Top 10 Golf Tournaments Worldwide
With more than 700 individual golf tournaments included on the PGA tour each year and countless others that fall outside its scope, the game of golf has arguably never been more popular.
Yet with such numbers, it can become a little unclear which are the most popular or most lucrative and which title is the most sought after for golfers.
Here's our pick of the top 10 golf tournaments around the world.
What Are the Most Popular Golf Events?
1. The Masters
Could we really begin with anything else? The Masters has long cemented itself as the world's premier golf tournament, held each year at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.
Winning the hallowed green jacket represents the pinnacle of any golfer's career. With its storied past and legendary tales, this tournament is simply in a different league from everything else.
2. The Open (Formally the British Open)
We have to say that second and third places on our list are virtually neck and neck, but for pure historical sake, we've gone for what used to be referred to as the British Open but is now known simply as ‘The Open.’
As anybody who witnessed Tiger Woods' emotional finale at St Andrew's this year will attest, there is something truly magical about the Open, especially when held at golf's spiritual home in Scotland.
3. The U.S Open
The biggest U.S tournament outside the Masters is held each year on Father's Day and comes with one of the biggest total prize purses in golf (LIV aside, that is), currently totaling around $12 million.
While it doesn't have quite the European exposure as the Masters, the U.S Open is a massive deal for American golfing enthusiasts.
4. The PGA Championship
Despite being the least popular of the four majors, the PGA Championship is still a massive tournament that draws enormous crowds.
It may not have the glamor of the three tournaments that sit above it, but winning here guarantees participation in the other three majors for a five-year period and a lifetime opportunity to play on the U.S. PGA Tour.
5. The Ryder Cup
A tournament with a difference—the Ryder Cup is held every two years and pits the best 24 American golfers against the best 24 from Europe.
The U.S has had the upper hand in this competition for some time, but that doesn't mean there haven't been some astonishing stories in recent years—who can forget ‘the comeback’ in 1999?
6. The Players Championship
The most popular individual golf tournament outside the majors, the Players Championship is hosted at the Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass in Florida each year. Many players describe it as the ‘fifth major.’
Typically including the top 50 golfers in the PGA ranking, the Players also comes with a massive prize pool that at one time even eclipsed those tournaments higher on this list.
7. The Memorial Tournament
Held at the Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, every year, the Memorial Tournament is truly special. Owned by the legendary Jack Nicklaus, who still tweaks the course each year to add a little spice to play, the Memorial offers professional golfers the opportunity to tip their hats to one of the game's all-time greats.
It’s also one of only five tournaments with an ‘invitational’ status. It means a slightly reduced field and a competition that everybody is lining up to watch.
8. The Tour Championship
Often described as the crowning event of the PGA Tour, the Tour Championship includes the 30 biggest earners of the season as it draws to its exciting conclusion. The tournament has been tweaked several times over the last couple of decades.
Since 2019, the winner has also been crowned the FedEx Cup champion and awarded the Calamity Jane trophy, a solver replica of Bobby Jones's original "Calamity Jane" putter.
9. The Arnold Palmer Invitational
Another of those regal non-major classics with an iconic name attached to it, the Arnold Palmer Invitational is held annually at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Florida, which Palmer has owned since 1974.
It may not be flush with prize money or even represent a particularly challenging round of golf, but it continues to draw huge crowds and stellar lineups.
10. LIV Team Championship
Many will debate this final choice—especially considering the maiden event hasn't even occurred yet. However, the LIV Golf Invitational Series Team Championship, which will be held at Trump National Doral in Miami this October, is set to be a tournament that will shake golf to its very foundations.
It will be the richest golf tournament in history, with a reported prize purse of $50 million. It will no doubt draw viewers and crowds to match.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Biggest Golf Major?
The Masters has long been the biggest of golf's four major tournaments, and it's hard to see that changing anytime soon. With the LIV lurking, it may not be the richest competition, but its regal history is unparalleled.
How Many International Golf Tournaments Are There?
There are technically more than 700 golf tournaments on the PGA Tour, but only 48 are classed as elite competitions, with four considered majors and only five deemed invitationals.
Attending a Golf Tournament? Shop Stitch Golf Apparel Today!
If you're lucky enough to be able to attend one of the tournaments on our list, then you're in for a real treat. There's nothing quite like the murmured excitement of witnessing one of golf's great tournaments in the flesh.
But if you are attending, make sure you look the part. Turning up at Augusta in a torn pair of Levi's and a grubby white shirt just won't do, so make sure you head on to Stitch Golf beforehand for the golfing apparel you need to look your best for the big day.