The Four Major Championships

T H E F O U R M A J O R S C H A M P I O N S H I P

O V E R V I E W

T H E R O Y A L S E L A N G O R T R O P H Y I S A W A R D E D T O T H E G O L F E R W I T H T H E L O W E S T T O T A L S C O R E I N T H E F O U R M A J O R S C H A M P I O N S H I P E A C H Y E A R .

It is a 16-round competition which combines the four rounds from the Masters, the US Open, the Open Championship and the PGA Championship. To compete in the event, a golfer must qualify, play, and make the cut in all four majors. The idea to combine all the 16 Majors Championship scores came about in 1999. A golfer who participates in the 288 holes played on 16 separate days of the Majors which is spread over 4 months has superior consistency and ability. This event might be considered an even greater challenge than any one tournament. The list of winners shows how few have been successful. Only 33 golfers in nearly 60 years have won this trophy.

T H E 2 0 1 8 R O Y A L S E L A N G O R T R O P H Y W A S P R E S E N T E D T O

J U S T I N R O S E A T W A L T O N H E A T H G O L F C L U B O N 1 0 O C T O B E R 2 0 1 8 B Y P E T E R C O L E M A N , D I R E C T O R , R O Y A L S E L A N G O R I N T E R N A T I O N A L . J U S T I N R O S E H A D T H E L O W E S T S C O R E O F - 1 2 F O R T H E C O M B I N E D S C O R E S O F T H E F O U R M A J O R S P L A Y E D I N 2 0 1 8 .

H I S T O R Y

T H E E V E N T S T A R T E D I N 1 9 6 0 W H E N A R N O L D P A L M E R P L A Y E D , A N D W O N T H E O P E N C H A M P I O N S H I P .

That year he played in all three US-based Majors and made the cut in each tournament, so he was the first person to complete all Majors within a year. Over time the importance of the Majors became established as the European, Asian, Japanese and Australasian tours expanded. Each year many tournaments are played worldwide, which contribute to the World Golf Rankings. The four Majors are, and will always be the most respected tournaments. Professional golfers and fans of the game rank players by their performance in the Majors.

T I G E R W O O D S W A S T H E F I R S T R E C I P I E N T O F T H E O R I G I N A L T R O P H Y I N 1 9 9 9 . I T W A S P R E S E N T E D I N K U A L A L U M P U R A T A F U N C T I O N B E F O R E H E C O M P E T E D I N T H E W O R L D C U P T H A T Y E A R , W I T H M A R K O ’ M E A R A .

A B O U T T H E T R O P H Y

The 2018 trophy features a Royal Selangor pewter bowl set on a rosewood base. The idea of the trophy was conceived by Colin MacGillivray, an architect working in Malaysia in 1999. He assembled the trophy with names of the previous winners on the base, and arranged for its presentation to Tiger Woods. He had been compiling the total scores from the Majors for several years.

F O U R M A J O R S

The four Majors are run by individual golf organisations and played from April to July each year.

THE MASTERS TOURNAMENT The Masters is organised by the Augusta National Golf Club, and was started by Bobby Jones, the legendary golf amateur champion, in 1934. THEUNITEDSTATES PROFESSIONALGOLFERSASSOCIATION CHAMPIONSHIP The United States Professional Golfers Association Championship takes place in May. First played in 1916, it is organised by the PGA of America, not to be confused with the PGA Tour. UNITED STATES OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP The United States Golf Association organises the United States Open Championship, which from next year (2019) onwards will be played in June. The first tournament was held in1895. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews has organised the Open Championship, also known as the British Open since 1860. It is always played in July. The final round of the Open Championship from next year 2019 onwards will be the deciding round for the Royal Selangor Trophy.

2 0 1 8 U P D A T E S

F O U R M A J O R S . 1 6 R O U N D S . 2 8 8 H O L E S P A R 1 1 3 6 .

The Masters has the smallest field of all the Majors and around 50 make the cut. This limits the number of competitors in the Royal Selangor Trophy each year, who go forward to the US Open.

The winner of the 2017 Trophy competition - Brooks Koepka, had an injured wrist and missed the Masters in 2018.

He was therefore unable to emulate other golfers who have won the competition in consecutive years. Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Nick Faldo, Tiger Woods and Adam Scott are the only golfers to successfully defend their title in the following year. Nicklaus won four in a row 1970 -74. Notables to miss the cut in the Masters were the 2017 Masters Champion Sergio Garcia. Previous winners of the Royal Selangor Trophy - Charl Schwartzel (2011), Ross Fisher (2009), Mike Weir (2003) also missed out. After the Masters , 53 players remained. Patrick Reed was on -15, a shot ahead of Rickie Fowler, with Hendrik Stenson, Mark Leishman Tony Finau and Dustin Johnson close behind.

