Would you rather win 20 PGA Tour events or one Masters? That’s Debatable

In GOLF’s all-new series That’s Debatable, sponsored by Cisco WebEx, we’re settling some of golf’s most heated disputes. Our writers and editors have been seeded 1-16, battling head-to-head to determine whose takes are most on point. In today’s matchup, we learn the value of a Masters win. 

For most golfers, playing Augusta National is enough to be considered the opportunity of a lifetime. But to win the Masters? Now, that’s priceless. Or is it? In this edition of That’s Debatable, we wondered: how much would you trade for a Masters win?

We asked our staffers if they would rather have 20 PGA Tour wins or one Masters victory. On the side of PGA Tour wins is our 7-seed, GOLF Editorial Director Ashley Mayo. And on the side of one Masters victory? Our 10-seed, GOLF Senior Equipment Editor Andrew Tursky. You can see how it all shook out in the video above or read their written arguments below!

20 PGA Tour wins (Mayo)

1. Money. Winning 20 Tour events versus one Masters Tournament means earning at least 10 times more in on-course earnings.
2. Prestige. Fewer golfers have won 20+ Tour events than those who’ve one at least one Masters. If you consider the real stats around the debate, you learn that winning 20 times on the PGA Tour is literally a feat that is harder to achieve.
3. Consistency in excellence. Would you rather be a one-hit-wonder (and yes, winning just one Masters in your lifetime makes you a one-hit wonder) or a force that remains relevant for years and years?
4. You’re still playing the Masters every year. If you’re winning on such a consistent basis, you’ll be good enough to tee it up at Augusta in early April year in and year out.
5. Actual money aside, a competitive athlete thrives on being in the mix—and excelling. That competitiveness is an athlete’s currency. If you win 20 PGA Tour events, you’ve not only been in the mix at a high level 20+ times, but you’ve emerged as the ultimate competitor. If you win just one Masters, you’ll have experienced that moment of greatness just once.

One Masters Win (Tursky)

1. Magnolia Lane. Amen Corner. Rae’s Creek. Hello Friends. The roars. The excitement. The history. The golf course. The azaleas. The green jacket.
2. The Masters is on even footing with the Super Bowl, the NBA championship, the World Cup, the World Series, the Rose Bowl. Forget the money, the green jacket is the most valuable, prestigious and coveted prize in all of golf, and maybe in all of sports.
3. PGA Tour players use regular Tour events in the spring simply as a warm-up for the Masters. You know why PGA Tour players celebrate a regular Tour win? Because they earned a spot in the Masters.
4. Every great athlete dreams of conquering the biggest moment possible. No one dreams of having a long and ultimately mediocre career. We judge greatness on performance on the biggest stage…. and that’s the Masters!
5. I’ll take my yearly invite to the Masters and seat at the Champions Dinner table, and you can keep your career earnings and longevity. I don’t care about the money or winning meaningless trophies. I care about making history.

Winner (by judge’s decision)

One Masters victory! Sadly for Ashley, a UVA grad suffers another unfortunate upset at the hands of a 10-seed! Tursky moves on to face GOLF editor-in-chief David DeNunzio in the Elite Eight. Keep it locked on GOLF.com and @GOLF_com on social media to follow along as “That’s Debatable” continues every day at noon!

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