Players doesn't need to be fifth major - McIlroy

Rory McIlroy has won five major championships and the Players Championship twice

World number two Rory McIlroy says the Players Championship has "more of an identity" than the US PGA Championship but does not believe the tournament should become men's golf's fifth major.

The 36-year-old, from County Down in Northern Ireland, became just the sixth man to win each of the sport's four majors - the Masters, US Open, Open Championship and US PGA Championship - in April when he earned a first Green Jacket at Augusta National to complete the career Grand Slam.

The Players, held in March at TPC Sawgrass, has long been nicknamed 'the fifth major', and used to boast of the strongest field in golf, although has been without a number of big names since the start of LIV Golf in 2022.

Last week, the tournament began a promotional campaign for this year's edition with the tagline 'March is going to be major'.

While women's golf already has five majors, McIlroy does not feel the men's game needs to expand its own designation.

"Look, I'd love to have seven majors instead of five, that sounds great," McIlroy said referencing his two previous Players Championships to go alongside his five majors.

"I think the Players is one of the best golf tournaments in the world. I don't think anyone disputes that or argues that. 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.

"But I'm a traditionalist, I'm a historian of the game. We have four major championships. 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 also called for the US PGA Championship to be moved back to August.

His PGA titles in 2012 and 2014 came when the tournament was held in August, but since 2019, it has been staged in May in between the Masters and US Open.

When it was the final major of the year, it was branded 'glory's last shot', and McIlroy believes "it needs to go back to August" to regain that identity.

"The Players, it doesn't need to be anything else. I would say it's got more of an identity than the PGA Championship does at the minute," he added before making his 2026 PGA Tour debut with the defence of his Pebble Beach Pro-Am title on Thursday.

"So from an identity standpoint, I think the Players has got it nailed. It stands on its own without the label, I guess."

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