After the US Open Reed’s lead was extended to 7 shots ahead of Johnson, 8 ahead of Stenson and Fowler, with Justin Rose 12 shots adrift. Notables to miss the cut were John Rahm, Rory McIlroy and Bubba Watson. Previous Trophy winners Jordan Spieth (2015), Jason Day (2013 & 2016), Adam Scott (2012, 2013) and Tiger Woods (1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007) also failed at the second hurdle. After the Open Championship at Birkdale, Reed was still on -11 leading Finau by 5 shots with Fleetwood and Rose on -5. Fowler and Stenson were still chasing and within ten shots of the leader. Reed was favourite to win a Trophy, he didn’t know existed. At the PGA Championship , Patrick Reed missed the cut by 3 shots, so he was out of the race. Another time that the Trophy leader missed the final cut was Ian Baker Finch who had won the 1991 Open Championship in Birkdale.

over the final two rounds of the 16 round marathon.

21 players got though the four cuts in the Majors in 2018s, which is the largest number ever. Usually about 12 -15 players make it though the 16 rounds. With one round to go Fowler , the 2014 Trophy Champion, was two shots ahead of Rose. However Fowler’s one over par final round score was eclipsed by Rose shooting 2 under to beat Fowler by a single shot to take the Trophy. Rose had a total score of 1124 for the 288 holes of the Royal Selangor Trophy. Probably neither Fowler nor Rose knew what a fierce competition they were involved in. They will know in 2019. In 2019, the Royal Selangor Trophy website will update the scores as they progress so a close race can be appreciated by the players, spectators and media alike, worldwide.

Stenson also missed out to leave Finau, Fleetwood, Fowler and Rose to battle

W I N N E R S & S C O R E S

1960

A Palmer (-14)

1961

A Palmer (E)

1962

A Palmer (-13) J Nicklaus (+20 S Snead (+33)

1963

G Player (+22) B Charles (+24) A Palmer (+35)

1964

J Nicklaus (-1) T Lema (+5) G Player (+20) B Charles (+25)

1965

J Nicklaus (+6) K Nagle (+13) B Devlin (+13) T Lema (+31)

1966

A Palmer (+7) J Nicklaus (+11) D Sanders (+14) G Player (+28) J Boros (+36) B Devlin (+39) T Lema (+41)

1967

D Sanders (+22)

1968

B Charles (+8) B Casper (+11) G Brewer (+23) B Yancey (+23) D Sanders (+28) M Barber (-4) J Nicklaus (+8) B Devlin (+15) R Floyd (+15) B Casper (+17) G Player (+19) J Nicklaus (+10) B Casper (+11) B Yancey (+16) B Devlin (+17) A Palmer (+27) T Aaron (+38)

1969

1970

1971

J Nicklaus (-23) G Player (-6) J Miller (+3) B Devlin (+12)

1972

J Nicklaus (+2) G Player (+16) L Trevino (+19) A Palmer (+29) T Weiskopf (+33) J Heard (+33) B Casper (+33) B Yancey (+34)

1973

J Nicklaus (-20) J Miller (-12) T Weiskopf (-7) L Wadkins (+5) L Trevino (+12) B Yancey (+18) C Rodriguez (+22)

1974

G Player (+1) J Nicklaus (+7) H Green (+18) A Geiberger (+31) J Miller (+40)

1975

J Nicklaus (-19) H Irwin (-4) T Weiskopf (-2) T Watson (-1) A Palmer (+16) R Floyd (+19) L Trevino (+21) G Player (+32) L Graham (+33) R Floyd (-9) J Nicklaus (+1) T Weiskopf (+7) H Irwin (+29) G Player (+31) G Littler (+37) T Watson (-22) J Nicklaus (+2) H Green (+9) A Palmer (+12) G Player (+17) J Miller (+17) R Massengale (+19) T Weiskopf (+21) R Floyd (+22) M Hayes (+23) H Irwin (+30) G Marsh (+34) T Watson (-14) T Weiskopf (-4) H Irwin (+3) G Player (+4) L Trevino (+7) P Oosterhuis (+11) A Bean (+12) J Nicklaus (+16) G Player (+17) E Sneed (+19) J Pate (+22) G Marsh (+22) H Green (+28) L Elder (+31) J Nicklaus (-15) T Watson (-13) L Trevino (+1) G Morgan (+5) J Newton (+9) B Crenshaw (+10) B Rogers (+15) H Green (+18) A North (+19) D Graham (+22) C Stadler (+24) J Mahaffey (+25) J Nicklaus (+3) B Rogers (+4) D Graham (+6) B Lietske (+6) J Pate (+11) G Norman (+12) R Floyd (+13) I Aoki (+19) H Green (+22) T Watson (-11) J Nicklaus (+3) R Floyd (+6) C Stadler (+13) P Oosterhuis (+14) C Strange (+14) J Haas (+18) D Graham (+19) B Rogers (+20) S Ballesteros & T Watson (-9) R Floyd (+4) H Irwin (+4) P Jacobsen (+7) C Stadler (+12) D Graham (+16) T Kite (+17) J Haas (+18) T Weiskopf (+21) G Norman (+28) B Gilder (+36) A Palmer (+42) T Watson (-9) F Couples (-8) G Norman (-7) L Trevino (-6) A Bean (-2) H Irwin (-1) P Jocobsen (E) J Nicklaus (+4) N Faldo (+5) J Haas (+10) M McCumber (+10) G Koch (+27)

