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Check in to GOLF’s Tour Confidential every Sunday night for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport. This week, with the Masters at Augusta National, we’ll hit one key topic every night.

We are at the halfway point of the 2026 Masters, and everyone is chasing Rory McIlroy. The defending champ poured in six birdies over his final seven holes to close out his second round, posting a seven-under 65 to open up a six-shot lead. Sam Burns and Patrick Reed are tied in second at six under, while the trio of Justin Rose, Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood sit another shot back. There are still 36 holes to play, but McIlroy’s six-shot lead at the halfway mark is the largest in Masters history. Can anyone catch him?

Sean Zak, senior writer (@sean_zak): Absolutely not. Patrick Reed is playing incredible golf. McIlroy got some incredible breaks. Get them in the final pairing on Sunday and anything is in play. That said, I’m definitely afraid that it’s over. I’m considering it. I’m hopeful it’s not because that’s no fun. 

Josh Sens, senior writer (@JoshSens): Agreed. Long coronations are only fun for the player being crowned. Hard to know which Rory we’ll see, though. Is it going to be the McIlroy who squeezed the life out of the U.S. Open at Congressional and the PGA Championship at Kiawah? Or the Heart Attack Kid of last year at Augusta? My guess is something in between. I expect him to win fairly comfortably in the end, but I also think he’ll make it interesting along the way with a loose, perplexing swing here and there — with some help from the guys chasing him.

Zephyr Melton, associate game-improvement editor (@zephyrmelton): As Rory knows all too well, no lead is safe around Augusta National. A six-shot cushion is great heading into the weekend, but there’s nothing harder than playing with a lead. He’ll now sleep on the lead for the second straight night — and I’d imagine sleep will be hard to come by. These next 36 holes will go a long way in defining Rory’s legacy, a fact I’m sure he is well aware of. Playing with that on his mind will be no easy task.

Josh Schrock, associate news editor (@schrock_and_awe): There’s still a lot of golf to be played, but I do fear that we are another good nine-hole stretch away from this being a coronation. Rory is 90th in driving accuracy out of 91 players in the field and leads by six. He has gotten some breaks but has also been patient, taken his medicine and taken advantage of the bounces when he has gotten them. Patrick Reed and Justin Rose are playing good golf and I would expect one of them to push Rory over the weekend, but we’re on the verge of this thing being over before we get to Sunday.

James Colgan, news and features editor (@jamescolgan26): Nope, definitely not over. In fact, there’s a persuasive argument that the story only just now gets interesting. I’m sorta amazed by how much time is left. If a six-shot lead becomes a three-shot lead tomorrow, nobody will bat an eye … but that’ll make Sunday afternoon tight. Rory isn’t just battling the field now, he’s battling complacency.

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The post What was the biggest surprise on Thursday at the Masters? appeared first on Golf.

The post What was the biggest surprise on Thursday at the Masters? appeared first on Golf.

Check in to GOLF’s Tour Confidential every Sunday night for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport. This week, with the Masters at Augusta National, we’ll hit one key topic every night.

Day 1 of the 2026 Masters is complete, and the leaderboard so far is a good one. Rory McIlroy and Sam Burns share the lead at five under, with guys like Patrick Reed (three under), Xander Schauffele (two under), Scottie Scheffler (two under) and others in contention. Meanwhile, popular pre-tournament favorites Bryson DeChambeau (four over) and Jon Rahm (six over) have to work to do. What surprised you the most on Thursday at Augusta?

Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens): Me sorprendió mucho el terrible rendimiento de Jon Rahm. He was supposed to be in form. He loves the venue. The course conditions–even firmer and faster than usual — seemed ideal for a guy with his great touch around the greens. All the stars appeared aligned. And he put up an absolute stinker. The putter betrayed him, for sure. But he looked wildly out of sorts throughout the bag.

Zephyr Melton, associate game-improvement editor (@zephyrmelton): Gotta be Rory McIlroy’s blazing start. We wondered if winning the green jacket might free him up around Augusta National, but I didn’t expect him to come out and immediately take the first-round lead in such stress-free fashion. He couldn’t have asked for a better start to his title defense.

Jack Hirsh, associate gear editor (@JR_HIRSHey): What did Sens say? I almost failed Spanish in high school. I really shouldn’t have been surprised by this given the forecast, but I was amazed just how perfect the golf course was on Thursday. If this holds up through the weekend, we are in for a treat because the golf course is just a perfect venue for an awesome Masters (one that Rory McIlroy is going to win by six).

