As he prepared to defend his championship at the Arnold Palmer Invitational this week, Russell Henley weighed in on whether next week’s The Players Championship should be recognized as golf’s fifth major.
“I think it’s a major. It’s our home tournament. I don’t know the statistics on like what they say, like best field in golf or whatever, but, I mean, it is,” Henley told reporters Tuesday in Bay Hill, Fla.
“And the history with that tournament? I mean, I’ve always considered that a major in my mind. It’s just such a tricky golf course and it rewards great shots, typically. It visually is very intimidating. I feel like if you have a good week there you’ve done a lot of really good things.”
Henley, 36, who collected his fifth PGA Tour title with the win last year at Bay Hill Club and Lodge, is still looking for his first win in a grand slam tournament.
Last year, he followed up his dramatic one-stroke win over Collin Morikawa in the Arnold Palmer Invitational with a tie for 30th at The Players at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
“You look at the past champions (of The Players) and nobody is really, it hasn’t really favored any one player. People typically don’t win it back-to-back, unless you’re Scottie (Scheffler, 2023-24),” Henley said. “But it’s a tournament I always look forward to, I love the challenge of it, and it’s one of, yeah, I consider it a major.”
Henley was asked how high he would rank a victory at The Players among the other majors.
“I mean, winning there, when you win on a golf course like that, with that kind of history, I mean it proves you can do it anywhere, I think, for sure,” he said. “Those closing holes are really tough, I would imagine, when you’re carrying a lead.”
Returning to this week’s task at hand, Henley reflected on the clutch play that earned him the champion’s red cardigan at Bay Hill last year. He chipped in for eagle at the par-5 16th hole and closed with two pars for his first win since the 2022 World Wide Technology Classic.
“Once that chip went in on 16, I knew the tournament was far from over, I only had a one-shot lead, and I had two really difficult holes to play, so I knew I had a lot of work cut out for me,” he said. “I knew Collin was playing great and I knew he would play great under pressure like he always does. Just a lot of different ups and downs of emotions and really proud of myself for just hanging tough all day and seeing it all the way through.”
Henley is trying to become the first back-to-back winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational since Matt Every in 2014 and 2015.
