The Players Championship director Lee Smith has finally spoken on the talks of the event being touted as the fifth major. He said that the event being called as another major was a sign of confidence and momentum.

Recently, golf analyst Brandel Chamblee stirred a debate, citing that the Players Championship was the toughest field to beat and, in fact, was the best major. Rory McIlroy also spoke on similar lines and said it was better than the PGA Championship currently.

On Thursday, February 12, Players Championship executive director Lee Smith responded to the recent talks.

“I hope you noticed our use of the word that we’ve somewhat shied away from over the last 10 years,” he told David Rumsey of Front Office Sports. “This is a signal of the confidence, momentum, and offense that is coming out of our building these days. We’re confident about the qualifications of The Players Championship. We wanted to start a conversation.”

Earlier, Brandel Chamblee had referred to the Players as the “hardest major.”

“When you look at the Players Championship, with all due respect to the other four major championships, it is the best field in golf,” he said. “It is the deepest field in golf. And by virtue of the fact that only one person in its 50-year history has managed to successfully defend it, I would argue that it is the hardest major championship to win.”

Two-time Players champion McIlroy maintained that men’s golf didn’t need another major but praised the tournament for having its own identity.

“The Players, it doesn’t need to be anything else. I would say it’s got more of an identity than the PGA Championship does at the minute. “So from an identity standpoint, I think the Players has got it nailed. It stands on its own without the label, I guess,” he said during the pre-event press conference at Pebble Beach.

The Players Championship recent winners explored

Here’s a look at the recent winners of the Players Championship:

• 2025: Rory McIlroy
• 2024: Scottie Scheffler
• 2023: Scottie Scheffler
• 2022: Cameron Smith
• 2021: Justin Thomas
• 2020: Canceled (COVID-19)
• 2019: Rory McIlroy
• 2018: Webb Simpson
• 2017: Kim Si‑woo
• 2016: Jason Day
• 2015: Rickie Fowler
• 2014: Martin Kaymer
• 2013: Tiger Woods
• 2012: Matt Kuchar
• 2011: K. J. Choi
• 2010: Tim Clark
• 2009: Henrik Stenson
• 2008: Sergio García
• 2007: Phil Mickelson
• 2006: Stephen Ames
• 2005: Fred Funk