Scottie Scheffler talks to the media on Tuesday – image PGA of America
This week’s PGA Championship will see world number one Scottie Scheffler chasing his second PGA Championship title, world number two, Rory McIlory, his third, world number three Cameron Young, his first, and Brooks Koepka, his 4th.
These are but a few of the intriguing stories surrounding the Aronimink Golf Club in Philadelphia this week, Jordan Spieth’s bid for victory, also a bid to complete the Grand Slam and join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and Rory McIlroy as the six golfers to win the professional Grand Slam of major titles.
Scottie Scheffler’s five-shot win over Bryson De Chambeau, Harris English and Davis Riley at Quail Hollow last year is one of four majors the still only 29-year-old has to his name, and like Spieth, he will attempt to complete the Grand Slam, although that must wait till next month’s US Open.
Scheffler has not only won this title but also been runner-up when second to Brooks Koepka in 2023. The Texan’s recent form suggests another major title is very much on the cards, having finished runner-up in his last three PGA Tour starts.
“I think it was last week my wife was like, Hey, Scottie, you’re like the first guy in PGA TOUR history to have three solo runner-ups in a row,” said Scheffler when asked if those finishes were glass half full or half empty.
“I’m like, yeah, it’s probably because the guy that was playing that good figured out a way to win one of those, he didn’t come second in all three.
“A little bit of it is bittersweet. Finishing second in a golf tournament is not bad, but, I mean — especially in the way I did it in a couple of them. I was spotting guys so many strokes going into the weekend.
“So just different things. Overall, yeah, I’d say a little bit bittersweet. You know you’re playing good golf, and you’d love to get some wins. Finishing second hurts, but I think when you reflect and you’re looking at things to work on, there’s a lot less to clean up when you’re finishing 2nd than there is when you’re finishing 30th.”
Rory McIlroy during his Tuesday presser – image PGA of America
McIlroy won his second major title and first PGA Championship when winning by eight at Kiawah Island in 2012 and won again at Valhalla in 2014, but in the past 11 years, he has had a best of only 7th. In the form he is in at present, including his second Master’s title, another showdown between he and Scheffler is a mouthwatering prospect.
McIlroy has played sparingly since the Masters, a 19th-place finish at Quail Hollow enough to get his game ticking over again.
“It’s a much more condensed schedule than it used to be,” said McIlroy, explaining his schedule. “We used to go from April to the end of August. It’s now April to the middle of July.
“So it’s condensed, and you have to — I think that’s why I need to — especially after the last couple of years, I need to take the time after the Masters to reset and decompress and get myself in the right mental space again to get myself up for this tournament and keep going for the U.S. Open and The Open Championship.
“Obviously, there’s some tournaments in between those as well. Yeah, I think I came into this tournament last year a little bit sort of uncertain of what my future was — just like I conquered this thing that I wanted to conquer for so long, and I was a little bit — you know, I still hadn’t really reset goals or found whatever that motivation was to keep going or go forward and set myself goals for the rest of my career. It probably took me a good few months to get to that point.
“As I’ve said, like last week, coming into this tournament feels a lot different than what it did last year. I feel like I’ve got some nice clear road ahead to try to get some more of these majors.”
Cameron Young – during practice this week – image PGA of America
Cameron Young has become almost Scheffler-like, given his amazing run since the start of 2026. He has jumped from 19th to 3rd in the world ranking, courtesy of wins at the Players Championship and the Cadillac Championship and third-place finishes at the Masters and the Arnold Palmer Championship.
Young has yet to win a major championship, but he has been runner-up in two and 3rd placed in two, and given the manner in which he has been playing of late and the associated confidence it brings, it would be no surprise to see him collect a ‘major’ breakthrough this week.
Young’s father was a long-serving member of the PGA, and as such, the event has even greater meaning for him
“The PGA Championship, for our family is a great week. My dad was a PGA of America professional forever. I kind of embraced the whole package of that. He was at a great club in New York, worked on the rules committee. So, yeah, this week is special for us.
Unfortunately, he never qualified for the tour, but he was a very good player and had a number of chances to throughout his career. Yeah, it’s a cool one for us just given his connection.”
Young was asked his feelings about his current success; “I think any time you have to wait for something, it makes it better, you know. I think it would be — in a sense, it would be harder if I had won a couple times early and then went a long time without winning.
