The PGA Tour features over 30 tournaments per year, but the most important are its 4 majors: the Masters, the PGA Championship, the US Open, and the Open Championship.

Only 156 players secure a PGA Tour Card each year

Automatic eligibility is granted to past PGA Championship winners, while newcomers must win a PGA-approved tournament, rank in the top 70 of the FedEx Cup standings, or finish in the top 30 of the Korn Ferry Tour finals.

Analyzing the PGA Tour's leaderboard

In 2007, the PGA Tour introduced the FedEx Cup, marking the first time men's pro golf had a playoff system. This PGA Tour interactive shows the Cup standings year-to-date, along with video and news updates. Click on a player's name and get a detailed page about their career, including total wins, scorecards from recent matches, and what clubs are in their bag.

Check out a compilation of golf's greatest shots, from Jack Nicklaus hitting the flag in 1972 to Tiger Woods' iconic chip at the 2005 Masters.

How tax breaks power the PGA Tour, a nonprofit organization

When the PGA was formed in 1916, its primary objective was to grow the game of golf, so it was established as a nonprofit. When the PGA Tour split off in 1968, that nonprofit status stayed. But as revenue jumped past $1B, questions began to arise. This "Outside the Lines" investigation from 2013 dives into their tax records and details how much the PGA actually gives to charity.

Tennis' Grand Slam tournaments take place at some of the sport's most storied venues

There are over 50 events on the WTA calendar, but the tour's four Grand Slam tournaments are the ones both professionals and fans look forward to every year. This Eyes on the Stands video takes you on a journey from Melbourne Park, to Roland Garros, to the All England Club, and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center to learn the rich history of each venue.

Why LIV Golf athletes are allowed to play in the Masters

The Masters isn't operated by the PGA Tour, so its ban on LIV golfers doesn't apply to the tournament. This explainer unpacks all the thorny particulars of that strange arrangement.

An in-depth analysis of Augusta National, the home of the Masters

This in-depth analysis of Augusta National Golf Club, the famed site of the annual Masters Tournament, breaks down the course's complex greens and tricky layout. Golf Digest editor Luke Kerr-Dineen walks viewers through the course's green book, demonstrating just how difficult Augusta is compared to other courses. More than anything, it gives you some context to better understand why your favorite golfers might struggle with the course's punishing slopes.

The story behind the PGA's civil war

In the 1960s, there was a war brewing within the PGA between the golf pros and the touring pros. Eventually, tensions boiled over into courtrooms, leading to the creation of a new league. This Golf.com article provides a deep history of the war, with in-depth interviews with key players in the negotiations.

Examining golf's problems with race

In 1961, the PGA removed the "Caucasian-only" membership clause, marking the last major professional sports organization to desegregate. But unlike other sports, golf didn't see an influx of Black players following the change. This article from The Ringer's Lex Pryor examines golf's complicated history with race and gender, showing both the progress made and the challenges that remain.

The story behind the formation of the original PGA

The early 1900s saw a surge in golf courses across America, and there was a need for a national organization of golf professionals to help promote and grow the sport. This history explores how department store heir Rodman Wanamaker organized a luncheon that led to the formation of the PGA of America.

A timeline of LIV Golf, the PGA Tour's primary rival

In 2021, the rival professional league LIV Golf Investments was unveiled. It was a move that reshaped men's professional golf. This Sports Illustrated Timeline dives into the twists and turns occurring since the announcement. Learn what star players left the PGA for LIV. Also, get details about the mutual agreement outlined in 2023, which has yet to come to fruition.

Behind the Ryder Cup, the tournament that features golfers playing for their home countries

Established in 1927, the Ryder Cup is unlike any other tournament. The scoring includes a mix of fourball, foursomes, and singles, with half-points for ties. Explore the rich history of the Ryder Cup in this detailed interactive. Each era of history includes detailed accounts of the match, historic photos, and the final score for each team.

A history of the Masters Champions' Dinner, an annual golf tradition

The Masters Champions' Dinner is an annual tradition celebrated the Tuesday before the tournament begins. The previous year's champion sets the menu, leading to a history of eclectic meals. This resource from Today's Golfer provides a brief history of the tradition and then details every menu since 1986. It's an interesting window into the tastes of professional athletes (Tiger Woods, apparently, loves chicken fingers!) and the less-than-healthy habits from the sport's past.

There are over 800 annual marathons, but only seven deemed World Marathon Majors

The races—Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, Sydney, and New York City—are on some of the best-known courses in the world and are run by some of the sport’s top athletes.

