Rory McIlroy has declared that men's golf does not need a fifth major championship, opposing recent suggestions to elevate the PGA Tour's Players Championship to major status.
"The Players Championship is one of the best golf tournaments in the world, but men's golf should maintain its current four-major system," McIlroy said at a press conference on Tuesday ahead of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. The Northern Irish golfer will defend his title at the tournament, which begins Thursday at Pebble Beach Golf Links in California, marking his first PGA Tour appearance of the season.
The Players Championship, established in 1974, is often called "the fifth major" to distinguish it from the four traditional majors: the Masters, PGA Championship, US Open, and The Open. Despite its relatively short history, the tournament commands de facto major status within the tour due to its largest purse—$25 million this year. The PGA Tour recently fueled upgrade discussions by releasing messaging calling "March is Major" month. The Players Championship will be held March 13-16 at its permanent home, TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
"Honestly, it would be great if there were seven majors instead of five," McIlroy joked before adding, "I'm a traditionalist and someone who values golf history. There are four majors." He continued, "I think the Players Championship is one of the best tournaments in the world. No one would disagree with that." McIlroy, a five-time major champion, won the Players Championship in 2019 and again last year.
Meanwhile, McIlroy was effusive in his praise of world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, whom he will face for the first time this year at this week's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. "Last year, after winning the Masters, I didn't show the consistency I wanted," said McIlroy, currently ranked second in the world. "Scheffler finished in the top 10 in 17 consecutive tournaments. Just look at last week (Phoenix Open)—he shot 2-over par on the first day but came back to give himself a chance to win on Sunday (tied for third). He's really tenacious, and he's the first player since Tiger Woods to show such consistent performance."