Phil Mickelson has once again found himself at the center of a golf debate, this time weighing in on whether The Players Championship should be viewed as bigger than the game’s four majors.
The discussion began after golf analyst Brandel Chamblee suggested that The Players should be considered more important than golf’s four major championships. His comments followed the release of a PGA Tour promotional video for the event that ended with the line, “March is going to be major.”
Speaking at the WM Phoenix Open, Chamblee went further, arguing that The Players not only belongs in the majors category but sits above them.
A post shared on X by Josh Carpenter quoted Chamblee as saying:
“@chambleebrandel is paid to give his opinion and did so here in calling the Players the best major. “The Players, to me, stands alone and above the other four major championships as not just a major, it is in my estimation, the best major.”
Mickelson, who won The Players Championship in 2007, did not hesitate to respond.
“I’ve won it. It’s not,” he wrote on X.
His reaction quickly drew responses from other LIV Golf players. Ian Poulter, who finished runner-up at the event in the past, echoed Mickelson’s view with a brief reply.
“I’ve only finished 2nd… It’s not 😂”
Another LIV golfer, Graeme McDowell, also addressed the debate, backing Mickelson’s stance while questioning the basis of the comparison.
“The fact that this is even a conversation with the obvious field strength issues is hilarious,” McDowell said. “Phil is in the privileged position to make an educated comment and shouldn’t require much further debate. Brandel’s comment is bait and we all take it.” (via Golfmagic)
Traditionally, golf’s major championships are defined by history rather than promotion. The four recognized majors are the Masters Tournament, the U.S. Open, the Open Championship, and the PGA Championship. These events became established as majors over decades due to their prestige, open qualification pathways and global fields.
While The Players Championship is known for its strong field and demanding finish at TPC Sawgrass, it has never been officially recognised as a major.
The tournament will once again take centre stage in March with the 2026 Players Championship scheduled from March 12 to March 15 at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
When Phil Mickelson once placed The Players alongside the majors
Long before the recent debate around The Players Championship, Phil Mickelson had already shared how highly he rated the event after winning it in 2007.
Overall, Mickelson did not enjoy consistent success at TPC Sawgrass. In 28 appearances, that 2007 victory was one of just two times he finished inside the top five. Still, that week remains a standout moment in his career.
He shared the lead after the first two rounds and started Sunday one shot behind Sean O’Hair. Things shifted late in the round when O’Hair found trouble on the 17th, hitting two balls into the water. Mickelson pulled clear and reached the final hole with a two-shot cushion before closing out the win.
After lifting the trophy, Phil Mickelson was asked how the victory compared to his other achievements. While he stopped short of calling it bigger than a major, his answer showed just how much the tournament meant to him.
“I don’t know exactly today, but I think as I look back on my career after I stop playing, I think I’ll look back on this tournament victory in the same light as the majors.”
Despite that moment, The Players never became a place where Phil Mickelson regularly contended. From 2013 to 2019, he struggled at Sawgrass, missing six cuts in seven appearances.
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