Will the Players Championship Become a Major? PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp Sounds Off

Less than a minute into his opening statement Wednesday, Rolapp cleared the air on one of the sport’s most polarizing conversations.

New PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp shut down talk about whether the Players Championship is a major. | Doug Engle-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp stepped up to the podium Wednesday morning in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., for his long-awaited Players Championship week press conference. 

Less than a minute into his opening statement, he cleared the air on one of the sport’s most polarizing debates. 

“We take a lot of pride in the Players [Championship],” Rolapp said, “and with all the major talk, some may say even too much pride. Ultimately, that [the Players being a major] is not for us to decide. But what is clear is that fans, players and partners consider this to be one of the best tournaments in the world, and we are honored to showcase it this week.”

The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, the PGA Tour’s flagship tournament, has long been considered the unofficial fifth major, though that moniker has soured in recent years with many star players who defected to LIV Golf unable to tee it up in the event, weakening its field. 

However, earlier this year, the PGA Tour leaned into that messaging, promoting the event with the tag line, “March is going to be major.” And that stirred up controversy in the golf world. 

So, a few questions into Rolapp’s presser, he was asked about that marketing scheme and what its intention was. 

“Our marketing department’s really effective,” Rolapp said. “They made one commercial spot, and we’re all having this conversation, which is really interesting. Kudos to them. 

“Listen, the talk on if this should be a major, should it not be a major, I’ve learned a lot. I’m not entirely sure how majors become majors; the history is really interesting to study. There used to be more majors. There’s fewer majors.”

March is going to be ... pic.twitter.com/Gd0NDgAMgK

— THE PLAYERS (@THEPLAYERS) February 5, 2026

Some feel the Players Championship already boasts that status, even if it technically doesn’t. Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee, a former PGA Tour winner, is one of them. 

“When you look at the Players Championship—with all due respect to the other four major championships—it is the best field in golf,” Chamblee said during the WM Phoenix Open. “It is the deepest field in golf. And by virtue of the fact that in its 50-year history, only one player has successfully defended it, I would argue that it is the hardest major championship to win. All the others have had far more successful defenses.”

Chamblee added: “So, in every single way that a metric could be used to measure whether something is a major, the Players, to me, stands alone and above the other four major championships … it is, in my estimation, the best major.”

Last week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, five-time Tour champion Russell Henley echoed a similar sentiment. 

“I think it’s a major,” Henley said. “It’s our [the PGA Tour’s] home tournament. I don’t know the statistics on like what they say, like best field in golf or whatever, but, I mean, it is. And the history with that tournament? I mean, I’ve always considered that a major in my mind. It’s just such a tricky golf course, and it rewards great shots.”

In an effort to enhance the Players Championship’s status, there has been chatter about opening the field to LIV players. Rolapp, however, shut that down. 

“That’s not sort of a priority I’ve put on my list,” Rolapp said. “So that’s not something I’ve sort of considered to date. There’s other priorities other than that.”

And in 2019, the event moved from May to March. As Rolapp mulls an overhaul to the schedule, could the Players move back to its old date? 

“I think we’re open to anything,” he said. “I think in our discussions, moving this tournament has not been part of it. It seems to work well here. I think we like it here. So while we are really operating with a blank sheet of paper, to date, we have not discussed moving the date of this tournament.”

But regardless of whether it’s a major or not, or in May or March, 123 of the world’s best players will tee it up and vie for part of a $25 million purse, the largest on Tour. Most importantly, though, the champion will claim one of the sport’s most prestigious titles. 

“What is important is that this is a pretty special event and I think among the best events in golf,” Rolapp said. “So I think anyone you talk to, players, fans, partners, they will tell you the same thing, and I think that should be celebrated.”