The Open Era redefined both men's and women's tennis

The early days of modern tennis were largely enjoyed by the upper class, who had money for lawns to play on. More often than not, the best players competed for the love of the game, not money. This led to Grand Slams limiting the competitions to amateur athletes. Things changed in 1968, considered the start of the Open Era, when professional players were permitted to play.

Grands Prix run March through December at circuits across 5 continents

F1's nine-month season crosses five continents in locations steeped in history and meaning for drivers, teams, and the sport. There are 24 events in 2026, starting in Australia and ending in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

How golf equipment is made

With just clubs, a ball, and a tee, the game of golf doesn't have the amount of equipment seen in other sports. But each piece of equipment has a very intricate process for its creation. Watch this Science Channel video to see the specialized equipment used to create golf balls, golf clubs, golf carts, and golf tees.

Tennis can be played on clay, grass, hard court, or carpet

Tennis started on grass surfaces in England, but as the sport has grown, so have the surfaces used to play the game. This article details how each surface affects ball speed, bounce height, and player movement, and highlights which Major championship uses which surface.

Take a virtual tour of St. Andrews

The Old Course at St. Andrews is one of the oldest in the world and became the gold standard for modern golf course design. Using drone footage, this Golf Digest video gives an aerial view and detailed description of every hole. Learn how the links course features common fairways and greens for some holes. And learn the bunker names at the courses' most notorious holes.

What happens to golf balls after they're used?

With over 1 billion golf balls produced annually, an estimated 300 million to 1.5 billion are lost worldwide. On average, thousands of balls are left behind on each course, often ending up in ponds, forests, and beaches. While many golf courses recover and reuse some of these balls, studies suggest countless remain unretrieved.

The MLB consist of 30 teams

The league is home to the National and American leagues, which include 780 active players. The MLB season is the longest in professional sports, with 162 games played during the regular season, typically from April through September, ending with the World Series championship in October.

Tennis' weirdest rule (only for women)

At all but one Grand Slam, men and women played with the same tennis ball. But at the US Open, women were required to use a different ball until a change was made a few years ago. We break down the story behind that strange anomaly.

How a lawn gnome became the hottest item at the Masters

The kitschy piece of memorabilia debuted in 2016 and has since become a highly sought-after collectible for Master attendees. This ESPN deep dive explores how it happened and what makes the strange little item so attractive for golf fans.

How March Madness Selection Sunday works

March Madness is one of the most popular American sporting events, but most viewers aren't aware of how its 68 teams are selected for the prestigious national tournament. This official process overview breaks down how the teams are selected, seeded, and placed into the bracket. Knowing the ins and outs might not stop you from disputing the committee's selections, but at least you'll understand how they came to those decisions.

Leagues like the Premier League differ from the World Cup.

The Premier League and other similar club leagues are professional organizations like the NFL or the NBA, where owners purchase player contracts. World Cup teams, on the other hand, are organized by citizenship.

World Cup venues spend months cultivating their fields and choosing their grass based on the cities' climates.

There are about 1,300 active grandmasters worldwide today

The title of grandmaster, established by FIDE in 1950, is the highest honor in chess. As of 2025, roughly 2,000 players have achieved the permanent title—an elite group representing less than one percent of the world’s competitive chess players. Around 1,300 are active today.

How Charles Blair Macdonald changed the design behind golf

Macdonald's contributions to golf course design, including 21 principles still used today, are just as legendary as the game's players. This deep dive into the mostly forgotten figure explores his legacy, including why he never charged for his services.

In 1956, Althea Gibson became the first Black Grand Slam champion

From 1944 to 1956, Althea Gibson dominated the American Tennis Association circuit, all while Jim Crow laws denied her entry into tournaments or even a hotel room like her fellow white competitors. This Wimbledon video shows her experience becoming the first Black woman to play the tournament in 1951, and meeting Queen Elizabeth II in 1957 when she won.

The Triple Crown, explained

Only 13 horses have ever won the Triple Crown—one of the most elusive titles in American sports. This explainer breaks down how the series works, why it's so difficult to win, and the legendary horses that defied the odds across the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.

The all-time list of every modern Olympic sport

Curious about which sports were played at the 1894 Olympics? Want to learn the rules of Breaking? This list gives a comprehensive overview of every Olympic sport ever played, sortable by game type and specific Olympic year. Click into a sport to see a brief overview, a list of rules, and an explainer video.

Contestants in an annual extreme sports competition are encouraged to use steroids and growth hormone, using athletes as guinea pigs.

A visual guide to the athletic events the Olympics left behind

The series of competitions in today's version of the Olympic Games are the survivors of years of experimentation. This illustrated guide details some of the sports and creative competitions that didn't make the cut. Some sports were dropped due to their lack of visual appeal, while others were simply too specific, like the swim limited to sailors of the Royal Greek Navy.

