Rory McIlroy, a two-time winner of The Players Championship, shared his views on whether the event should be considered golf's fifth major ahead of the 2026 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. While praising the tournament's quality, the Northern Irish golfer emphasized his traditionalist stance, preferring to keep the men's game at four majors. He suggested the PGA Championship return to its August slot to strengthen its identity.
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Speaking to the media before defending his title at the 2026 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Rory McIlroy addressed the ongoing debate about elevating The Players Championship to major status. The discussion has persisted since the event's inception in 1974, with recent sparks from the PGA Tour's "March is going to be major" campaign and Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee's social media post claiming it surpasses the existing four majors.
McIlroy, who has won the career Grand Slam and The Players twice, expressed enthusiasm for more majors in principle but stopped short of endorsing the change. "I'd love to have seven majors instead of five, that sounds great," he said with a smile. However, as a self-described traditionalist and historian of the game, he pointed to the men's four-major structure. "If you want to see what five major championships looks like, look at the women's game. I don't know how well that's went for them," McIlroy added.
He lauded The Players for its excellence without needing the major label. "I think from a player perspective it's amazing. I think from an on-site fan experience it's amazing. It's an amazing golf course, location, venue," McIlroy said. "But it's the Players. Like it doesn't need to be anything else... It stands on its own without the label, I guess."
McIlroy also noted that The Players has a stronger identity than the current PGA Championship, which he suggested should reclaim its August position as "glory's last shot." The Players is scheduled for March 12-15 at TPC Sawgrass. McIlroy's comments highlight the balance between tradition and innovation in professional golf scheduling.
