Where would the Olympics Golf rank amid the numerous events? That is a question that has been frequently asked by many in the community. Interestingly, it is also a query that has been answered many times. Matt Fitzpatrick dubbed it “just under a major,” while Min Woo Lee expressed his thoughts along the same lines. But now it’s Gary Player, with his recent golfing accolade, who has managed to outclass the prestigious event.

Gary Player has a total of nine major victories to his name, out of which he has won three Open Championships. And one of the Claret Jug replicas, which the golfer received from the 103rd Open set in Royal Lytham & St Annes back in 1974, was auctioned off for a whopping $481,068.

This is a stark contrast to what the successful athletes representing the country are being paid by the United States of America at the quadrennial events. As per sources, the U.S. Olympic Committee awards its medal winners a sum of $37,500 if they were to win gold, $22,500 for silver, and $15,000 for bronze medals. The auctioned price of the Claret Jug appears to be 10 times the dollar bills set aside for the gold medalists.

The Paralympic medalists, on the other hand, were not paid the same as the Olympic winners for a long time. They only received equal pay in 2018, after the committee granted payouts to the 36 athletes who won at the Games, which were held in Pyeongchang.

Well, the development itself tends to hint at how the community views a tournament like the major championship. Even the Australian golfer Min Woo Lee had said the same. He recently mentioned how the major championships seem to have been placed at a level higher than the four prestigious events.

Min Woo Lee’s remarks ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics

“For the swimming, for the… track, like, the Olympics was the biggest thing,” pointed out the Australian professional while hinting at how the prestigious event is slowly gaining importance in the golf world as well. He also highlighted where he felt the Olympics, ranked with respect to the different major championships, “Yeah, I think it’s up there. I mean, maybe not like, I guess, the Masters and you know, just the majors, but, like right behind it for sure.”

Even so, the Australian golfer made sure to express the importance of winning a gold medal: “I think to call yourself a gold medalist is very cool.” What’s more, he also added how “special” it is to “play in the Olympics,” not to mention doing it alongside his sister, Minjee Lee. The LPGA Tour Pro, meanwhile, will be making her third appearance at the event and would also be hoping to clinch a podium finish alongside her brother.