The Majors are recognised the world over as the four most important tournaments in the calendar and consist of the Open, the US Open, the Masters and the US PGA Championship.

The Majors are the foundation stones on which the golfing year is built and are career-defining events for the players themselves. A golfer's standing in the history of the game is largely determined by the number of Majors won.

The oldest of the tournaments which are run by four different organisations - is the Open, which is steeped in tradition and dates back to 1860, when it was first staged at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland.

The US Open was held for the first time in 1895, with the US PGA arriving on the scene in 1916 and the Masters in 1934, making it the junior partner in terms of age, though not in prestige.

It is not certain when the four tournaments were first accorded their status, as the earlier Majors were the Open, the US Open and their amateur equivalents in an era before professional golf became dominant. Bobby Jones won all four in 1930.

The change is most often ascribed to Arnold Palmer's momentous 1960 season, when his Masters and US Open victories prompted thoughts of a potential modern-day Grand Slam equivalent to that achieved by Jones.

A few other tournaments carry more prize-money, but none has as much prestige, and television has taken them to a global audience.

The Players Championship in the United States is often described as 'the fifth Major'. There is, however, as yet no threat to the long-established status of the big four.