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

W I N N E R S & S C O R E S

1985

P Stewart (+9) S Ballesteros (+14) D Graham (+15) M O’Meara (+17) C Pavin (+18) A Bean (+18) D Watson (+32) L Nelson (+36) G Norman (-9) B Tway (+10) B Crenshaw (+15) D Graham (+18) G Koch (+23) T Nakajima (+27) L Mize (+33) L Trevino (+34) R Maltbie (+36) B Crenshaw (E) T Watson (+2) B Langer (+12) S Ballesteros (+14) C Stadler (+19) J Nicklaus (+38) N Faldo & G Norman (-14) P Stewart (-12) P Azinger (-10) C Beck (-6) C Strange (-6) I Woosnam (-6) T Watson (-5) J Nicklaus (-1) D Pooley (+2) S Simpson (+4) L Mize (+4) J Mudd (+12) S Ballesteros (+12) N Faldo (-27) JM Olazabal (-6) L Mize (-2) I Woosnam (+5) J Sluman (+5) S Simpson (+8) M McCumber (+18) M Hulbert (+19) J Mudd (-5) N Faldo (-4) S Pate (+3) F Couples (+5) I Woosnam (+5) C Stadler (+8) H Irwin (+11) J Nicklaus (+13) S Elkington (+14) N Henke (+14) L Wadkins (+18) T Kite (+23) N Faldo (-18) N Price (-5) J Cook (-4) R Floyd (+2) A Magee (+5) I Baker-Finch (+8) B Andrade (+10) M Calcavecchia (+14) T Purtzer (+18) P Azinger (+18) B Langer (+18) R Mediate (+18) C Stadler (+19) H Irwin (+20) P Stewart (-12) S Simpson (-9) N Faldo (-8) F Couples (-5) L Janzen (-2) M Calcavecchia (-2) J Daly (-2) S Elkington (-10) F Zoeller (+3) I Woosnam (+7) C Parry (+8) I Baker-Finch (+25) L Roberts (-11) E Els (-6) T Watson (-6) G Norman(-4) T Kite (-2) T Lehman (+6) B Faxon (+10) DEdwards (+13) B Langer (+17) B Crenshaw (+18) F Zoeller (+18) C Parry (+24) N Faldo (-8) B Crenshaw (-2) C Strange (+1) C Stadler (+10)

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

S Elkington (-21) G Norman (-17) J Haas (-9) B Faxon (-4) L Janzen (-4) B Crenshaw (-1) P Stewart (E) J Olazabal (+1) N Faldo (+6) P Jacobsen (+8) T Watson (+11) T Lehman (-19) G Norman (-17) N Faldo (-14) F Nobilo (-11) E Els (-9) V Singh (-5) C Pavin (E) J Furyk (+2) M O’Meara (+2) P Mickelson (+2) D Duval (+8) B Faxon (+10) J Maggert (+11) J Haas (+16) A Cejka (+19) J Leonard (-11 ) D Love (-10 ) T Woods (- 6) T Lehman (-E) J Furyk (+4 ) E Els (+ 4) C Montgomerie (+7 ) T Kite(+10 ) T Tolles (+13 ) L Westwood (+13 ) F Couples (+14 ) S Appleby (+21 ) M O’Meara (+23 ) F Nobilo (+28 ) V Singh (+29) M O’Meara (E) T Woods (+7 ) J Huston (+21) B Faxon (+25 ) F Couples (+28 ) E Els (+28 ) P Mickelson(+39 ) T Woods (+19) C Montgomerie (+23) D Love (+26) J Furyk (+26) N Price (+27) D Duval (+31) B Estes (+32) S Pate (+35) P Stewart (+42) B Watts (+43) T Woods (-49) E Els (-14) M Weir (-7) P Mickelson (-5) L Roberts (-1) T Bjorn (E) P Azinger (+3) N Begay (+4) S Cink (+7) P Harrington (+8) S Jones (+10) D Toms (+12) M Jimenez (+14) C Montgomerie (+15) N Faldo (+15) J Leonard (+16) S Garcia (+21) J Furyk (+31) D Duval (-25) P Mickelson (-24) T Woods ( -15) M Calcavecchia (-8) Vi Singh (-6) J Parnevik (-6) E Els (-5) C Dimarco (-4) D Hart (+17) T Woods (-24) S Garcia (-4) P Harrington (-3) J Leonard (+2) P Mickelson (+4) E Els (+5) S Maruyama (+11) D Love (+13) N Faldo (+20) B Langer (+21) C DiMarco (+22) G Norman (+24)

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

W I N N E R S & S C O R E S

2003

M Weir (+4) E Els (+7) V Singh (+13) K Perry (+16) T Woods (+18) P Mickelson (+25) A Cabrera (+27) L Mattiace (+32) C Howell (+33) F Couples (+43) P Mickelson (-26) E Els (-18) KJ Choi (+3) V Singh (+6) T Woods (+7) C DiMarco (+9) S Flesch (+16) S Micheel (+20) C Howell (+21) S Verplank (+24) T Woods (-26) V Singh (-5) R Goosen (-5) M Hensby (+4) P Mickelson (+6) T Clark (+10) K Perry (+11) B Langer (+13) F Couples (+18) L Donald (+20) KJ Choi (+20 A Scott (+21) I Poulter (+23) S Flesch (+27) P Mickelson (-12) G Ogilvy (-9) J Furyk (-6) A Scott (-5) M Weir (-3) E Els (-2) L Donald (+3) R Allenby (+3) J M Olazabal (+13) M Jimenez (+17) T Woods (-1) J Rose (+15 ) P Casey (+27 ) I Poulter (+31) S Verplank (+33 ) N Fasth (+40 ) L Westwood (+41) P Harrington (+7 ) R Karlsson (+21 ) P Mickelson (+22 ) A Romero (+27) R Goosen (+31 ) P Casey (+33 ) J Furyk (+34 ) S Appleby (+34 ) M Weir (+37) R Allenby (+40 ) J Leonard (+42 ) Ross Fisher (+2) H Stenson (+3) L Westwood (+4) G McDowell (+5) R McIlroy (+5) C Villegas (+10) V Singh (+12) K Perry (+13) A Cabrera (+15) J Furyk (+15) S O’Hair (+24) K Sutherland (+27) Phil Mickelson (-14) T Woods (-11) M Kuchar (-1) D Johnson (+2) C Schwartzel (+7) N Watney (+7) R Karlsson (+13) R Goosen (+20) S Stricker (+20) C Villegas (+20) C Schwartzel (-14) S Stricker (-4) S Garcia (-4) R McIlroy (-2) YE Yang (E) R Palmer (+3) P Mickelson (+4) G Woodland (+7) B Haas (+11) B Watson (+20) E Molinari (+36)

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

A Scott (-6) G McDowell (-4) I Poulter (+2) P Harrington (+3) T Woods (+7) J Furyk (+8) J Dufner (+8) S Stricker (+11) F Jacobson (+16) F Molinari (+20) K Bradley (+20) Z Johnson (+26) J Day & A Scott (+2) H Stenson (+4) J Dufner (+14) T Woods (+14) M Kuchar (+15) B Snedeker (+19) P Mickelson (+21) D Johnson (+22) S Garcia (+27) M Kaymer (+34) R Fowler (-32) R McIlroy (-27) J Furyk (-21) A Scott (-18) H Stenson (-13) J Walker (-13) J Rose (-9) J Day (-3) L Oosthuizen (+1) B Snedeker (+2) B Haas (+5) F Molinari (+9) K Stadler (+20) J Spieth (-54) J Day (-35) J Rose (-34) D Johnson (-29) L Oosthuizen (-27) B Koepka (-20) H Matsuyama (-19) P Mickelson (-16) S Garcia (-13) M Kuchar (-12) P Reed (-11) H Stenson (-9) P Casey (-7) C Schwartzel (-5) W Simpson (-2) E Els (-2) L Westwood (+5) J Duffner (+8) J Day (-9) J Spieth (+3) E Grillo (+10)K Na (+13) L Westwood (+14) R Cabrera-Bello (+15) M Kaymer (+16) D Willett (+16) Bill Haas (+16) A Scott (+17) B Watson (+26) J Thomas (+27) H English (+27) K Kisner (+29) B Koepka (-21) H Matsuyama (-20) M Kuchar (-20) R Fowler (-16) J Spieth (-10) P Casey (-9) C Hoffman (-3) M Leishman (+3) S Stricker (+3) J B Holmes (+10) R Henley (+12) K Kisner (+16) L Westwood (+20) Justin Rose (-12) R Fowler (-11) T Finau (-9) T Fleetwood (-9) F Molinari (-8) Webb Simpson (-5) Z Johnson (+1) X Schauffele (+4) T Hatton (+5) P Leishman (+14) R Cabrero Bello (+15)

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018