Josh Schrock, associate news editor (@schrock_and_awe): It’s that both Rahm and Bryson are in danger of sharing an Uber to the airport after Friday’s round. Both came in playing well and with good history at Augusta National. Smart money was on one of them finding their way into the mix. I’m more surprised that Rahm basically exited the proceedings after nine holes. He missed three short putts early, turned in four over and then hammered his second on 13 into the bushes and made double. It’s another disappointing major result for Rahm after his move to LIV. It’s something he has to figure out. 

Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): Since the obvious answer (Rahm and Bryson duds) has been taken, how about the fact that I’m wonderfully surprised by how good this leaderboard is? The Masters, more than any other major, seems to have the cream rise to the top, but eight of the top nine are big names and seven have won majors. Fleetwood, Spieth, Koepka, etc., also in a solid spot after one round. Will be fun to see how this evolves over the next couple of days.

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The post Tour Confidential: What’s the best storyline at the 2026 Masters? appeared first on Golf.

The 2026 Masters finally arrives on Thursday. So far, the week at Augusta National has been low on tension now that Rory McIlroy has gotten the monkey off his back. So, we asked our staff: What’s the best storyline heading into the 2026 Masters?

Sean Zak, senior writer (@sean_zak): The best storyline at the Masters is if the most famous (active) golfer in the world can somehow become more famous with a green jacket over his shoulders. Can Bryson DeChambeau — who has broken the game at times — crack the code of Augusta National? I presume he contends, but winning is such a different animal. As he knows too well…

Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens): Bryson is a good call in what is otherwise a Masters without a dramatic central story. Next, I’d probably add the question: How serious is Scottie Scheffler’s slump? No doubt he’s off to a slow start to 2026 by his standards. But how far off is he really? How stubborn are the issues? There’s no better litmus test than this.

Alan Bastable, executive editor (@alan_bastable): Umm…can’t Rory still be the best storyline? Now that he has the green-jacketed monkey off his back, I’m fascinated to see how he plays. History is not on his side — in the last 19 Masters, just three defending champs have finished top-10 the following year — but McIlroy has been saying all the right things and appears at ease. I fully expect him to be in the mix again.      

Josh Schrock, associate news editor (@schrock_and_awe): Agree with Alan. For me, it’s now that Rory has won, does it actually free him up at Augusta, as we all have assumed for years? If I were picking an Option B, it would be the wide-openness of this Masters. For the last handful of years, the Masters has arrived with one or two of the best players in the world firing on all cylinders. This year, we have questions about Scottie’s iron play, how to gauge Bryson and Rahm’s good play on LIV and what to expect from Rory with the monkey off his back. Patrick Reed said there could be 10-12 players who could win. The real number might be higher. 

Josh Berhow, managing editor (@josh_berhow): I’m interested to see if Scottie finds that extra gear for the first major of the season and picks up right where he left off last year. He could have three Masters and five major titles before turning 30, which would set up a fun summer to see how deep he can take it. Other than that? I’m curious to see who joins the Tuesday Champions Dinner first. JT? Bryson? Xander? Lots of good players still without this on their resume.

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Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss the biggest Masters storylines, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy’s chances, players who are trending, and more.

Welcome to Masters week, where we won’t see Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson but have a bunch of other storylines ready to unfold at Augusta National. What’s one you’re watching for?

Zephyr Melton, associate game-improvement editor (@zephyrmelton): Is Scottie Scheffler’s slump for real? Or has his (relatively) poor play been a simple case of early-season malaise. If he struggles to find his form at Augusta — where he’s had a boatload of success — it might be time to start ringing the alarm bells. 

Jack Hirsh, associate equipment editor (@JR_HIRSHey): That’s a good one Zephyr, I really like zoning in on Justin Rose this week. He’s in his mid-40s now, but yet, he comes into this week as the 7th-ranked player in the world and the most recent runner-up at Augusta. It’s incredible to think he’s now lost two playoffs at the Masters. He rebounded from a lull after his win at Torrey Pines with a T13 at the Players. Is this the week he gets a Green Jacket?

Josh Schrock, associate news editor (@schrock_and_awe): I second both of the above. Rose would be my top storyline, but I am curious to see what Brooks Koepka has in the bag next week. His major record has been poor since his 2023 PGA Championship win, but he said he fixed a putting issue that has plagued him for two years and was playing good golf until the MC in Houston. Is this the major where Brooks Koepka emerges as a threat?

Which big-name player’s recent form has them either trending or fading as the first major of the year approaches?

