In golf, there are wins, and then there are Majors – events that elevate players from champions to legends and each year draw thousands of golf enthusiasts to the different courses. The Open Championship, the Masters, the PGA Championship and the US Open are more than just another four tournaments. They are the heartbeats of the sport, each with its own history and trials that forge the game’s greatest names.
In golf, nothing compares to winning a Major— victories that immortalize players and transform champions into legends. These huge, iconic events draw thousands of fans to some of the world’s leading courses. The Open Championship, the Masters, the PGA Championship, and the U.S. Open are more than just four prestigious tournaments; they are the heartbeats of the sport, each with its own history and challenges that shape the game’s greatest names.
While there are no Majors in Africa, the continent hosts several high-profile tournaments that are televised worldwide. The biggest of these include the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City, the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek near Kruger National Park, the Mauritius Open, and the prestigious Magical Kenya Open.
We offer a range of incredible golfing experiences that include playing these prestigious tournaments and many of South Africa’s top courses, including Fancourt Luxury Hotel and Golf Resort, which has hosted the Presidents Cup.
Below, we’ve put together a summary of the four Majors, along with some notable achievements for you to explore.
Open Championship
As golf’s original Major and the world’s oldest tournament, The Open Championship boasts a rich history. The inaugural event in 1860 was held at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Willie Park Sr. claimed victory. The famous Claret Jug was first awarded in 1873 and replaced the Challenge Belt. Winners also take home a gold medal, awarded since 1872. Unlike the Jug, however, the gold medal is theirs to keep. The top amateur gets a silver medal, provided he makes the cut. The Open’s playoff format over four holes to determine the winner is unique in golf. If still tied, the playoff goes to sudden death.
This year’s Open will be played at Portrush, Northern Ireland, and Mark our CEO lives in Belfast and already has his ticket safely tucked away and can’t wait to get up and hopefully cheer another local winner on like last time when Shane Lowry won the event at Portrush.
Most wins: Harry Vardon – 6 (1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, 1914)
2025: 13-20 July – Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland





Masters
Did you know the Augusta National Golf Club, home to the legendary Masters, wasn’t always a course? It started as a plant nursery, purchased by the club from a hotel chain that ran out of money. The Masters began as the Augusta National Invitational in 1934 and only became the Masters in 1939. That year, Ralph Guldahl triumphed by one stroke over Sam Snead. Fans, or “patrons” of the Masters aren’t allowed to bring phones onto the course. It wasn’t until 1983 that players could use their own caddies, as before, Augusta provided them. They wear distinctive white boiler suits and green caps. The Masters Trophy, introduced in 1961, is a stunning English-made masterpiece, featuring over 900 pieces of silver. The famous green jacket is reserved for Augusta National members and golfers who win the Masters. Jackets are kept on club grounds, and taking them off the premises is forbidden.
Most wins: Jack Nicklaus – 6 (1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986)
2025: 10-13 April – Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia, USA

PGA Championship
The PGA Championship’s rich history is full of surprising twists and unforgettable records. Between 1916 and 1957, the PGA Championship was a match-play. The standard 72-hole competition over four days was introduced in 1958. The first Wanamaker Trophy was claimed by Jim Barnes in 1916 at Siwanoy Country Club in New York. Walter Hagen, a five-time champion alongside Jack Nicklaus, first won in 1921, defeating Barnes. After his last win in 1927, the trophy went missing for years. It was only discovered in 1930 in the basement of the company that made Hagen’s clubs. Unlike other Majors, the PGA Championship does not invite amateurs. Gene Sarazen made history as the youngest winner in 1922 at just 20. Phil Mickelson broke records as the oldest winner in 2021, triumphing at 50 years old.
Most wins: Walter Hagen – 5 (1921, 1924–27) / Jack Nicklaus – 5 (1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980)
2025: 15-18 May – Quail Hollow Golf Club, Charlotte, North Carolina
US Open
Held at the nine-hole Newport Golf and Country Club with just 11 participants in 1895, the first US Open was overshadowed by the more prestigious US Amateur. The tournament however grew in stature over the years and finally adopted its iconic four-day, 18-hole structure in 1965. A dramatic twist occurred in 1946 when the original US Open trophy was destroyed in a fire at Lloyd Mangrum’s clubhouse. The famous trophy, now housed at the USGA Museum, is a sterling silver icon that winners cherish for a year before returning it. Tiger Woods has etched his name in history by winning the US Junior Amateur, US Amateur, and US Open three times each. Meanwhile, Arnold Palmer made an unforgettable comeback in 1960, rallying from seven strokes behind to claim victory.
Most wins: Willie Anderson, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus – 4 each
2025: 12-15 June – Oakmont Country Club, Plum, Pennsylvania, USA
Other epic tournaments
Beyond the Majors, golf fans also eagerly anticipate team events like the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup, where national and international rivalries create thrilling match-play drama. The Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa, often called Africa’s Major, attracts top talent with its high stakes and rich history.


