Last among equals

The USPGA trophy (r) is the least desirable Major

There is no doubt that if you asked the world's top golfers to list the Majors in order of importance, the USPGA would come last.

They might argue about which of the four tops the list, but the poor old USPGA is unlikely to figure.

Sure, it's a Major tournament and one that all professionals want to win, but for some reason it is missing that certain something.

It has been argued its position as the final Major of the season, coming hot on the heels of The Open, does not help.

Fifty years ago the limitations of air travel meant playing in The Open and the USPGA was not a realistic option.

In 1962 and 1963 Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus both complained that The Open and the USPGA were scheduled too close together.

Jack Nicklaus has won a joint record five USPGA's

But the credibility of the tournament had already been undermined in 1953 when Ben Hogan chose to travel to The Open, rather than play in the USPGA.

The USPGA only became a strokeplay event in 1958 when commercial pressures forced the tournament organisers to abandon the traditional matchplay format.

Some argued the change of format reduced the tournament from the world's most famous matchplay event to, at best, the fourth most important strokeplay championship.

Identity

However, it was the change of format that really cemented the USPGA's position as a Major.

The tournament has enjoyed its fair share of drama and tension, but in comparison with the other Majors it lacks identity.

Quite simply, there is no unique event or tradition that everyone associates with the tournament.

The winner at The Masters is handed the famous green jacket by the previous champion.

And the tournament is always played at Augusta, which helps to further enhance the sense of tradition, even though the USPGA is an older competition.

The US Open was an established tournament on a world-wide scale long before the first USPGA in 1916.

And The Open, beginning in 1860, is the oldest of them all.

The Championship is steeped in tradition and the Claret Jug is a cherished prize.

The USPGA simply lacks the elements that give the other three Majors their mystique.