Athletes are captured in moments of victory and defeat in 6 powerful sports images

See shots like Muhammad Ali knocking out Sonny Liston in 1965, or Brandi Chastain after winning the World Cup final in 1999.

Explore NASCAR’s dozens of tracks across the US and Mexico

See detailed information on every track used for NASCAR’s top three divisions. Tracks vary in shape, length, and seating capacity.

Memorial Day weekend is one of the biggest travel weekends of the year in the United States

In 2026, AAA estimated over 45 million Americans planned to travel over the long weekend, with approximately 87% of those trips made by car.

Modern presidential primaries now span months before conventions formalize nominees

In 2020, the major parties selected nominees through 64 primary and caucus contests held over 22 days. Until the 1960s, most nominees were chosen by party leaders at conventions rather than through widespread primaries.

Every player from a Stanley Cup-winning team has his name added to the trophy, though the NHL gradually removes older names to keep the trophy from becoming unwieldy.

PIckleball is the fastest-growing participation sport in America

The outdoor game experienced a surge in popularity during the 2020 pandemic because it could be set up in driveways, be played by all ages, and allowed for safe social interactions. That social aspect has helped pickleball’s popularity continue to rise post-pandemic. A March 2023 APP report showed 48.3 million American adults played the sport in the last 12 months.

The largest university endowments in the US

This US News article ranks the 20 universities with the largest endowments in the United States, based on data from the 2022 fiscal year. Harvard tops the list at more than $50B, followed by Yale, Stanford, and Princeton. Check out this snapshot of how these financial resources support academic programs, research, and student aid.

The most common birthdays

Nine of the top 10 most common birthdays fall in September, with Sept. 9 being the most common. However, August is the most common birth month, followed by July and December. On the flip side, the least common birthdays are around major holidays, with Christmas Day being the rarest—probably due to doctors scheduling fewer inductions and C-sections on those days. Find out more birthday surprises here.

Degrees in business, law, and health are among the most common US master’s degrees

While popular worldwide, these degrees aren’t necessarily the most popular in every country. In Japan, for instance, engineering is the most popular subject for master’s degrees. This data visualization ranks the most popular master’s degrees in dozens of countries around the world.

The Super Bowl is the National Football League’s championship game

Played annually in early February between the league’s two conference champions, the game was created as part of the 1966 merger between the American Football League and the National Football League. It has become the most-watched sporting event in the US each year.

FIFA was formed in 1904 and held its first tournament in 1930

In 1930, the first World Cup was held in Uruguay after the Olympics refused to allow professional soccer players to play in the 1932 games. The host country made it to the final of the 13-team event, playing against Argentina. Watch this remastered film of the 1930 match with Uruguay defeating Argentina 4-2 in front of 68,000 screaming fans at the newly opened Estadio Centenario.

Visa, the first credit card network, still dominates competitors with a roughly 52% market share by purchase volume.

Among the major credit card companies in the US, Mastercard had about 25% of the market share in 2025. American Express had roughly 20%, and Discover had the smallest market share of about 4%.

The Rose Bowl was first played in 1902 and was the first postseason college football game

Held annually in Pasadena, California, the Rose Bowl is known as the “Granddaddy of Them All,” pairing top teams in a historic stadium and coinciding with the famed Rose Parade each New Year’s Day.

The first official Formula One World Championship race was in 1950

On May 13, 1950, Formula 1 held its first race at Silverstone in the UK. Over 150,000 people, including the British monarch (and future Queen Elizabeth II), turned out to watch the field of 28 cars over the 70-lap race. The race wasn’t very competitive, but it’s still a fascinating artifact to observe.

The first US Olympic basketball team was made up of amateurs from company teams

In 1936, the first year the Olympics featured basketball, the US squad featured players from two companies: an oil refinery in Kansas and Universal Pictures in Hollywood.

The album of the year award is the most prestigious Grammy

The Big Four awards—song of the year, album of the year, record of the year, and best new artist—are the only Grammy categories that are genre-agnostic. Some people are confused by the difference between awards, especially song and record. The record of the year primarily honors the performing artist. Song of the year honors the songwriter. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

How to identify baseball pitches

You might be familiar with terms like "fastball," "curve ball," and "change up," but identifying the specific elements of each pitch type—not to mention what constitutes the more specific types like "splitter" and "cutter"—can leave even passionate fans stumped. This helpful guide to the most used pitches in the big leagues allows you to become a pro in just a few minutes.