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There are four major competitions in the golfing world that grab the imagination, attracting the best players in the world. All these golf events have a long history and many stories to tell. Champions have been made at The Masters, the US Open, The British Open and the PGA Championship. Winning all four in one season is known as a Grand Slam but only one player has ever achieved that feat and that was when Bobby Jones did it in 1930.

Legendary player Jack Nicklaus has the best record in these golf events but Tiger Woods isn’t far behind. The US Open, which takes place every June, was first organized in 1895. The most wins at this tournament list, includes Nicklaus, Bobby Jones and Ben Hogan. Different courses host the competition across America from California to New York to Texas. America leads the winning table, having won it on 78 occasions. Both professional and amateur players are eligible to enter and there is no lower age limit.

The professional golfers association hosts the PGA each August at one of a select group of courses. It began in 1916 and Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Walter Hagen in the 1920s are multiple winners. America has also won this contest 78 times. The locations for 2007 and 2008 have been announced and are Tulsa, Oklahoma and Bloomfield Hills, Michigan respectively.

The Masters is played at the same club in April every year. The Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia has been the venue in this most prestigious of golf events since the very first one in 1934. It was co-founded by Bobby Jones, who also helped to design the course. The winner is rewarded with a cash prize and the coveted Green Jacket. Gary Player was the first non-American golfer to win when he triumphed in 1961. Other players to do well here are Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo.

The remaining major takes place in July and is the only one to be organized outside of the United States. The Open Championship, also known as the British Open, began in 1860 and became one of the official golf events on the PGA Tour in 1995. Players from all over the world have affection for this event as it is played on nine historic courses on a rotating system. The championship is shared between English and Scottish clubs, including St.Andrews, Royal Troon and Muirfield in Scotland and Royal Lytham and St.Anne’s Golf Club in England. British players have won the most times and multiple winners include Tom Watson, Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus.