Important details and the defending champions
We go over all the golf majors action for 2024: dates, courses and defending champions.
When it comes to professional golf, there is more drama off the course than on it.
The whole PGA-LIV thing was an inevitable topic of conversation, as shown in Netflix‘S Full of momentum Documentary series. And if it was the elephant in the room in the 2023 tournaments, now it’s the Antarctic blue whale in the room.
But while the future of professional golf is still up in the air, negotiations surrounding the major PGA and LIV merger continue.
What is certain is that the golf majors will be a must in 2024; In fact, there are no fewer than five tournaments that shouldn’t be missed.
With another year of premier golf majors on our doorstep, here’s everything you need to know about the sport’s biggest events in 2024.
Golf majors 2024: calendar, important details, results
In the run-up to the golf majors, the focus is, as usual, on the PGA Tour’s “unofficial fifth major,” The Players. And given the prize money and prestige, it’s worth including as we go through the biggest golf events on the calendar.
*The Players ChampionshipTPC Sawgrass: June 14-17 March
*The unofficial fifth major
The masterAugusta National Golf Club: Aug. 8-14 April
The PGA ChampionshipValhalla Golf Club: 13-19 May
US OpenPinehurst Resort (No. 2): 10-16 June
British OpenRoyal Troon Golf Club: 15-21 July
Here’s how to look at each golf major
Wondering how to watch the golf major in 2024?
The Players Championship and all four golf majors are available to watch and stream live on Foxtel Kayo.
Who are the defending champions of each golf major?
Scottie Scheffler – The Players, 2023
At TPC Sawgrass in 2023, American Scottie Scheffler won a whopping $25 million with an impressive finish of 17 under.
Although this is not considered one of the four golf majors, it does have one of the largest tournaments and is considered an important event on the tour.
Jon Rahm – The Masters, 2023
Brooks Koepka’s terrible final round at Augusta cost the American a green jacket, while Spaniard Jon Rahm cruised home with a four-shot victory.
With only his second golf major title, Rahm is one of the top golfers not switching to LIV Golf.
Brooks Koepka – PGA Championship, 2023
After “stifling” the Masters a month earlier, Koepka bounced back to claim his third PGA title in six years.
The LIV golfer had an incredible 2023 and will be a serious contender to win more golf majors this year.
Wyndham Clark – US Open, 2023
Clark made his name known to the world in June 2023 after defeating superstar Rory McIlroy by one shot at the Los Angeles Country Club.
Rue missed chances and shot an even round with Clark on the final day, although by the end of the third day Rickie Fowler – who will be featured in Netflix’s first live event The Netflix Cup – was tied for the lead and five over lap.
Brian Harman – British Open, 2023
It was a dominant performance from Harman in Liverpool in July 2023, as the American won the Open Championship by six shots.
Previously, Harman’s next golf major victory was a runner-up finish at the US Open in 2017, plus a T-13 at the PGA Championship and a T-12 at Augusta.
Which of the four golf majors are LIV players eligible for?
All four.
Despite concerns and confusion about whether golfers who defected to the LIV Tour could still play in the majors, they were and are able to do so.
The PGA of America had updated its eligibility requirements for the 2023 PGA Championship, announcing what was the final piece of the golf majors puzzle. Ironically, an LIV player ended up taking the title – Brooks Koepka.
Previously, the championship’s bylaws required that players “must be PGA of America members in order to compete in the PGA Championship earned through their membership on the PGA Tour.”
We’ll have to wait and see how exactly all the rules play out now that the dust has settled on this huge merger news. In early 2023, LIV golfers were banned from the PGA Tour
However, since the golf majors are governed by different associations, the rules and laws are slightly different for each of them, allowing them to play.