Why the PGA Championship Was Better as Golf’s Final Major

Earlier this season, as Rory McIlroy was pontificating on a number of topics, a reporter asked him whether The Players Championship should be considered golf’s formal fifth major. And while McIlroy was against the idea, he mentioned it has “more of an identity than the PGA Championship does at the minute.”

When prompted for what the PGA Championship’s identity should be, McIlroy didn’t hesitate. “I think ‘Glory’s last shot,’” he said. “I think it needs to go back to August.”

Neither half of this response should be surprising. McIlroy is ever the traditionalist when it comes to the sport he knows and loves.

But it is food for thought, as the PGA Championship’s move from August to May in 2019 has not proved popular around the sport. A return to August was even posed to PGA of America leadership Wednesday ahead of the major’s first round Thursday at Aronimink Golf Club.

In so many words, their answer was no.

“I really think we’ve got a strong position in May,” new PGA of America CEO Terry Clark said amid a greater monologue. “Certainly I’m always going to look at what could make us better, but not actively looking at, ‘Should we look and move this to later or back to August.’”

We can talk about the ever-changing PGA Tour schedule, the Olympic disruption every four years, the earlier FedEx Cup playoffs and all the rest. But there are three clear reasons why the PGA Championship was better when it was the final major on the schedule.

1. Agronomy

Let’s cover this one first, as I know many will have their eyes glaze over.

PGA of America chief championships officer Kerry Haigh said playing the major in August meant dealing with 100-degree days and thunderstorms. Certainly not ideal for fitting four rounds of golf into four days.

But playing in May in the northern half of the U.S. (like Aronimink, outside Philadelphia) means there’s hardly enough time for the course’s grass to grow in properly. Haigh acknowledged that made for “stressful” golf course conditioning.

The PGA Tour no longer frequents Boston, New York, Philly or Washington, but at least the PGA Championship is returning to New Jersey, Maryland and New York state four times between 2029 and 2035. Well, those fans deserve to see championship golf on courses in peak condition. If the tradeoff is coping with August heat, I’m sure many spectators would take the deal.

2. Variety

But think about other regions and their golf lovers, fans who don’t get a major come through once in a blue moon. Minnesota. Wisconsin. The Pacific Northwest. Because of the climate, their courses aren’t ready in May. August dates would open up these new possibilities (and some not-so-new -- Whistling Straits in Wisconsin and Hazeltine in Minnesota were recurring hosts effectively kicked out of the PGA’s rotation with the date change).

If there is a region of the country that’s already been deprived of top-tier golf events enough, it’s the North. The PGA of America folks on Wednesday touted the variety of their championship venues -- 75 in 108 years. That rings hollow when it’s going to be contained to about 12 venues in eight or so states for the foreseeable future.

3. Identity

McIlroy referenced the PGA Championship’s old slogan, “Glory’s Last Shot,” which resonated with golf fans of a certain age. It meant the Masters, U.S. Open and Open Championship had come and gone, and this major was the sign that the season is winding down.

It apparently motivated at least some of the golfers, too. Your last shot at a major until next April. Time to get serious, put up or shut up.

If we’re talking about starting the PGA Tour season in February or bringing the Tour Championship to California, then all ideas are on the table for reshaping the golf calendar. As it stands, four majors in four months is cramped for the players and rushes the meat of the season a bit for sports fans. Even if you have to hold the PGA in May during Olympic years, a return back to August the rest of the time would be welcome for so many of the key stakeholders, in so many ways.