“TPC always assembles one of the most elite fields in golf and probably is worthy of being known as the fifth major. But, the MASTERS is a tournament, a feeling, a place and a tradition like no other.”
The Masters is more than just a tournament. It is the defacto world championship of golf.
The Masters (golf)
The Kentucky Derby (horse racing)
The Olympics (track/gymnastics/swimming)
The Tour de France (cycling)
Every sport has their IT event. The one that winning it puts you in a different category. No matter how good you are (how many records you set or events your win), if you don’t win the IT event in your sport you are never considered truly one of the greats.
A golfer could set all kinds of records, win every major event multiple times, but if they NEVER won a Masters they would never be considered one of the true greats of golf.
I would say the US Open or British Open is more difficult to win than the Master’s. With the US Open the USGA sets up the course to be well-nigh impossible and one must have the game for it. With the British, one must periodically have to contend with the horrendous weather. That’s why in the Opens you often get the no-name one-time player (Todd Hamilton? Ben Curtis?) who breaks through - the courses weed out so many others. And both the Opens feature deeper fields than Augusta. To win any of these three championships makes a golfer’s career. To win all three makes a golfer among the all-time greats.