“Now I feel like to have kind of had several years build up to now, winning a couple times pretty quickly, it makes it feel pretty good.
“I mean, to have gotten through what was at times quite frustrating and come out on the other side of it a better golfer and to have my name on a couple trophies to show for it definitely feels good.”
Jordan Spieth – a PGA Championship away from a Grand Slam – image PGA of America
One player on whom there will be a lot of attention this week is Jordan Spieth, whose previous wins at the Masters, the Open Championship, and the US Open leave him on the verge of a Grand Slam if he were to find a way to contend. Admittedly, that might be easier said than done, given there has not been a top ten in PGA Tour events for over a year, but he has missed only one top ten in 12 starts this season, so his game appears to be coming around after a long time in the relative wilderness.
“I feel good about where my game is at,” said Spieth. “I wish I got a little bit more out of the last couple weeks, but I kind of know what got off now and how it fix and I’m spending the next few days working on that.
“I feel like I’ve been driving the ball really well which is a nice premium. I feel like that puts me in a position to contend here versus maybe when I hadn’t been in other PGAs. The driver has to be a weapon in the PGA Championship. So if I can continue on the path that I’ve been on, then that leaves me with plenty of opportunities.”
“So as far as the career Grand Slam, this tournament’s always highlighted. If I can win one more tournament in my life, it would obviously be this one for that reason. But the easiest way to do that is to not try to, in a weird way, you know.
“My game has been getting better and better. It’s plenty good to have a chance to win. It’s about working my way into contention. I was able to do that a couple of weeks ago. Being in the last couple of groups this weekend, the first time this season. Glad I was there, and hopefully I can do that week and do better.”
Brooks Koepka – chasing an amazing 4th PGA Championship – image PGA of America
Brooks Koepka is chasing a remarkable 4th PGA Championship title in his last nine starts, having won in 2018, 2019 and 2023. Since his return to the PGA Tour from LIV Golf at the start of 2026, he has shown enough to suggest a 4th PGA Championship title is not the long shot it might have been a few months ago, and few would deny the already five-time major champion, another.
TEE TIMES
PGA Championship – so full of storylines
Scottie Scheffler talks to the media on Tuesday – image PGA of America
This week’s PGA Championship will see world number one Scottie Scheffler chasing his second PGA Championship title, world number two, Rory McIlory, his third, world number three Cameron Young, his first, and Brooks Koepka, his 4th.
These are but a few of the intriguing stories surrounding the Aronimink Golf Club in Philadelphia this week, Jordan Spieth’s bid for victory, also a bid to complete the Grand Slam and join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and Rory McIlroy as the six golfers to win the professional Grand Slam of major titles.
Scottie Scheffler’s five-shot win over Bryson De Chambeau, Harris English and Davis Riley at Quail Hollow last year is one of four majors the still only 29-year-old has to his name, and like Spieth, he will attempt to complete the Grand Slam, although that must wait till next month’s US Open.
Scheffler has not only won this title but also been runner-up when second to Brooks Koepka in 2023. The Texan’s recent form suggests another major title is very much on the cards, having finished runner-up in his last three PGA Tour starts.
“I think it was last week my wife was like, Hey, Scottie, you’re like the first guy in PGA TOUR history to have three solo runner-ups in a row,” said Scheffler when asked if those finishes were glass half full or half empty.
“I’m like, yeah, it’s probably because the guy that was playing that good figured out a way to win one of those, he didn’t come second in all three.
“A little bit of it is bittersweet. Finishing second in a golf tournament is not bad, but, I mean — especially in the way I did it in a couple of them. I was spotting guys so many strokes going into the weekend.
“So just different things. Overall, yeah, I’d say a little bit bittersweet. You know you’re playing good golf, and you’d love to get some wins. Finishing second hurts, but I think when you reflect and you’re looking at things to work on, there’s a lot less to clean up when you’re finishing 2nd than there is when you’re finishing 30th.”
Rory McIlroy during his Tuesday presser – image PGA of America
McIlroy won his second major title and first PGA Championship when winning by eight at Kiawah Island in 2012 and won again at Valhalla in 2014, but in the past 11 years, he has had a best of only 7th. In the form he is in at present, including his second Master’s title, another showdown between he and Scheffler is a mouthwatering prospect.
