Most Exciting Golfing Sunday

Majors might not be consistently won by the best players in the world these days but they still throw up compelling story lines and provide the most exciting golfing Sundays.

Keegan Bradley's debut victory provided the game with another previously unsung hero and the manner of his success, fighting back from five shots behind with three holes to play, was astonishing sporting theatre.

The 25-year-old's triumph in the US PGA, his first grand slam event, meant that the average ranking of this year's four major victors is 67, and he was the second successive winner of one of the big four to be ranked outside the world's top 100.

Open Champion Darren Clarke was 111th and Masters winner Charl Schwartzel was 29th, while Rory McIlroy (7) became the game's only major winner from the top 10 when he romped away with the US Open.

Bradley, who is only the second most famous golfer in his family, is living proof that majors are no longer the sole preserve of the game's elite players. The nephew of LPGA great Pat Bradley reflects the strength in depth that prevails on the pro tours these days.

It is only two years ago that he was struggling to make a living on America's Hooter's Tour - the level below the Nationwide Tour which is spawning so many winners on the main schedule.

There is a production line of talent who are eager, fit, well schooled and determined to plunder the riches offered by the game's biggest events. 

They also have access to made-to-measure equipment that affords generous sweet spots and forgiving ball contact and this serves to further level the playing field.

Hence we had a leaderboard at the Atlanta Athletic Club that was packed with names familiar only to the most die hard of golf fans. Bradley was the seventh successive first-time major winner and the 13th different champion in the last 13 grand slam tournaments.

So many players are potential major winners these days. Should this make it easier for players like Luke Donald and Lee Westwood to crack this Holy Grail, or does it make it harder?

There was a time when it would only be the very best challenging for such honours and as the top two in the world the two Britons are part of the current elite. But the number of people they have to beat is far greater nowadays and their frustration at another year passing without claiming a major is palpable.