Melton: I’m buying Ludvig Aberg’s stock heading into Augusta. He’s been in excellent form of late, with three top 10s over his last three starts, and he’s got a great track record in the Masters, albeit in a small sample size. I like Ludvig to be a factor this week.

Hirsh: Tommy Fleetwood is my pick for this week and I think his game fits perfectly for Augusta National. As for his trends? He’s finished in the top-10 in three of his five starts this season, and while he didn’t this weekend in Texas, he was in the mix going into the weekend. I think this is his week.

Schrock: I’m buying Xander Schauffele returning as a major threat. After winning two majors in 2024, he got sidetracked by the rib injury to start last year and never seemed to get his swing right. He has been playing well of late, with the irons leading the way. I think Rose wins but I expect Xander to be a factor come Sunday.

Bryson DeChambeau won both of his LIV Golf starts prior to the Masters, and he’s finished in the top six in each of the last two years. Are you more bullish on Bryson than ever before? And is he your top pick this week among LIV players?

Melton: With Rory and Scottie having a slow start to their seasons, I’d say this is the most wide-open the race for the green jacket has been in several years — so why not Bryson? Hard not to like how he’s trending. It’ll all come down to how well he can control his distance with the irons.

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Hirsh: Yawnnnnn, no. A LIV victory just doesn’t have much credibility to me. It was a good sign for Brooks a couple of years ago when he lost to Rahm, but I just don’t see Bryson winning at Augusta. Will he contend again? Probably, but I just don’t see him winning.

Schrock: I agree with Jack. I have a hard time seeing it all come together for Bryson at Augusta. He seems to have figured things out since his MCs in 2022 and 2023, but he contended last year while being mostly unable to control the distance with his irons and he’s been talking about trying to “dial in” his wedges. I think Jon Rahm, not Bryson, is the LIV player who is in the mix at Augusta this week.

Are you taking a combination of Scottie and Rory, or the field? And why?

Melton: The field. Neither of the two top dogs have shown enough consistency so far this year for me to back them versus the rest of the field. Does that mean they won’t win? Not necessarily, but the odds favor the field. 

Hirsh: The field. Not because I don’t think Scottie and Rory won’t contend, but I’m not convinced Scheffler is comfortable with his driver based on when we saw him last (although it’s been three weeks) and that’s a pretty important club to win the Masters. Rory I expect a little more out of right now, but I don’t think either is in the world beating form they have been in the last couple years.

Schrock: I’ll take the field. Between Scottie’s un-Scottie-like iron play and Rory’s back issue, I think it’s more than likely that someone outside of the top two takes home the green jacket. I am interested to see how Rory plays now that he has finally submitted the mountain at Augusta. I think he contends, but repeating is a monumental task. I’m really not sure what to make of where Scottie’s game is right now and if the iron play is in Augusta shape. 

Last year, we asked who needed a Masters win the most, with our panel agreeing it was McIlroy. Well, now that he’s won it, who’s next on your list?

Melton: Justin Rose. He’s had one arm in the green jacket twice, yet couldn’t quite get it done. Father time may catch up soon, and his chances are running out. A green Jacket for Rose may be more meaningful than for any other player in the field. (Plus, a swing that sweet deserves more than one major on the resume.) 

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Hirsh: Tommy Fleetwood. He was the best player in the world at the end of the year last season and he’s still in great form in 2026. Time to get that major.

Schrock: Agree with Zephyr. It’s Rose. He has held the lead or co-lead at the Masters nine times after Round 1, 2 and 3. That’s third all-time after Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. He’s -18 under par in the last 10 Masters, which ranks seventh. Five of the six players ahead of him have won jackets during that period. It’s time. 

What’s your final, parting Masters thought?

Melton: I think we’ll see a hole-in-one on No. 16 Sunday with the traditional funnel pin. 

Hirsh: I think this is the year our Alan Bastable wins the media lottery. Ever since Brooks Koepka asked him in a press conference if he had played the course, I’ve been dying to see that come true.

Melton: I second this motion.

Schrock: Ten years after his collapse at No. 12, I think Jordan Spieth holds the 54-hole lead this year and we’ll have another memorable Sunday on our hands at Augusta National. 

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The post Tour Confidential: Tiger Woods’ arrest raises thorny questions about past, future    appeared first on Golf.

The post Tour Confidential: Tiger Woods’ arrest raises thorny questions about past, future    appeared first on Golf.

Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss Tiger Woods’ DUI arrest, Gary Woodland’s emotional win and hard golf courses.