McIlroy has played sparingly since the Masters, a 19th-place finish at Quail Hollow enough to get his game ticking over again.
“It’s a much more condensed schedule than it used to be,” said McIlroy, explaining his schedule. “We used to go from April to the end of August. It’s now April to the middle of July.
“So it’s condensed, and you have to — I think that’s why I need to — especially after the last couple of years, I need to take the time after the Masters to reset and decompress and get myself in the right mental space again to get myself up for this tournament and keep going for the U.S. Open and The Open Championship.
“Obviously, there’s some tournaments in between those as well. Yeah, I think I came into this tournament last year a little bit sort of uncertain of what my future was — just like I conquered this thing that I wanted to conquer for so long, and I was a little bit — you know, I still hadn’t really reset goals or found whatever that motivation was to keep going or go forward and set myself goals for the rest of my career. It probably took me a good few months to get to that point.
“As I’ve said, like last week, coming into this tournament feels a lot different than what it did last year. I feel like I’ve got some nice clear road ahead to try to get some more of these majors.”
Cameron Young – during practice this week – image PGA of America
Cameron Young has become almost Scheffler-like, given his amazing run since the start of 2026. He has jumped from 19th to 3rd in the world ranking, courtesy of wins at the Players Championship and the Cadillac Championship and third-place finishes at the Masters and the Arnold Palmer Championship.
Young has yet to win a major championship, but he has been runner-up in two and 3rd placed in two, and given the manner in which he has been playing of late and the associated confidence it brings, it would be no surprise to see him collect a ‘major’ breakthrough this week.
Young’s father was a long-serving member of the PGA, and as such, the event has even greater meaning for him
“The PGA Championship, for our family is a great week. My dad was a PGA of America professional forever. I kind of embraced the whole package of that. He was at a great club in New York, worked on the rules committee. So, yeah, this week is special for us.
Unfortunately, he never qualified for the tour, but he was a very good player and had a number of chances to throughout his career. Yeah, it’s a cool one for us just given his connection.”
Young was asked his feelings about his current success; “I think any time you have to wait for something, it makes it better, you know. I think it would be — in a sense, it would be harder if I had won a couple times early and then went a long time without winning.
“Now I feel like to have kind of had several years build up to now, winning a couple times pretty quickly, it makes it feel pretty good.
“I mean, to have gotten through what was at times quite frustrating and come out on the other side of it a better golfer and to have my name on a couple trophies to show for it definitely feels good.”
Jordan Spieth – a PGA Championship away from a Grand Slam – image PGA of America
One player on whom there will be a lot of attention this week is Jordan Spieth, whose previous wins at the Masters, the Open Championship, and the US Open leave him on the verge of a Grand Slam if he were to find a way to contend. Admittedly, that might be easier said than done, given there has not been a top ten in PGA Tour events for over a year, but he has missed only one top ten in 12 starts this season, so his game appears to be coming around after a long time in the relative wilderness.
“I feel good about where my game is at,” said Spieth. “I wish I got a little bit more out of the last couple weeks, but I kind of know what got off now and how it fix and I’m spending the next few days working on that.
“I feel like I’ve been driving the ball really well which is a nice premium. I feel like that puts me in a position to contend here versus maybe when I hadn’t been in other PGAs. The driver has to be a weapon in the PGA Championship. So if I can continue on the path that I’ve been on, then that leaves me with plenty of opportunities.”
“So as far as the career Grand Slam, this tournament’s always highlighted. If I can win one more tournament in my life, it would obviously be this one for that reason. But the easiest way to do that is to not try to, in a weird way, you know.
“My game has been getting better and better. It’s plenty good to have a chance to win. It’s about working my way into contention. I was able to do that a couple of weeks ago. Being in the last couple of groups this weekend, the first time this season. Glad I was there, and hopefully I can do that week and do better.”
Brooks Koepka – chasing an amazing 4th PGA Championship – image PGA of America
Brooks Koepka is chasing a remarkable 4th PGA Championship title in his last nine starts, having won in 2018, 2019 and 2023. Since his return to the PGA Tour from LIV Golf at the start of 2026, he has shown enough to suggest a 4th PGA Championship title is not the long shot it might have been a few months ago, and few would deny the already five-time major champion, another.
TEE TIMES
South African Premiall wins DP World Tour event by 14 – Kobori 6th
Yurav Premlall – image DP World Tour
In one of the most emphatic winning displays in a DP World Tour event, South African, Yurav Premlall, has won the Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship in Spain by a massive 14 shots, falling just one shot short of the winning margin established by Tiger Woods when the American won the 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach.
Premlall, who was in 42nd position after his opening round of 70 on Thursday, in which he dropped three shots over his closing two holes, then reeled off rounds of 64, 63, and 63 to win over fellow South African Shaun Norris.
Premlall, a DP World Tour rookie, had recorded only one previous top ten on the DP World Tour,
“No words,” said Premlall when asked to describe his feelings. “I’ve worked so hard to get into this position, and it’s so rewarding to see the results of it finally.
“I mean, the last eight, nine months have been such a struggle just to build myself onto a platform where I know I could give myself a chance to win and to end up obviously in this position.
“I’m just so grateful, so it’s a dream come true.
“I’ll start with my mum – at least it’s a Mother’s Day present, so happy Mother’s Day, mum! And yeah, for my dad, we worked so hard to get here.
“There’s not much else I can say. I mean my whole team, support structure, all my family. It’s so rewarding to stand up on this pedestal and be able to thank everyone for being part of this journey so far.”
New Zealand’s Kazuma Kobori continued his good recent improvement when he tied for 6th and earned €66,000, following a 13th place finish in Turkey last week.
Results
Lucas Herbert earns LIV Golf victory and a US Open start
Lucas Herbert reacts to a holed birdie putt at the 15th today – image LIV Golf League
Victorian Lucas Herbert has led virtually from wire to wire to win his first LIV Golf League event and, in doing so, earned, in addition to the US$4 million first-place cheque, a start at next month’s US Open at Shinnecock Hills.
The US Open appearance will be the second major Herbert has played his way into in 2026, having earned an Open Championship start courtesy of his runner-up finish to Daniel Hillier at the New Zealand Open in March.
The USGA introduced a new qualifying category last year for LIV Golf, which included the leading three golfers, not otherwise exempt, from the LIV Golf standings
Herbert will miss out on a start at the PGA Championship next week, but was clearly delighted with his outstanding performance on a demanding golf course at the Trump International in Virginia.
29 birdies and an eagle sprinkled through his scorecards for the 72 holes, and although a double bogey at the 9th today saw his lead reduced to just one when his nearest chaser, Sergio Garcia, birdied the 10th, he steadied the ship with birdies at the 11th and 12th and eventually won by four over the Spaniard.
Bryson De Chambeau finished alone in 3rd place.
Herbert was delighted to learn of his qualifying for Shinnecock Hills.
“Yeah, there were so many things that came with winning today. I just wanted to focus on what I was doing and then spend this moment now figuring out what comes with it.
“That’s a nice added bonus. My first major ever was at Shinnecock. Nice to go back and see what I’ve learned since then. Can’t wait to get there and try to play like I did this week.”
When asked what he would take out of his win, Herbert replied;
“Probably that I can perform pretty damn well when things aren’t perfect. I was pretty sick all week, and I woke up this morning probably feeling worse than I did the last few days. I had Sergio coming at me for 36 holes really hard, and he pushed me the whole way, made me earn that one.
“I didn’t doubt myself. I missed a few putts here and there and made it a contest late. But after the rain delay, the way I played those eight shots, I’m so proud of that. I can’t wait to celebrate with everyone tonight.”
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Remembering Seve on his birthday
Seve (left) John Lister and myself in Rotorua exhibition 1977
The Australasians at the PGA Championship and how they got there
The finishing hole at the Aronimink Golf Club – image PGA of America
This week’s PGA Championship at the Aronimink Golf Club, just west of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, brings together an eclectic mix of not only the world’s best golfers but 20 Club Professionals from the 2026 Club Professionals Championship.
It is generally considered one of the strongest fields in men’s tournament golf and, importantly, in this era of disruption in professional golf, the event provides access to several leading players in LIV Golf, in addition to most of the game’s 100 world-ranked golfers.
The numerous eligibility criteria bring 154 players to yet another Donald Ross-designed layout, first conceived in 1926 but opened a couple of years later.
The venue has hosted several PGA Tour events, but this year’s PGA Championship will be the second staged by the club, the first being the 1962 event won by Gary Player.
Australasians in the field are here for the following reasons.
