While this year of golf may struggle to match 2025’s turbulent all-time highs, there’s still plenty to look forward to over the next 12 months.
The sheer drama and suspense of Rory McIlroy’s career Grand Slam, Masters win and European Ryder Cup success made this past year one of the most extraordinary in living memory.
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Here’s my A to Z guide to what to look out for from the venues, players and issues that could make headlines in 2026.
Win a divisional game in a major or cup match
Aronimink It will be the first men’s major tournament since 1962, when Gary Player won the PGA Championship at the Pennsylvania course. This historic layout in the western suburbs of Philadelphia will host its second PGA in May.
Sei-young Kim won the 2020 Women’s PGA and has hosted two PGA Tour events in recent years. Keegan Bradley won the BMW Championship in 2018 and Justin Rose was the AT&T Champion in 2010.
The Englishman tends to thrive on classic courses, and given the fact that he won the 2013 US Open at nearby Merion, he could be a player to watch in the second men’s major this year.
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A significantly modified Royal Birkdale It is the venue for this year’s British Open Championship. The 7th hole has been changed to a short par 3, the 14th has reverted to a par 5, and a new short 15th hole is created on one of the most atmospheric and challenging courses in the open rota.
There will be no Ryder Cup this year, cup It will attract a lot of attention. The Solheim Cup will be held in the Netherlands for the first time and the European side, led by Anna Nordqvist, are expected to put up a strong fight to regain the trophy in September.
Great Britain and Ireland defend the Curtis Cup at Bel Air Country Club in Los Angeles. Under the insightful leadership of Catriona Mathews, GB and I only have the chance to pick up a second away win.
Dean Robertson will continue to captain the GB&I Men’s Amateur as they aim to reclaim the Walker Cup in Lahinch in September.
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Hopefully, American professional players will rediscover their foursome and four-ball talents when they play against Brant Snedeker and Jeff Ogilvy’s Internationals at the Presidents Cup in Medina in September.
Men’s golf is still a game divided There are no signs that the PGA Tour and separate LIV Golf League will merge. It is unlikely that any solution will be found in 2026.
Will Scheffler join the ranks of Grand Slam greats?
Scottie Scheffler completes the third career Grand Slam by winning the 153rd British Open Championship at Royal Portrush (Getty Images)
of Evian The championship was always thought to be fifth out of the five women’s majors, but Grace Kim’s dramatic playoff victory over Gino Titicle last year cemented the name of the French tournament.
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A strong performance in Europe this July could help them continue to improve in the tournament standings.
If you’re looking for a young gun to take the game by storm, David ford Could be your man. The 23-year-old left-hander from Georgia turned pro last year after winning a record seven times in his college career and topping the PGA Tour college rankings.
After McIlroy’s exploits last April, we’re back to his career. ground slam watch. Yes, Jordan Spieth needs the PGA and Phil Mickelson needs the U.S. Open, but Scottie Scheffler is most likely to become the seventh Slammer.
After winning last year’s British Open and PGA Championship, the world number one can join the likes of McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen in golf’s most exclusive club at the US Open alone.
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houston Texas remains the main venue, but the Chevron Championship will move from Carlton Woods to the city’s Memorial Park course. The April major will be held a month after the men’s Houston Open, but will the public layout be ready in time to provide a venue worthy of the world’s best women’s players?
It’s time to sort out the Ryder Cup
The Molinari brothers, Edoardo and Francesco, were part of the backroom team for both of Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup captaincy victories (Getty Images)
Ann italian The job looks the most likely replacement if Luke Donald relinquishes European Ryder Cup leadership, with Francesco and Edoardo Molinari providing an attractive captaincy combo.
A decision is likely to be made by April, and Donald has not yet ruled out leading Europe to a third successive title.
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The Continental captain will only do it if he can field the strongest line-up, so a lot will depend on the hearings that will decide whether LIV stars such as Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton will remain in the DP World Tour squad.
Concessions must be made by early 2026 judgement The day spoke about this thorny issue in which they are appealing sanctions for holding LIV events without official tour permission.
brooks Koepka Continuing this theme, we believe the European circuit is where the five-time major winner is most likely to continue his career after leaving LIV.
Will English players shine?
Ward (right) finished as a low amateur at the Evian Championship and turned pro in the summer (Getty Images)
Lottie Ward will have to watch out for second-season syndrome after his explosive start as a pro. The 21-year-old British woman only turned professional last summer and is already ranked 11th in the world. She is one of the most exciting emerging talents in the British game.
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Every year we wonder, Selection subject 2026 could be the year of Brits Tommy Fleetwood and Charlie Hull. Southport’s Fleetwood is looking forward to not only the local Open at Birkdale, but also the U.S. Open at Sinek Hills, where Fleetwood, currently No. 3 in the world, finished second to Koepka in 2018.
Hull said the major is her priority after finishing runner-up at last year’s AIG Women’s Open, her fourth runner-up in a major.
nelly Korda is still No. 2 in the world, but is without a win in 2025. She finished the year on a relatively high note, finishing third in the Tour Championship. If she can overcome her difficulties, she will be a worthy rival for Titikul, who is at the top of the rankings.
Scheffler has a lead of more than seven points at the top of the men’s rankings. He has been at the summit since May 2023. And after six wins in 2025, it’s hard to imagine the American being dethroned as world number one. one Anytime and immediately.
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two P.S. For you; Marco Penge and John Parry will be playing on the PGA Tour for the first time as members in 2026. Both British players qualified for the DP World Tour last year, and the big hitter Penge is particularly exciting.
quiet please! Perhaps now more than ever, authorities need to consider fan behavior at major events to ensure that the Game of Royals and Ancients continues to be played with the civility it deserves.
Ranking will continue to be a hot topic. Officials are not yet ready to approve LIV’s breakaway tournament, but the Saudi-funded organization has expanded its roster to 57 players, increased the number of spots for promotion to the league to three, and changed the number of holes from 54 to 72. Watch this space.
Shifted off course due to Woods?
Woods’ last professional tournament was the 2024 British Open, and he only played at the indoor TGL Venture last year (Getty Images)
intention Shinnecock Will The Hills prove to be another controversial major venue? The past two U.S. Opens held here have been very eventful.
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In 2004, the greens became so hard that they were almost unplayable, but in 2018 Mickelson resorted to hitting putts on the move, preferring a two-stroke penalty to hitting the ball off the 13th green. What will June bring to the venerable but temperamental Long Island venue?
It was done tiger Is Woods on the field? Sadly, the great 15-time major champion is still recovering from his latest hip surgery. His influence will certainly be greater off the course — as he plans to revamp the PGA Tour’s schedule and perhaps take over as captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup.
of us The Women’s Open will be a glamorous week at LA’s Riviera Country Club, the stunning venue that will host golf competitions at the 2028 Olympics.
brendan Valdez is another notable young American left-hander embarking on his first full season on the PGA Tour. The 22-year-old had a stellar college career at Auburn University, amassing a record 558 birdies and already ranking in the top 10 on tour.
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A.I.G. Women’s At the end of July, the British Open will resume at Royal Lytham and St Anne’s, where Georgia Hall won in 2018. Will this be a predecessor to the last time the Men’s Open was held at Lancashire Links 14 years ago? It is not yet known where the 2028 championship will be held.
× It has to be Xander Schauffele. Because where else could you go? But the American should rediscover the form that brought him two majors in 2024, turning last year’s injury-induced instability into just a blip in his illustrious career so far.
cameron young At the Ryder Cup, he showed he has the size to go big. Having established himself in the world’s top 20 and secured the long-awaited tour victory, the New Yorker will strive to break into the top 10 in 2026.
And with Fuzzy Zoller’s recent sad death, Will Zaratri The banner must be placed at the end of the alphabet.
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He returned from recent back surgery at an event in South Africa late last year, but many fans are hoping for a sustained recovery.
The popular 29-year-old said his return was a “resurrection” and he is now looking to add to the six major top 10 wins he achieved between 2020 and 2022.
