The 2026 PGA Tour season is officially underway, and golf fans everywhere are buzzing as the world’s best descend upon Waialae Country Club in Honolulu for the Sony Open in Hawaii. With the first tee shots flying on January 15, anticipation is sky-high—not just for this week’s tournament, but for what promises to be one of the most compelling seasons in recent memory. After a week’s delay due to the cancellation of The Sentry on Maui amid severe drought conditions, the West Coast swing is set to roll on with a stacked field and storylines galore.
Reigning U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun, Russell Henley, Collin Morikawa, and defending Sony Open champion Nick Taylor headline the field in Honolulu. But let’s not kid ourselves—the sport’s spotlight remains fixed on world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy, each carrying their own brand of momentum and pressure into 2026.
Scheffler, who closed out 2025 with victories at the PGA Championship and Open Championship, is just a U.S. Open title away from joining golf’s most exclusive club: the career Grand Slam. He’s the overwhelming favorite to claim the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills this June, but as CBS Sports’ Robby Kalland cautioned, “Everyone has Shinnecock circled for Scheffler, and while it feels like it is only a matter of time before he adds his name to golf's most exclusive club, it won't happen in 2026.” Still, few would bet against Scheffler, who’s spent the offseason focused on endurance and added a new TaylorMade Qi4D driver to his arsenal. His putting, once considered a weak link, has become a weapon thanks to a new claw grip. Patrick McDonald summed it up with a wink: “Yawn. 'Bor-ing!' Scheffler is going to sprint into 2026 to make amends for his slow start in 2025.”
On the other side of the Atlantic, Rory McIlroy is plotting his next move after finally capturing that elusive green jacket at Augusta in 2025, completing his own career grand slam. After a brief dip in form, McIlroy has found his groove again and is kicking off his 2026 campaign in the Middle East, competing in the Dubai Invitational and Hero Dubai Desert Classic. He’ll return stateside in February to defend his title at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. With 16 PGA Tour events on his schedule this year, McIlroy has his sights set on matching Nick Faldo’s six major wins—an achievement that would cement his legacy as Europe’s most decorated modern golfer.
But the big question on everyone’s mind: Can anyone catch Scheffler and McIlroy? The duo has combined for 23 wins worldwide over the past two seasons, leaving the rest of the field scrambling to close the gap. Tommy Fleetwood, now ranked No. 3 in the world after a breakthrough 2025 that saw him win the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup, is ready to make his move. “You know, challenging the top two players in the world, I'm not going to say that that's something that I'm not focused on and not interested in,” Fleetwood said in Dubai. “Of course, you are and you want to see where you can get to, but that's a long road ahead.”
Fleetwood’s confidence is justified. He finished last season with eight top 10s and 15 top 25s in 19 starts, and experts predict he’ll not only snag his first major in 2026—most likely at The Open—but possibly add several other victories as well. “The Lad finally broke through at the Tour Championship, and he might go on a tear in 2026,” Kalland predicted. “I've got Tommy picking up a major and a few other wins this season, and he should close the gap considerably on Rory McIlroy for No. 2 in the world by year's end.”
Meanwhile, Xander Schauffele, who battled through injury in 2025, is expected to rebound strongly. With the longest made cut streak on tour and 14 top-20 finishes in his last 15 majors, Schauffele’s tee-to-green consistency remains a major asset. If he can rediscover his putting touch, he’ll be a force in 2026. Young guns like Ludvig Åberg, Viktor Hovland, and Cameron Young are also poised to make noise, with Åberg and Hovland both coming off impressive seasons and knocking on the door of major championship contention.
Comeback stories abound this year. Jordan Spieth, recovering from wrist surgery, showed flashes of his old self with a tie for fourth at the WM Phoenix Open and a solid Masters performance last year. McDonald believes Spieth is primed for another win: “After an offseason procedure on his wrist, in 2025, Spieth started showing legitimate signs that he is on the path back to being a top 20 player in the world.” Brooks Koepka, after a rocky stint with LIV Golf, has returned to the PGA Tour, accepting significant financial penalties in the process. He’ll make his season debut at the Farmers Insurance Open, and the golf world will be watching closely to see if the five-time major champion can recapture his old magic. “I think it's great,” Rickie Fowler said of Koepka’s return. “He's wanted to be back playing with us for quite a while, so I'm very happy that we're back in the position where we're at now.”
Rookies and breakout candidates also populate the headlines. Ryan Gerard, who snagged his first PGA Tour win at the Barracuda Championship in 2025, is tipped to break into the top 20 this year. Neal Shipley, with his boom-or-bust style, could surprise with some big finishes. And keep an eye on Korn Ferry Tour standout Johnny Keefer, who set a record for scoring average and racked up top finishes last year.
As for the future of the PGA Tour, change is in the wind. Tiger Woods and the Future Competition Committee are considering major schedule reforms for 2027 and beyond, aiming for fewer, more prestigious events that avoid conflicts with the NFL. Hawaii’s tournaments could be on the chopping block due to logistics, and the Presidents Cup’s long-term viability is under scrutiny, with some insiders predicting its cancellation in favor of a more compelling team format.
With so many narratives in play—the chase for history, the return of former stars, the rise of new faces, and looming structural changes—the 2026 PGA Tour season is shaping up to be a wild ride. As the opening drives soar over Waialae’s palm trees, one thing’s for sure: golf fans are in for a treat, and the race for the game’s greatest prizes is just getting started.