Jason Day – Former Champion and top 70 on the PGA Tour money list since the 2025 PGA Championship (on May 4)
Min Woo Lee – Top 70 on the PGA Tour money list since the 2025 PGA Championship (as at May 4)
Adam Scott – Top 70 on the PGA Tour money list since the 2025 PGA Championship (as at May 4)
Cameron Smith – winner of the 2022 Open Championship
Ryan Fox – Top 70 on the PGA Tour money list since the 2025 PGA Championship (as at May 4) and a winner on the PGA Tour in the last 12 months.
Daniel Hillier – deemed worthy of inclusion by the PGA of America due to performances internationally.
Elvis Smylie – deemed worthy of inclusion by the PGA of America due to performances internationally.
Travis Smyth – Top 3 on the OWGR International Federation Ranking List (as at April 27)
Adam Scott turns back the clock at Doral
Adam Scott – stunning weekend after opening round setback – file image PGA of Australia
Adam Scott defied all odds this week when charging home in today’s final round of the Cadillac Championship at the Trump International Course in Doral, to finish in a share of 4th place behind the winner, Cameron Young.
Scott, who had won this event on this layout when it was last played in 2016, produced weekend rounds of 66 and 64 to, admittedly, finish eight shots behind Young, but just two behind Scottie Scheffler, who finished in second place.
Scott’s effort this week was made all the more meritorious given the two-shot penalty he incurred on Thursday when playing the wrong ball at the 8th hole to finish with a round of 76. He was still well back after a second round of 72, but his barnstorming finish catapulted him through the field..
Scott earns US$841,000 for his effort in the US$20 million Signature event.
“That’s good playing around here, for sure,” said Scott when asked about his 14 under par weekend.
“Especially yesterday in the wind I played really, really nicely. I was so disheartened after Friday’s round, my putting was just so bad. I know a lot of guys have struggled with grain and stuff this week. But just felt like I’m playing good and I’m just not getting anything out of it. So it’s an incredible game because two days later I feel really good about things sitting here talking with you.”
Scott then had a putting tip from his good friend and now CBS analyst, Trevor Immelman, and he made mention of the assistance.
“Yeah, I mean, I think Trev is as frustrated as me. Thankfully, he cares so much. Yeah, he noticed a little something with my left elbow, I think for quite a while we just haven’t really focused on it.
“It gave me something to focus on and probably improved my path and face and all the things that you need to do without really having to stress too much about it. So a few more went in, thank you, Trev. It’s a nice feeling, that’s for sure.
“I’m feeling good about all those things; it’s all positive stuff. To win a major, I’m going to need to put four days together, not just a weekend coming from behind. I feel like my game is there. I’m doing all the things that I think I need to do to be in that kind of condition. So next week is important to keep this confidence going and hopefully arrive at the U.S. PGA full of confidence and four good days, and you just never know.”
Min Woo Lee, Ryan Fox, and Jason Day all improved with final rounds of 68 but still finished well back.
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Scott Hend adds another senior major podium finish
Scott Hend – making his mark in the US even without status – file image
Australian Scott Hend has followed up an impressive third-place finish in the opening major of the season at the Senior PGA Championship with a runner-up finish at the second major of 2026, the Regions Tradition Championship in Birmingham, Alabama.
Still without status as a full-time member of the PGA Tour Champions, Hend reeled off a final round of 65 to jump nine places, a final nine of 31, including an eagle at the 13th, not quite good enough to catch yet another Stewart Cink win, but enabling the 52-year-old to finish three shots back and alone in second place.
Hend adds another US$228,000 to the US$174,000 he earned at the Senior PGA Championship and, in just the two starts in which he has been eligible, has moved inside the top ten to 9th place in the Charles Schwab Cup money list.
Hend’s power game was again to the fore, leading the driving distance stats for the week with an average of 301 yards.
The performance should earn Hend a start in the US$3 million Insperity Championship in Houston starting this Thursday.
Hend also leads the Staysure Legends Tour in Europe with three top 5’s in three starts there this season.
New Zealand’s Steve Alker was the next best of the Australasians when he tied for 11th place after a somewhat disappointing weekend.
Alker does, however, remain in 4th place in the year-long Charles Schwab Cup.
