PGA Championship vs Masters: How the Two Biggest Majors Compare

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The Masters and the PGA Championship are the two American majors — and two of the four most prestigious events in professional golf. They are also fundamentally different in almost every way, from their format and field to their courses and traditions. Here is how the two major championships compare.

The Field

The Masters has the most exclusive field in golf — typically 80 to 100 players who qualify through a specific set of criteria including world ranking, past Masters titles, and recent tournament wins. The PGA Championship fields 156 players and is the only major that includes PGA of America club professionals alongside the world's best tour players. This makes the PGA Championship field simultaneously larger and more professionally diverse than the Masters.

The Format

Both tournaments are 72-hole stroke play events. The Masters features a 36-hole cut to the top 50 players and ties. The PGA Championship features a 36-hole cut to the top 70 players and ties — a more inclusive cut that keeps more players in the weekend. Both tournaments can extend to sudden-death playoffs if tied after 72 holes.

The Venue

The Masters is played at the same course every year — Augusta National Golf Club — creating a tradition of familiarity and accumulated history that no other major can match. Players spend their entire careers studying Augusta National and developing strategies refined over years of experience. The PGA Championship rotates between venues, which means players must adapt to a new course each year. This year's venue, Aronimink Golf Club, last hosted a PGA Championship in 1962.

The Trophy

The Masters champion receives a green jacket — one of the most iconic garments in sport — presented by the previous year's champion in Butler Cabin. The PGA Championship champion receives the Wanamaker Trophy, a 27-pound, nearly three-foot-tall silver trophy that is the largest and heaviest in major championship golf. The green jacket stays at Augusta National when the champion leaves. The Wanamaker goes home with the winner.

The History

The Masters was first played in 1934, making it the youngest of the four majors. The PGA Championship dates to 1916, making it the second oldest major in American golf. The PGA Championship has the longer history, the larger field, and the rotating venue. The Masters has the permanent home, the smaller field, and the green jacket. Both are irreplaceable fixtures in the golf calendar.

Which Is Harder to Win?

There is no objective answer. Augusta National's specific demands — precise iron play into elevated greens, Amen Corner's psychological weight, the Sunday back-nine drama — create a uniquely difficult challenge that players prepare for specifically. The PGA Championship's rotating venues mean players must adapt to different course styles each year, which creates its own difficulty. What is clear is that winning either represents the pinnacle of professional golf achievement.