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'Inside The Ropes' is the chance for Golf Monthly's expert team to share its honest thoughts on the biggest subjects in the game. This time, it's all about what Major championship stood out to us.
It's hard to believe that the men's Major season is already over, and that we'll have to wait nearly eight months for a shot to be hit at one of golf's big four men's championships.
Although the long wait begins, we have been truly spoilt with the men's Majors in 2026, with four different golfers claiming four different Majors in thrilling circumstances.
Back in April, Rory McIlroy became the fourth player in history to defend The Masters, while Aaron Rai produced one of the best back nines in Major history to wrap up the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club.
Not long after the Englishman's success, Wyndham Clark secured a second US Open title, while Ryan Fox birdied the 72nd hole to pip Cameron Young to the Claret Jug by one at The Open Championship.
Certainly, there have been stand-out moments and epic finishes galore throughout the four Majors and, consequently, the Golf Monthly team have given their thoughts on what they consider to be the best championship in 2026.
Do you agree with the team? Let us know what ranking you would give the Majors in the comments below...
- 1. The Open Championship
- 2. The Masters
- 3. PGA Championship
- 4. US Open
This is actually a very difficult question, as I feel like 2026's set of men's Majors were fantastic.
The easiest decision would be to place the US Open in fourth position as I think it felt flat at times and the lack of atmosphere on Saturday night certainly contributed to that, with hordes of fans heading for the exit to try and get the last train back to Manhattan.
Wyndham Clark's performance was remarkably impressive up against that tough crowd, but it probably wasn't the most thrilling or dramatic.
For me, I will have to put The Open Championship first.
That might sound like recency bias but Ryan Fox was the only man to win a Major by one stroke courtesy of a birdie on the 72nd hole this year.
It was a thrilling finish, where we had no idea who would win or if there would be a playoff with three or four holes to go. The golf course and the fans ensured it felt like a very special week.
Rory McIlroy's second consecutive Masters victory comes second for me, as that was a very dramatic final round with Cameron Young and Justin Rose each holding the lead... I still feel for Rose, who definitely let the Green Jacket slip away.
The Masters is the best Major in my opinion, and the final round always feels tense and grand.
Aaron Rai's spectacular PGA Championship victory will be my number three. It was an entertaining final round where, again, we had no clue who would win for the most part.
Rai's performance was seriously impressive, so much so that his walk up the 18th hole was a comfortable one.
- 1. The Open Championship
- 2. PGA Championship
- 3. The Masters
- 4. US Open
Whenever there are at least five players in contention during the back nine on Sunday, you know the tournament has delivered, and that's exactly what happened at The Open.
It had everything - an eclectic leaderboard, a rules issue and associated controversy, a great crowd, a fantastic course, perfect weather and a final-hole birdie that resulted in a one-shot victory. Majors don't get much better .
The PGA Championship is second, as I really enjoyed the golf course and Aaron Rai's golf on the back nine was some of the best I've ever seen from someone who hadn't been in that position before.
It also had a pinch-me moment - his rollercoaster birdie putt on the par 3 17th.
If you have asked me after nine holes of the final round of The Masters, I would have been convinced it would turn into an absolute classic, but it petered out somewhat on the back nine.
As a Justin Rose fan, I was also really disappointed to see him meekly surrender the lead he'd built up on the front nine.
Finally, I am also putting the US Open last. Even though it only happened last month, it genuinely took me a couple of minutes to remember what happened and who won.
It was actually quite dramatic, with Sam Burns narrowly missing his birdie putt on the 72nd hole, but for large parts it wasn't gripping.
- 1. The Open Championship
- 2. PGA Championship
- 3. The Masters
- 4. US Open
All four Majors stood out for different reasons but, for me, The Open Championship tops the table as it had everything from start to finish.
It may have been marred by the rules incident on Friday involving Bryson DeChambeau, but the golf on display was spectacular. I can't recall a player have so much bad luck on the back nine and still win.
Fox's bogey on the 15th is one of the best in recent times, while his birdie at the 18th showed incredible bottle. That's not including the historic 62 he and others shot throughout the week.
Behind Fox is Rai at Aronimink Golf Club. His back nine was unbelievable and it was refreshing to see someone plot their way around the course, instead of overpowering it.
I was at The Masters in April and, although the week will live with me forever, it's a case of what could have been on the back nine.
Rose was set-up to win but couldn't manage it, while McIlroy wasn't challenged by the chasing pack, meaning he could afford a bogey at the last to win a second Green Jacket.
Like others on this list, Clark's victory is fourth, but I will hand it to the American, who faced plenty of trials and tribulations on Sunday from the New York crowd.
The fact he stood up and won it took serious nerve, but it wasn't the most memorable of finishes and was overshadowed by those in attendance.
- 1. The Open Championship
- 2. US Open
- 3. The Masters
- 4. PGA Championship
I would just like to start this by saying I didn't watch more than six holes of the PGA Championship because I was on holiday (I know, how could I go away during a Major?!) so that has to go last.
I'm aware it was a very good ending with a massively popular winner but, that being said, I didn't see it so it's going in fourth.
The Masters was a little bit underwhelming this year, I seem to remember, and McIlroy didn't put us all through the mill like 2025 so I'll award it the bronze.
This is surely recency bias coming into play here, but I'd have to give The Open the nod ahead of the US Open, simply because it was a tight finish where Ryan Fox went out and won it with a dramatic final-hole birdie.
I still think Wyndham Clark's final round was the best of the year in the Majors, but there were very quiet periods at Shinnecock Hills, so that can take silver.
- 1. The Masters
- 2. The Open Championship
- 3. US Open
- 4. PGA Championship
Rory McIlroy going back-to-back on a chaotic Sunday in what were the best course conditions we've seen at Augusta National in at least a decade is an easy choice for the best major of 2026.
To begin with, McIlroy pipped a chasing pack that featured the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Young, Justin Rose, Sam Burns, Collin Morikawa and more.
Of course, it wasn't as exciting as 2025, but I don't think any Major I watch in the rest of my life will eclipse that famous Sunday.
I am not being hyperbolic when I say Ryan Fox's final six holes is one of the greatest stretches of golf ever played.
Birdies on the 13th and 14th were halted by a brutal break in the bunker on the 15th, where he splashed out backwards and still made an amazing bogey, but the Kiwi bounced back with a stunning approach into the 16th for birdie and just an astonishing final hole.
A sensational birdie for a sensational, deserving winner to cap off a blockbuster four days at one of the best Open host courses that, again, delivered on the drama.
In terms of the US Open, Shinnecock is my favorite venue by a wide margin, and watching Wyndham Clark try and hold onto his lead over the weekend led to riveting viewing.
It didn't have the same star power as The Masters or Open and the crowds on Long Island were a dampener on proceedings, but boy was the golf good to watch.
High winds throughout the week meant the USGA had to hold back on ramping up the difficulty of the course, which was disappointing, but Shinnecock still provided a stern test to the field - one in which I couldn't take my eyes off.
I am putting the PGA Championship bottom as I felt like it was a weird one.
I liked the golf course and the setup was a welcome break from the birdie-fests we've seen at the likes of Valhalla. For me, though, it felt like there weren't many birdies out there because the pins were in inaccessible areas and the pros weren't making more than a bogey.
Then, on a bizarre Sunday in which nobody seems to want to win the championship, up steps none other than... Aaron Rai. Aaron Rai? Right, that's quite cool, I'm happy for him... but it doesn't get the juices going like Foxy's win did.
By the PGA's recent standard I thought this was a good showing, but we need to move this Major back to August to try and rebuild its image and reputation, because it feels lost.
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