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Kazuma Kobori finds form on Turkish Coast
Kazuma Kobori – file photo courtesy of PGA of Australia
New Zealander Kazuma Kobori’s form in recent weeks in DP World Tour events has been well below what he produced in his 2025 season. Still, overnight in Turkey, he found himself in a share of second place and just one off the lead in the Turkish Airlines Open in Antalya.
Kobori’s second round of 4 under par 68 has him one behind Italy’s Gregorio De Leo in the US$2.75 million event and, currently in 99th place in the Race to Dubai rankings, the return to form has been a welcome one for the 24-year-old, who is in his second season on the DP World Tour.
Last year, Kobori made it all the way to the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai after 2nd and 3rd place finishes in events and eventually finished an impressive 44th in the Race to Dubai rankings, but although he has made the cut in four of five DPWT starts this season, there has been only one top ten and only midfield finishes since.
“We’ve got pretty nice conditions, the wind is picking up now, but for the most part we played in pretty calm conditions, so pretty happy with the way things are going,” said Kobori after his round.
“I’m just trying to keep doing what I am doing. It’s a bit of belief, evidence that I can compete out here from last year, so to be honest, I’m just trying not to force the issue as much and just keep playing my game over the course of 72 holes and see where that takes me.”
Kobori appears to have found a golf course that suits his percentage-based game, hitting many fairways and greens in regulation and although ranking down in driving distance this week, he has found a way to negotiate the National Golf Club in Belek on the Mediterranean Coast.
The only other Australasians to make the cut in the event were Elvis Smylie in 23rd position and David Micheluzzi 57th.
For Smylie, who joined LIV Golf earlier this year and won on debut, the news of the potential demise of LIV Golf at year’s end may well see him playing on a more regular basis on the DP World Tour, where he continues to have status as a result of his good season in 2025 and his win at the 2024 Australian PGA Championship.
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US$20 million for Cadillac Championship becomes the norm
Adam Scott – the last winner of the Cadillac Championship at the Blue Monster – image PGA Tour / Getty
The news of the possible demise of LIV Golf reached a crescendo today with the indication that the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) will cease its funding of LIV Golf at the completion of 2026, leaving the four-year-old league searching for financial support that would seem impossible to secure.
With a reported US$6 billion already spent on its attempt to control the world of professional golf, the PIF has, it would seem, succumbed to the financial pressures of such costs and to the fact that the concept has not gathered the momentum many felt it would.
This writer has never been a fan of LIV Golf. I have had an involvement in various capacities in the professional game for 55 years, but while acknowledging the impact it has had in certain areas and regions, I can’t bring myself to get enthused about its role.
The concept of team golf in the form that LIV Golf introduced, in particular, appears to carry little interest for most golf fans, and the same could be said for the very contrived TGL supported and underwritten by the PGA Tour.
There is, however, little doubting the impact the league has had on the purses now being offered by the PGA Tour, which, without the arrival of LIV Golf, would never have reached the heights they are now at.
When LIV Golf arrived on the scene four years ago, only one event, the Players Championship, carried a purse of $US20 million or more. Today, 14 events on the PGA Tour carry prizemoney of US$20 million or more, the season-ending Tour Championship boasting prizemoney of US$40 million and there is little doubt that without the pressure for prizemoney growth LIV Golf created the PGA Tour, there is no way the number and size of such purses would be available.
Every one of the 72 golfers in this week’s Cadillac Championship at the Trump National’s Blue Monster in Miami should, therefore, take a moment this week to acknowledge the impact on the sort of purses they are now playing for and only because of the arrival of LIV in 2022.
This week, four Australasians will compete for one of those US$20 million purses: Min Woo Lee, Jason Day, Adam Scott and New Zealand’s Ryan Fox, with Day and Scott the only two to have competed over the Blue Monster previously.
The last time this event was played at this venue in 2016 the purse was US$9.5 million, a tidy sum back then, but now just the norm for a regular season event.
In fact, Adam Scott was the last person to win this event at this venue back in 2016, but much has changed with the layout upgraded by Gil Hanse, in the ten years since. Scott has also recorded three other top tens at this venue, including a 3rd place finish in 2013.
“It’s not that recent, but it’s great to be back here,” said Scott. “What had opinion like a staple on the PGA TOUR for 50 years I think. Good memories for me. Obviously, winning the last time we were here, but always enjoyed playing this golf course. It’s a challenge.
