The Major Golf Tournaments in 2015 – Men’s Golf

This year sees the four majors take place at a real variety of courses. There’s a mix of brand new courses hosting their first Major tournament, as well as the British Open returning to the home of golf, a place that has been established for hundreds of years.

Most players are already fine tuning their game to get ready for the first Major of the year at Augusta in April, but beyond that lies a summer of three of the most exciting golf events of the year and there’s a real chance that some new names could be on Major trophies come the end of 2015.

Here’s a quick look at when and where the men’s golf majors will be fought for in 2015.

The Major Championships in 2015

April 9^th to 12^th –  The Masters – Augusta, Georgia

Current Holder – Bubba Watson (USA)

Venue: If it is April, then it has to be Augusta and The Masters. Indeed, this event has become almost synonymous with the start of the summer golfing season across the globe as the world’s finest players tackle some of the most famous holes in golf, including the notorious Amen’s Corner.

Last year, Bubba Watson won his second Masters in three years but this year all the eyes will be on Irish ace Rory McIlroy, who will be seeking his first Masters win and his fifth Major title, which would give him the Grand Slam of winning all Major titles by the age of 25.

The course has been heavily modified both artificially and naturally, as in 2014 when an ice storm severely damaged the Eisenhower Tree and saw the tree that had infuriated a president, removed from the course (and replaced with a newer tree that offers a different, but no less daunting challenge).

Augusta is always a real test of golf, but immaculately presented and this year with spring in full bloom, it will once again usher in a spectacular start to the summer season of top quality golf.

June 18^th to 21^st – The US Open – Chambers Bay, Washington State

Current Holder – Martin Kaymer (Germany)

Venue: The elite of world golf will make a somewhat unusual trip to the far northwestern corner of the United States this summer to play at the publicly owned Chambers Bay Golf Course, in the picturesque setting of Washington State.

The course was only opened in 2007 and was originally a sand and gravel quarry but Robert Trent Jones Jr was tasked with turning the 930 acre piece of land into a high quality course.

Chambers Bay hosted its first real test in 2010 when it was host to the US Amateur title and it was confirmed as one of the American elite courses when it was handed the opportunity to host the 2015 US Open in 2008, just a year after it first opened its doors to paying players.

One interesting point of note about the course is that the greens do not have fringes, with the greens transitioning to fairway without any shorter grass in between.

The Championship tees will provide a stern test for the world’s best at 7,585 yards

July 16^th to 19^th – The Open Championship – St Andrews, Scotland

Current Holder – Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland)

Venue: If Chambers Bay represents the new age of golf, then at the third Major of the year, we will be celebrating the fine traditions and ancient history of the game as the 144^th Open Championship takes place on the famous links of St. Andrews.

Once dismissed memorably by Rory McIlroy as a “pitch and putt course”, the famous Old Course has been extended in recent years to a 7,305 yard test for the world’s finest golfers, although not all improvements to the course have met with universal approval.

In July, 156 players will convene at the famous Hotel close to the first tee and 18^th green to tee off after several months of qualifying tournaments all around the globe, all aiming to follow Rory McIlroy and get their name etched onto the famous Claret Jug.

Some interesting features of St Andrews can include unseasonal weather (indeed, the last time the event was held at the course, very high winds caused postponement of play due to it causing balls to move on the greens) and massive double greens which will sorely test the putting skills of even the finest with the short stick.

August 13^th to 16^th – The USPGA Championships – Whistling Straits, Wisconsin

Current Holder – Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland)

Venue: Whistling Straits, another relatively recent course which first opened its doors in 1998, will host its third USPGA Championship in 2015. The course first hosted the event back in 2014, when Vijay Singh won the event. In 2010 Whistling Straits was once again the venue for the USPGA, this time German Martin Kaymer taking the title.

The Straits course sits in prime position alongside the shores of Lake Michigan and as such, has a very links feel. With winds sweeping in from the lake, deep bunkers and large greens, this is arguably as ‘European’ a course as exists within the United States.

The course is also very long at 7,514 yards, meaning accuracy from the tee at the par 72 course is an absolute must if you are to have any chance of taking the title.

Rory McIlroy will be defending the PGA title he won in 2014 at Valhalla and with $1.8m up for grabs for the winner, this is a Major that any top player would be desperate to win, especially in such beautiful surroundings.