, managed by the Professional Golfers’ Association of America, is another of golf’s four major championships. The tournament, initially a match play event, switched to stroke play in 1958.

Walter Hagen and Jack Nicklaus hold the record with five titles each. Played in May, it features the strongest field of all the majors, as it includes the top players from worldwide tours and major club professionals.

#5 The Players Championship

📍 Location: Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA
📅 Established: 1974
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Participants: 144 players

The Players Championship, hosted by the PGA Tour, is known as golf’s “fifth major” due to its prestige, significant prize fund, and strong field.

Taking place at TPC Sawgrass, the tournament is famous for its iconic par-3 17th hole, featuring an island green. Jack Nicklaus holds the record with three titles. The event delivers high drama and a platform for the sport’s best players to showcase their skills.

#6 Ryder Cup

📍 Location: Varies between Europe and the USA
📅 Established: 1927
🔄 Held: Every 2 years
👥 Teams: 2 teams (USA and Europe)

The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from the United States and Europe, governed by the PGA of America and the European Tour.

The event comprises various match play formats over three days and is historically marked by intense rivalry and sportsmanship. Its origin lies in a 1926 friendly match that inspired seed merchant Samuel Ryder to donate a gold trophy. Europe currently leads with 28 victories in total.

#7 Presidents Cup

📍 Location: Varies between the USA and non-European international venues
📅 Established: 1994
🔄 Held: Every 2 years (alternating with the Ryder Cup)
👥 Teams: 2 teams (USA and International, excluding Europe)

The Presidents Cup, organized by the PGA Tour, is a biennial golf competition featuring teams from the United States and non-European countries.

The format, similar to the Ryder Cup, promotes a spirit of international camaraderie and sportsmanship. The United States has historically been dominant, winning the majority of the editions. Its creation aimed to give non-European international golfers a chance to participate in a team event.

#8 World Golf Championships

📍 Location: Varies globally
📅 Established: 1999
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Participants: Top-ranked golfers from various global tours

The World Golf Championships (WGC) is a series of four annual events intended to bring together the best golfers from across the world.

Governed by the International Federation of PGA Tours, the events include the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, WGC-Mexico Championship, WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational, and WGC-HSBC Champions. The WGC also notably attracts high-quality fields and offers substantial prize money, solidifying its prestige in the golf community.

#9 The Tour Championship

📍 Location: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
📅 Established: 1987
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Participants: Top 30 golfers from the PGA Tour

The Tour Championship, organized by the PGA Tour, is the final event of the FedExCup Playoffs.

The top 30 players on the FedExCup points list qualify for the season-ending championship, which employs a unique scoring system to determine the final standings. Notable for its large prize pool and competitive field, the event serves as a dramatic conclusion to the PGA Tour season.

#10 BMW PGA Championship

📍 Location: Surrey, England
📅 Established: 1955
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Participants: 150+ golfers from the European Tour

The BMW PGA Championship is a flagship event on the European Tour held at the prestigious Wentworth Club. Recognized for its historical significance and elite field, the tournament features some of the best golfers in Europe and around the world.

Legendary golfer Colin Montgomerie holds the record with three victories. The event’s list of past champions includes some of the most prominent names in golf history.

#11 U.S. Women’s Open

📍 Location: Varies across the USA
📅 Established: 1946
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Participants: 156 players

The U.S. Women’s Open, organized by the United States Golf Association (USGA), is the most prestigious event in women’s golf. Known for its challenging setup and international field, it awards a sizable purse to the winner.

Hall of Famers Betsy Rawls and Mickey Wright share the record with four titles each. The event often showcases emerging talent, while also allowing amateurs and LPGA Tour professionals to compete for the title.

#12 Women’s PGA Championship

📍 Location: Varies across the USA
📅 Established: 1955
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Participants: 156 players

The Women’s PGA Championship, previously known as the LPGA Championship, is one of the five major championships in women’s golf. Managed by the LPGA and PGA of America, it gathers top female golfers from around the world.

Patty Berg holds the record with three titles. Recognized for its historical significance and challenging courses, the event plays a major role in the growth and popularity of women’s golf.

#13 The Canadian Open

📍 Location: Varies across Canada
📅 Established: 1904
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Participants: 156 players

The Canadian Open, administered by Golf Canada and the PGA Tour, is the national open golf championship of Canada. As the third oldest continuously running tournament on the PGA Tour, it holds significant historical value.

The field features a mix of international and Canadian players, with Leo Diegel holding the record for most victories with four. The event has staged thrilling moments and left an indelible mark on Canadian golf history.

#14 Australian PGA Championship

📍 Location: Queensland, Australia
📅 Established: 1905
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Participants: 156 players

The Australian PGA Championship, co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia and European Tour, is the flagship event in Australian golf. The tournament has an illustrious history, hosting top international and local talent.

Kel Nagle, a celebrated Australian golfer, holds the record with six titles. The event contributes greatly to the growth and reputation of golf in Australia, showcasing the country’s best golf courses and players.

#15 Walker Cup

📍 Location: Varies between the USA and Great Britain & Ireland
📅 Established: 1922
🔄 Held: Every 2 years
👥 Teams: 2 teams (USA and Great Britain & Ireland)

The Walker Cup is a prestigious biennial amateur golf competition between the United States and Great Britain & Ireland. Organized by the USGA and The R&A, the event follows a team match play format and showcases up and coming golf talent from both sides of the Atlantic.

Preceding the Ryder Cup, the Walker Cup’s origin is traced to international matches featuring amateur golfers in 1921. The competition fosters sportsmanship and has become a breeding ground for future professional stars.

#16 Evian Championship

📍 Location: Évian-les-Bains, France
📅 Established: 1994
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Participants: 120 players

The Evian Championship, formerly known as the Evian Masters, is one of the five major championships in women’s golf. Sanctioned by the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour, the event takes place at the picturesque Evian Resort Golf Club.

Helen Alfredsson and Annika Sörenstam share the record for most victories with three each. The tournament’s picturesque setting, high-caliber field, and significant prize money contribute to its prestigious status in women’s golf.

#17 Major League Soccer (United States)

📍 Location: United States and Canada
📅 Established: 1996
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Teams: 27 club teams

Major League Soccer (MLS) represents football’s rise in North America. LA Galaxy leads with five MLS Cup wins. Although younger than its European counterparts, MLS has grown rapidly in popularity and talent, with clubs like Atlanta United and Seattle Sounders attracting large crowds and showcasing competitive play.

The league continues to expand, becoming an increasingly attractive destination for international footballers in the twilight of their careers.

#18 Eredivisie (The Netherlands)

📍 Location: The Netherlands
📅 Established: 1956
🔄 Held: Annually
👥 Teams: 18 club teams

The Eredivisie is the Netherlands’ top soccer showcase and has produced talents like Johan Cruyff. Ajax dominates with 35 titles. Famed for promoting youth and attractive play, the league is integral to Dutch football.

Historical powerhouses in the competition include Ajax, PSV Eindhoven, and Feyenoord, regularly battling for domestic supremacy. The Eredivisie’s entertaining style and reputation for player development have solidified its place in European football.

#19 The Solheim Cup

📍 Location: Varies between Europe and the USA
📅 Established: 1990
🔄 Held: Every 2 years
👥 Teams: 2 teams (USA and Europe)

The Solheim Cup is a biennial golf tournament for professional women golfers, contested between teams from the United States and Europe. Named after its founder, Norwegian businessman Karsten Solheim, it features a team match play format, similar to the Ryder Cup.

The event has been influential in promoting women’s golf and fostering rivalry between the two sides. The United States holds the all-time lead in Solheim Cup victories.