Major Championships
The Golf Majors
The four men's major championships are the most prestigious events in professional golf. Each year, the world's best players compete for the Masters, PGA Championship, US Open, and The Open Championship.
What Are the Golf Majors?
In professional men's golf, the four major championships represent the pinnacle of the sport. Winning any one of them is the ambition of every tour professional — winning all four (the Career Grand Slam) is an achievement only five men have achieved.
The four men's majors are played each spring and summer, spanning from April through July:
In addition to the four individual majors, two team events are sometimes referred to as "majors" in their own right: the Ryder Cup (Europe vs USA, held every two years) and the Solheim Cup (the women's equivalent). These are not majors in the traditional stroke-play sense, but their prestige and public profile matches that of the individual majors.
2026 Majors Schedule
The Masters
April 9-12, 2026
Augusta National Golf Club, Georgia
US Open
June 18-21, 2026
Oakmont Country Club, Pennsylvania
The Open Championship
July 16-19, 2026
Royal Birkdale, Southport, England
The Four Majors — An Introduction
The Masters
Augusta National Golf Club, Georgia
The only major played at the same venue every year. Founded in 1934 by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts, The Masters is known for its pristine course, the iconic green jacket awarded to the champion, the Par 3 Contest on Wednesday, and the drama of Amen Corner — holes 11, 12, and 13 where The Masters is so often won or lost.
- Always at Augusta National, Georgia
- Prize: The Green Jacket
- Invitation-only field
- Famous for Amen Corner (holes 11-13)
PGA Championship
Rotating venues, USA
Organised by the PGA of America, the PGA Championship is renowned for having the strongest field of any major. The top 100 players in the world rankings automatically qualify, along with PGA members and past champions. The trophy is the famous Wanamaker Trophy — the largest and heaviest of all four major trophies.
- Organised by the PGA of America
- Trophy: The Wanamaker Trophy
- Automatic entry for world top 100
- Rotates across US courses
US Open
Rotating venues, USA
Organised by the USGA, the US Open is known as "the toughest test in golf." The USGA deliberately sets courses up to be extremely demanding — narrow fairways, thick rough, and lightning-fast greens. Unlike other majors, qualifying is genuinely open to any professional or amateur meeting the handicap requirements, living up to its name.
- Organised by the USGA
- Toughest course setup of any major
- Open qualifying for amateurs & pros
- Trophy: The US Open Championship Trophy
The Open Championship
UK links courses
The oldest major in golf, founded in 1860 and organised by The R&A. The Open is the only major played outside North America, contested on the traditional links courses of Britain and Ireland. The champion is awarded the Claret Jug. Known for unpredictable weather, firm fairways, pot bunkers, and the unique challenge of true seaside links golf.
- Oldest of the four majors (since 1860)
- Organised by The R&A
- Trophy: The Claret Jug
- UK/Ireland links courses only
2025 Major Champions
Where results fall outside our confirmed data window, we indicate this clearly. Always verify at official sources.
| Tournament | Winner | Score | Venue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters 2025 | Rory McIlroy | -12 | Augusta National | Completed his Career Grand Slam |
| PGA Championship 2025 | Scottie Scheffler | -17 | Quail Hollow Club, NC | Please verify at pga.com |
| US Open 2025 | To be confirmed | — | Oakmont Country Club, PA | Verify at usga.org |
| The Open 2025 | To be confirmed | — | Royal Portrush, N. Ireland | Verify at theopen.com |
2024 Major Champions (Confirmed)
| Tournament | Winner | Score | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters 2024 | Scottie Scheffler | -11 | Augusta National Golf Club |
| PGA Championship 2024 | Xander Schauffele | -21 | Valhalla Golf Club, KY |
| US Open 2024 | Bryson DeChambeau | -6 | Pinehurst No. 2, NC |
| The Open Championship 2024 | Xander Schauffele | -9 | Royal Troon, Scotland |
The Career Grand Slam
The Career Grand Slam means winning all four major championships at least once during a professional career. It is the ultimate individual achievement in golf. Only five players in history have achieved this feat:
Note: Several players have come agonisingly close to the Career Grand Slam but never completed it, including Sam Snead and Arnold Palmer.
Most Major Championships
The all-time leaders in major championship victories:
| Player | Majors |
|---|---|
| Jack Nicklaus | 18 |
| Tiger Woods | 15 |
| Walter Hagen | 11 |
| Ben Hogan | 9 |
| Gary Player | 9 |
| Tom Watson | 8 |
How to Watch the Majors in the UK
The Masters
Sky Sports Golf provides full live coverage. BBC Sport typically offers highlights and some live coverage. Masters.com also streams internationally.
PGA Championship
Sky Sports Golf is the primary UK broadcaster for the PGA Championship. Check the Sky Sports website and app for live streaming.
US Open
Sky Sports Golf broadcasts the US Open live in the UK. BBC Sport may carry some coverage depending on the year's rights arrangements.
The Open Championship
The Open has traditionally been broadcast free-to-air on BBC Sport (BBC Two/One and iPlayer). Sky Sports Golf also carries full coverage.