Top five most fascinating golf tournaments besides the majors and World Golf Championships

With the golf season expected to launch June 11 with the Charles Schwab Challenge at the Colonial Club in Fort Worth, Texas, it is time for golf fans to get excited about the season, which is soon set to commence. Here are the five golf tournaments I get the most interested in on an annual basis outside of the majors and the four World Golf Championship events.

5) Ryder Cup–In this unique team format, the best players from the United States play the best players from Europe every two years. The tournament started in 1927, and initially had the best players from Great Britain versus the United States. Then in 1973, Ireland was included. As of 1979, it has been the United States versus Europe. During the event, there are foursome competitions, four-ball competitions, and 12 single matches on the Sunday. In the 20 Ryder Cups since 1979, Europe holds an 11-8-1 advantage. The 2020 Ryder Cup is still scheduled for Whistling Straits Golf Club in Wisconsin.

4) Presidents Cup–Just like the Ryder Cup, the Presidents Cup is a team competition. However, this event has the United States versus the best international players from outside Europe. This past year at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club, three Australians were part of the team–Marc Leishman, Adam Scott, and Cameron Smith. The United States was victorious by a score of 16-14. Only once in 13 times has the International side been victorious. That was in 1998, as the Internationals beat the United States 20 1/2 to 11 1/2.

3) RBC Canadian Open–This annual golf tournament has a rich history. In fact, it is the third oldest golf tournament in the world, behind the U.S. Open and the British Open. The first Canadian Open was in 1904 and won by Jack Oke of England at the Royal Montreal. The most common course for the tournament over the years has been the Glen Abbey Golf Course in Oakville, Ontario, which has hosted the Canadian Open 30 times. Among its champions include Tommy Armour, Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Curtis Strange, Greg Norman, and Tiger Woods. Not on the list is Jack Nicklaus, who finished second seven times, but never won.

2) Players Championship–This event may not have the history of the Canadian Open, but is known for its difficult 17th hole. Here, players tee off and must hit the green, which is surrounded by water. On a windy day, the 17th hole can be frightful for players. The tournament began in 1974 and has been held at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida on an annual basis since 1982. What makes the Players Championship very popular for players is its purse at the moment. In 2019, it was at $12.5 million, the richest of any event in golf today.

1) Sentry Tournament of Champions–This golf tournament is the first event every calendar year, and is located at the Hawaiian island of Maui. The beauty of the Kapalua Resort course is simply pristine and sensational. What makes the Sentry Tournament of Champions so special is the fact that only the winners on the PGA Tour from the previous season qualify for the event. The 2020 champion was the 2017 PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas.