PGA Championship in Match-play format

Loire

I think we'll all agree that the PGA is a bit of a damp squib. I've often wondered if it was match-play would it be better. Match-play is IMO a very important format and deserves a major - can you imagine the pressure though....one man against the other man for a major!

Edit - just looking at wikipedia and it actually was match-play until 1957...

BigChap1759

Sorry but couldn't disagree with you more - I actually think the USPGA has come on a lot in the last few years with far more world golfers competing and winning.

The Majors are The Majors, you can't just go changing them willy nilly!

There is already the WGC match play, why do we need another?

mike12

The USPGA are talking of moving the tournmanent around the globe, Portrush has been mentioned as a possiability. Would be great to see them do 1 year in 4 somewhere bar the USA.

Senna

I think it should be worldwide excluding the USA, they have two already, so it could be a different country every year

slave1

It would be bought by the likes of China....

Senna

Nothing wrong with it being in China one year, it's a major so the field would follow it. There is a strong push to encourage golf in emerging markets, so Asia would definitely be a target

HighLine

Senna wrote: »

Nothing wrong with it being in China one year, it's a major so the field would follow it. There is a strong push to encourage golf in emerging markets, so Asia would definitely be a target

I couldn't possibly disagree more. The strong push of emerging markets can go shove it.

Senna

And people wonder why does golf have an elitist attitude. What's wrong with getting more people involved in the game.
Irish tourism have been promoting Irish golf I Asia all this year, hopefully it will pay off in 2015.

PARlance

Senna wrote: »

And people wonder why does golf have an elitist attitude. What's wrong with getting more people involved in the game.
Irish tourism have been promoting Irish golf I Asia all this year, hopefully it will pay off in 2015.

Not wanting a major in China isn't being elitist imo. I wouldn't want one there for selfish reasons, it'd be on in the middle of the night. It wouldn't suite the US or European audiences.

There are plenty of tour events that can be held there. Let them stage a PGA tour event would be my suggestion. There's no point forcing a field to attend by hosting a major there, bring a regular tour event there and test out what numbers attend would be my first step.

And golf in China is probably one of the most elitist sports there. It's generally just for the incredibly wealthy. So you could easily argue that staging a major there is encouraging elitism.

Senna

There is the a good few comps in China, remember Watson holding out of the bunker on 18 last week to force a play off, that was in China, plus many more.
Can't see how holding a major in a country would do anything other than publicise it to a larger percentage of the population.
Golf might be reserved for the wealthy at the moment, but considering the amount of courses, it's equivalent of one 9 hole course for the whole of Ireland, you would be dam sure it would only be the mega rich playing in Ireland too if that was the case.
Anyway China was only mentioned as one country, moving it around the world would be great, just not keeping it in one country all the time.
Matchplay would be even better, but can't see that happening.

cairny

Matchplay doesn't really work on TV, great for the first few days but the final is 4 hours with about 120 meaningful shots, it's just not enough action. Ryder Cup format gets it over that hurdle but can't see how it would work for a Major.

Senna

That is true, but the wgc matchplay is great and I watched every minute of the final, but maybe not enough for most people.

aster99

Would be hard from a viewing point of view. Depending on who was in final there could be little interest by finish of tournament.
Imagine a final between Jim furyk vs Keegan Bradley. How could you sit and watch that with the pre shot routines, slow play, etc.

mike12

The luck involved in matchplay should mean it should never be used to decide a major.
You can have one guy lose shooting 7 under and someone go thru a round shooting 3 over in a tournament he would be 10 shots behind and out of the running.