The PGA Championship is doing its part to move golf past its great schism.
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ThePGAChampionshipspentagoodhalf-centuryholdingdownanAugustspotonthecalendar.From1969to2018—withacoupleone-yearexceptions—thechampionshipwasanawkwardappendixtothemajorseason.ThePGAlackedtheelegantelitismoftheMasters,themuscularbrawnoftheU.S.OpenorthehistoricalgravitasoftheOpenChampionship,soit’shadtoscopeoutotherwaystoseparateitselffromitsthreemajorbrethren.
Someofitsattemptedsloganswereawkward,like“Glory’sLastShot,”whichobviouslynolongerapplies.Otherswere,well,simplyfactual—“Thestrongestfieldingolf”isinfacttrue,whenyouinvitemorethan150oftheworld’sbest,that’lloutdoallsmallerfields.
Now,thePGAChampionshiphasassumedanewidentity:Golf’sCasablanca.LikeHumphreyBogart’scafeinthemovieofthesamename,thePGAChampionshipisopeningitsfieldtoallofgolf’sbest,regardlessofwhichtourclaimsthem.SeveralLIVGolfplayerswhowouldnothaveotherwisequalifiedforamajor—likeTalorGooch,the2023LIVindividualchampion—received
