PGA Tour
With your tour guide,
Anne P. Mitchell
| Summary: The PGA Tour organizes and runs some of the most popular golf tours on the planet. Professional golfers compete in these tours to win money, fame, and prestige. The PGA Tour includes tournaments in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. |
The PGA Tour organizes and runs some of the most popular golf tours on the planet. Professional golfers compete in these tours to win money, fame, and prestige. The PGA Tour includes tournaments in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.
PGA stands for Professional Golfer’s Association. Based in Florida, the PGA Tour is an organization that is actually separate from the PGA of America. While this may sound confusing, it is helpful to remember that the PGA Tour runs three distinct golf tours: the PGA Tour, the Champions Tour, and the Nationwide Tour.
The PGA Tour itself is prestigious, and golfers battle each season to earn the right to play in the following season’s tour. Top money makers and those who win multiple tournaments on the tours receive privileges on other tours, making the competition even steeper. Every year, the PGA Tour runs a qualifying round to whittle down those golfers who receive privileges to play on the tour. The top 125 golfers from the previous season are granted an automatic pass and do not need to qualify.
The PGA Tour consists of about 50 tournaments per year. The tournaments begin in January, and travel across the U.S. according to weather patterns. Beginning in Hawaii, the tour moves to Arizona, California, and Florida, then moves on to the southwestern states such as Georgia and South Carolina. After touring the ret of the country, the PGA Tour hits one tournament each in Canada, Mexico, and the U.K. The season ends in early November.
Four tournaments on the PGA Tour are known as The Majors. These are The Masters in Georgia, The U.S. Open in varying locations, The British Open in Scotland, and the PGA Championship in Illinois. These are the largest and most influential golf events in the world, drawing hundreds of hopefuls every year.
Another prestigious stop on the PGA Tour is the Ryder Cup. This is a team event, where the top twelve golfers in the United States battle the top twelve golfers from Europe. Playing in the Ryder Cup is a huge honor for those golfers fortunate enough to earn an invitation. The prize is a trophy that has been passed back and forth between nations since 1926.
The PGA Tour continues to draw fans, especially with such high profile participants as Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. For golfers, it is the biggest and best tour to participate in, for monetary rewards, recognition, and fame.
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