In this week’s “The Starter,” PGA professional Brendon Elliott, a three-decade industry veteran, gives his thoughts on the week that was in golf for R.org. With the new year upon us, Elliott is breaking down what’s ahead for the world’s premier golf tours in 2026. From signature events to major championships, here’s your comprehensive guide to the season ahead.

The PGA Tour: Evolution and Expansion

A Season of Signature Moments

The 2026 PGA Tour season marks the 111th year of the tour and the 20th edition of the FedEx Cup. It’s also a season that will test the tour’s resilience and adaptability, starting with an unexpected challenge right out of the gate.

The Sentry, traditionally the season’s opening event in Hawaii, has been canceled due to course conditions at Kapalua Resort. A drought and water dispute with the Maui Land & Pineapple Company left the golf course in poor condition, forcing the tour to make the difficult decision in October 2025. Tournament winners from 2025 who didn’t finish inside the Top 50 of the FedEx Cup will instead be eligible to play in the RBC Heritage.

The season officially begins January 15-18 with the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, where Nick Taylor claimed victory last year. The following week brings The American Express (January 22-25) at Pete Dye Stadium Course in La Quinta, California, where Sepp Straka is the defending champion.

The Signature Event Calendar

The signature events remain the backbone of the tour’s elevated schedule, offering larger purses and stronger fields. The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (February 12-15) kicks off the signature season at Pebble Beach Golf Links, where Rory McIlroy won last year’s $3.6 million first prize.

The Genesis Invitational follows February 19-22 at The Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California. Ludvig Åberg is the defending champion of this signature event that paid out $4 million to the winner in 2025.

The Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard (March 5-8) brings signature event status to Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, where Russell Henley captured the $4 million prize last year. Running opposite that week is the Puerto Rico Open at Grand Reserve Golf Club, won by Karl Vilips in 2025.

The Flagship and the Majors

THE PLAYERS Championship (March 12-15) stands alone as the tour’s flagship event at TPC Sawgrass. Rory McIlroy won last year’s edition, taking home $4.5 million and 750 FedEx Cup points — the highest point total of any regular season event.

The major championship season begins April 9-12 at Augusta National Golf Club for the Masters Tournament. The PGA Championship follows May 14-17 at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, where Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion. The U.S. Open heads to Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York, June 18-21, where J.J. Spaun won in 2025. The Open Championship concludes the major season July 16-19 at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England, with Scottie Scheffler defending.

New Additions and Notable Changes

The 2026 season introduces the Cadillac Championship as a new signature event, scheduled for April 30-May 3 at Trump National Doral’s Blue Monster course in Miami. This marks a significant addition to the signature event calendar.

The Truist Championship (May 7-10) at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte represents another signature event, where Sepp Straka won $3.6 million last year. Running opposite that week is the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic at Dunes Golf and Beach Club, won by Ryan Fox in 2025.

RBC Heritage (April 16-19) at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island maintains its signature status, with Justin Thomas defending his title and the $3.6 million winner’s share.

The Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (June 4-7) at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, continues as a signature event where Scottie Scheffler dominated last year, earning $4 million.

The Travelers Championship (June 25-28) at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut, closes out the signature events before the playoffs. Keegan Bradley won last year’s edition, worth $3.6 million.

International Flavor

The tour maintains its international presence with the RBC Canadian Open (June 11-14) at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley’s North Course in Caledon, Ontario, where Ryan Fox won $1.764 million in 2025.

An interesting development sees the Genesis Scottish Open (July 9-12) at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland, co-sanctioned with the European Tour. Chris Gotterup won last year’s $1.575 million prize. Running opposite that week is the ISCO Championship at Hurstbourne Country Club in Louisville, Kentucky, where William Mouw claimed the $720,000 winner’s share in 2025.

The Corales Puntacana Championship (July 16-19) at Puntacana Resort & Club in the Dominican Republic also runs opposite The Open Championship, with Garrick Higgo defending his title.

The Road to the Playoffs

The regular season concludes with the Wyndham Championship (August 6-9) at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina, where Cameron Young won $1.476 million last year.

The FedEx Cup Playoffs begin August 13-16 with the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, where Justin Rose won $3.6 million in 2025. The BMW Championship follows August 20-23 at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, with Scottie Scheffler defending his $3.6 million prize. The TOUR Championship (August 27-30) at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta crowns the FedEx Cup champion, with Tommy Fleetwood earning the $10 million prize last year.

FedEx Cup Fall

Following the conclusion of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, the PGA Tour’s Fall schedule begins. While the official schedule is still taking shape, two new Fall events were announced late in 2025: the Biltmore Championship (September 17-20) in Asheville, North Carolina, and the Good Good Championship (November 12-15) in Austin, Texas.

Presidents Cup 2026

The Presidents Cup will take place September 24-27 at Medinah CC in Chicago, Illinois, pitting the United States vs. the International squad. The United States team will defend its title and bring a staggering 13-1-1 record into this year’s 16th edition.

The LPGA Tour: Record Purses and Worldwide Impact

Historic Prize Money

The 2026 LPGA Tour represents the 77th edition of the tour and features a record-breaking total purse of over $132 million across 31 official events. This marks the largest prize fund in tour history, showing the continued growth and investment in women’s professional golf.

At the end of 2025, LPGA Commissioner Craig Kessler pointed out the tour’s momentum:

“Coming off our 75th anniversary season, we wanted a calendar that gives our athletes great stages, better flow, and even more opportunity — and I think 2026 delivers that.”

Season Opening and Early Events

The season begins January 29-February 1 with the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando, Florida, featuring a $2.1 million purse.

The tour then heads to Asia for the Honda LPGA Thailand (February 19-22) at Siam Country Club’s Old Course in Pattaya, with a $1.8 million purse. The HSBC Women’s World Championship follows February 26-March 1 at Sentosa Golf Club’s Tanjong Course in Singapore, featuring a $3 million purse.

The Blue Bay LPGA (March 5-8) at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course on Hainan Island in the People’s Republic of China offers $2.6 million, co-sanctioned with the China LPGA Tour.

North American Swing

The tour returns to North America with the Fortinet Founders Cup (March 19-22) at Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club in Menlo Park, California, with a $3 million purse. The Ford Championship presented by Wild Horse Pass (March 26-29) at Whirlwind Golf Club’s Cattail Course in Phoenix offers $2.25 million.

The Aramco Championship (April 2-5) at Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas represents one of the highest non-major purses at $4 million, co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour. The JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro (April 16-19) at El Caballero Country Club in Los Angeles features a $3.75 million purse.

The Major Championship Season

The major championship season begins April 23-26 with The Chevron Championship in Houston, Texas, offering an $8 million purse. The U.S. Women’s Open presented by Ally follows June 4-7 at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California, with a massive $12 million purse and $2.4 million going to the winner.

The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship (June 25-28) heads to Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota, where Hannah Green won her first major six years ago. This major offers $12 million, with $1.8 million to the champion.

The Amundi Evian Championship (July 9-12) at Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains, France, features an $8 million purse and is co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour. The AIG Women’s Open (July 30-August 2) concludes the major season at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in Lytham St Annes, England, where Georgia Hall won in 2018. This championship offers $9.75 million, with $1.426 million to the winner.

International Schedule

The tour maintains its worldwide presence through events in 13 countries and regions. The Mexico Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba (April 30-May 3) at El Camaleon Golf Course offers $2.5 million. The CPKC Women’s Open (August 20-23) at Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, features a $2.75 million purse.

The fall Asian swing includes the Buick LPGA Shanghai (October 15-18) in the People’s Republic of China with a $3.2 million purse, the BMW Ladies Championship (October 22-25) at Pine Beach Golf Links in the Republic of Korea offering $2.35 million, the Maybank Championship (October 29-November 1) at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club in Malaysia with $3 million, and the TOTO Japan Classic (November 5-8) at Taiheiyo Club’s Minori Course in Ibaraki, Japan, co-sanctioned with the LPGA of Japan Tour.

The Solheim Cup

The 20th edition of the biennial Solheim Cup takes place September 11-13 at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands. Three-time major champion Anna Nordqvist will lead the European team, while seven-time LPGA Tour winner Angela Stanford captains the U.S. team. The Americans arrive as defending champions following their victory at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in 2024, while the Europeans retained the Cup in 2023 after a record-setting 14-14 tie in Spain.

Season Finale

The season concludes with The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican (November 12-15) at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida, offering $3.25 million, followed by the CME Group Tour Championship (November 19-22) at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, Florida. The season-ending championship features an $11 million purse with a staggering $4 million going to the winner.

The DP World Tour: Global Expansion

A 55th Season

The 2026 DP World Tour marks its 55th season and fifth year under title sponsorship with DP World. The tour announced its full schedule in September 2025, featuring 42 official events spanning November 2025 through November 2026.

Early Season in the Southern Hemisphere

The season began November 27-30, 2025, with the BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland Golf Club, where David Puig claimed his first tour victory. The Crown Australian Open was held December 4-7 at Kingston Heath and Victoria Golf Clubs, with Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen winning his first title.

The Nedbank Golf Challenge (December 4-7, 2025) at Gary Player Country Club in South Africa offered a $6 million purse, with Kristoffer Reitan winning his second tour title. The Alfred Dunhill Championship (December 11-14, 2025) at Leopard Creek Country Club saw Jayden Schaper claim his first victory. Schaper followed up with his second win at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open (December 18-21, 2025) at Mont Choisy Le Golf.

Middle East Swing

The tour’s Middle East swing begins with the Dubai Invitational (January 15-18), offering $2.75 million, followed by the Hero Dubai Desert Classic (January 22-25), a Rolex Series event with a $9 million purse. The Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship (January 29-February 1) and the Qatar Masters (February 5-8) each offer $2.75 million in prize money.

African and Asian Events

The Magical Kenya Open (February 19-22) features a $2.75 million purse, followed by the Investec South African Open Championship (February 26-March 1) and Joburg Open (March 5-8), both co-sanctioned with the Sunshine Tour.

The tour heads to Asia with the Hainan Classic (March 19-22) in China, co-sanctioned with the China Tour, and the Hero Indian Open (March 26-29), co-sanctioned with the Professional Golf Tour of India. The Volvo China Open (April 23-26) offers a $2.75 million purse.

Major Championships

The tour’s schedule includes all four men’s major championships. The Masters Tournament (April 9-12) at Augusta National offers 10,000 Race to Dubai points and 100 Official World Golf Ranking points. The PGA Championship (May 14-17) follows at Aronimink Golf Club. The U.S. Open (June 18-21) takes place at Shinnecock Hills, and The Open Championship (July 16-19) concludes the major season at Royal Birkdale.

European Schedule

The Turkish Airlines Open (April 30-May 3) offers $2.75 million, while the new Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship (May 7-10) in Spain debuts with a $2.75 million purse. The Soudal Open (May 21-24) in Belgium and the Austrian Alpine Open (May 28-31) each feature $2.75 million purses. The KLM Open (June 4-7) in the Netherlands continues the European swing.

The Open d’Italia (June 25-28) offers $3 million, followed by the BMW International Open (July 2-5) in Germany, which offers up a $2.75 million total purse. The Genesis Scottish Open (July 9-12), a Rolex Series event co-sanctioned with the PGA Tour, features a $9 million purse.

Notable Venue Addition

The 2026 schedule includes a significant venue announcement: Trump International, Doonbeg will host the Amgen Irish Open (September 10-13) with a $6 million purse.

Season Finale

The Danish Golf Championship (August 13-16) offers $2.75 million, followed by the Betfred British Masters (August 27-30), which offers $3.5 million. The Omega European Masters (September 3-6) in Switzerland features a $3.25 million purse.

The BMW PGA Championship (September 17-20) at Wentworth Club is a Rolex Series event with a $9 million prize purse. The FedEx Open de France (September 24-27) offers $3.25 million, while the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship (October 1-4) in Scotland features $5 million. The Open de España (October 8-11) rounds out the European schedule with $3.25 million.

Asian Finale and Playoffs

The tour returns to Asia for the DP World India Championship (October 15-18), a $4 million co-sanctioned event with the Professional Golf Tour of India, and the Genesis Championship (October 22-25) in South Korea, offering $4 million.

The season concludes with two playoff events, both Rolex Series tournaments. The Abu Dhabi Championship (November 5-8) offers $9 million in prize money and 9,000 Race to Dubai points. The DP World Tour Championship (November 12-15) in the UAE crowns the season champion with a $10 million purse and 12,000 Race to Dubai points.

The 2026 season is set to deliver historic moments across all three tours. From record purses on the LPGA Tour to new signature events on the PGA Tour and global expansion on the DP World Tour, professional golf continues to build on its positive momentum. As we head into the new year, the stage is set for another memorable season of championship golf.