“It’s called the Blue Monster for a reason. It’s a big golf course, very penal. The wind can blow, and that’s the biggest challenge out here. So you’ve got to strike it well, just demanding tee to green. It’s great that we’re back, and looking forward to this week.”
Scott was asked just how much he has evolved as a player and athlete in those ten years since 2016.
“I think I’ve done a good job staying healthy and staying fitted and strong and relevant to the modern game. There’s a big difference between being 35 and 45, I think. At 35 you are looking at like a Rory McIlroy-type age where you’re still really in your prime.
“I still feel like I can play at a high level, but I’m looking to lift the ceiling a little bit and get in there and win again, maybe the good vibes here from 10 years ago will help me this week. But it is, it’s more demanding.
“I think in the past 10 years, as well, the amount of young players that can compete has increased a lot. I don’t know what that number is, but I would say more than doubled. The guys in their 20s are that much better; there are a lot more of ’em, so it’s definitely getting tougher out here.”
The obvious favourite is Scott Scheffler, who is playing the event for the first occasion given he was not even on the scene when the event was last played.
“My experience on this course is the last two days was all I saw,” said Scheffler today.
“I tried to go back and watch some stuff, but the golf course has changed a decent amount over time. The greens are bigger than they were a few years ago. Then, when you look back even further, the greens were a different type of grass.
“So when it comes to walking the course, this course in particular is pretty straightforward in a sense of like you can see off the tee box where you need to hit it, it’s just a matter of hitting it there time and time again.
“There’s not really many tricks to this golf course. It’s just very, very difficult. It’s a flat piece of land. There’s just a lot of bunkers, a lot of water and the golf holes are long. So with that combination, it’s going to be tough.”
Perhaps surprisingly, the winner at his last two PGA Tour appearances, Matthew Fitzpatrick, is not in the field, and neither is Rory McIlroy, further highlighting the impact that LIV Golf has had on the scheduling of players who, because of the money now readily available, can get to pick and choose a lot more than was the case previously.
Not sure they would have turned down a US$20 million event four years ago.
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Hannah Green saves best to last behind yet another Korda win
Hannah Green – file photo AWPGA
Hannah Green saved her best for last at the Chevron Championship, her weekend rounds of 70 and 68 leapfrogging her up the field from just two shots inside the cutline on Friday evening to finish in a share of 7th place in the opening major of the year.
Admittedly, Green finished a massive 12 shots behind the five shot winner, Nelly Korda but on a golf course that was perhaps not best suited to her, Green produced yet another excellent week and takes her earnings for the season to US$1,427,000, and although now second in the money list standings, she appears on track for potentially her best season.
Green explained the difference her recent good form has meant in terms of expectations.
“I think now that I guess I’m in the Top 10 or Top 5 in the world I feel like, yeah, more eyeballs are on me, which has been something I haven’t had to really deal with. A lot of times I have been able to fly under the radar or come from behind and have a win.
“So it’s kind of different coming into the major with more attention on me. It is definitely something I have to learn to get used to, as I hope I can continue this run I’m on.
“Yeah, adds a lot of pressure, but I also want to perform well in these events. It’s nice to get off to a good start. I am really excited to go to Riviera obviously being in California, and also Hazeltine National, somewhere close to my heart. I haven’t been there since I won, so really strange and cool week to get there.
“I’ve got a week off next week and then Mizuho is my next event, so I am really looking forward to that. Hopefully I can use this momentum into that event.”
Korda’s five shot victory over Patty Tavatanakit and Ruoning Yin moves her back to the top of the Rolex World Rankings following two wins and three runner-up finishes in just five starts in 2026.
It was Korda’s 17th LPGA Tour victory and third major title.
“That was a hard weekend,” said an exhausted Korda. “Honestly, having that big of a lead, it’s not easy. It was definitely one of the hardest things I’ve had to do mentally.
“But I have an amazing support system, amazing family right behind me, amazing caddie that’s on the bag, and just happy to get it done.
“Honestly, what I was telling myself was I really want to hoist this trophy because I want to show the kids at home that it’s okay to miss short putts and still win a major championship.
“You know, you’re going to do it. You’re going to make mistakes. You have to mentally still be in it 100%, and that’s really what I wanted to show. I wanted to show it to myself, and I wanted to show it to everyone looking up to me.”
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