Tiger Woods was arrested on suspicion of DUI on Friday after he was involved in a two-car accident near his Jupiter Island, Fla., home. Police said Woods’ vehicle clipped the back of a trailer, which caused his SUV to flip on its side; neither Woods nor the driver of the truck pulling the trailer were injured. Woods blew 0.0 on a breathalyzer test, but investigators on the scene said Woods showed signs of impairment. He was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful (urine) test. So many questions, but let’s start with your first impressions. What was your immediate reaction when the news broke?

Alan Bastable, executive editor (@alan_bastable): I wish I could say shock but that would be disingenuous. I think I quickly shifted from a feeling of “not again” to “how did this happen again?” Why is Woods yet again behind the wheel in an allegedly impaired state, endangering both his own life and the lives of others? How frequently has he been doing this? Who, if anyone, is enabling him to do so? If he’s sick and needs help, has he received that help? Received it and worked at it? Received it and shirked it? If he’s sick and needs help, how has he been managing his many duties, in particular his stewardship of the PGA Tour? How much has his poor decision-making been driven by his litany of injuries and surgeries, of his inability to be the player he once was, of the pressure, generally, of being Tiger Woods? There are so many unanswered questions, many of which we may never get answered. From the outside looking in, this latest chapter stirs up all kinds of emotions — sadness, sympathy, anger, disappointment, bafflement, curiosity, disinterest. The public is entitled to feel all of these emotions. Or none of them.   

Sean Zak, senior writer (@sean_zak): My gut was to believe (out of optimism) that this was just a bad-luck incident. But as the details came in, it was a reminder of what we’ve been through before. With such a private person, it will be impossible to know. But when these incidents happen, it gets a lot easier to connect the dots about what we’ve seen from Woods in less-severe moments in the past. His TV broadcast appearances, which haven’t always felt lucid. His Ryder Cup press conference in 2018, at which he basically fell asleep. It’s easy to forget these things when nothing bad happens. It’s really easy to remember them when bad things happen. 

Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens). A mix of emotions. Part sympathy for a guy who has never struck me as especially happy; part relief that no one was injured; and part anger at the combination of arrogance/selfishness it takes to get behind the wheel when — as it appears based on the initial reports — you simply don’t belong there.

Woods has an alarming track record of car incidents and accidents. In 2017, he was arrested by Jupiter police on a DUI charge after he was found asleep and incoherent in his vehicle on the side of the road; a blood test revealed he had five prescription drugs in his system. Four years later, in Southern California, Woods was badly injured when, driving well over 80 mph in a 45-mph zone, he swerved off a road and struck a tree; L.A. police did not test Woods for drugs or alcohol and no arrest was made. Does this latest accident change how you look at the framing of what happened in 2021 and ’17?

Bastable: Of course. How can’t it? It’s hard to look back at that L.A. accident and not be mystified by why police declined to blood-test Woods for drugs or alcohol — for many reasons but especially given the high speed at which Woods was traveling and the fact that, according to police, he didn’t apply the brakes before impact. We’ll probably never know the full picture of Woods’ mental or physical state on that morning but, yes, this latest episode absolutely raises more questions about what went down.

Zak: Similar to my answer above — it becomes really easy to connect the dots of these instances. It feels responsible to do so. I imagine a judge will feel similarly. 

Sens: I’m not sure it changed how I look at those past incidents, particularly the L.A. crash. It seemed pretty clear that Woods got preferential treatment in that case.

As of this writing, neither Woods nor his representation have issued any public comments about the accident. How much, if any, transparency does Woods owe the public in terms of exactly what happened Friday?

Bastable: This is Tiger Woods we’re talking about; transparency isn’t among his strong suits, and I don’t expect that to change in the wake of this latest arrest. Also, presumably he and his team are walking a legal tight rope in terms of what Woods can/can’t say or should/shouldn’t say. You’d like to hear ownership for putting lives at risk. You’d like to hear an explanation for how he wound up behind the wheel in his alleged impaired state. And you’d like to hear contrition. We shall see.

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Zak: Yeah, I don’t expect any transparency that Woods isn’t forced into offering in court. But it comes at an interesting moment: with a Ryder Cup captaincy in the balance, the PGA Tour’s future partly in Woods’ hands, and a tournament in Georgia he so badly wants to play just a couple of weeks away.

Sens: The idea that Woods “owes” the public anything doesn’t sit well with me. It seems part of the same dysfunctional relationship we have with celebrities that does no one much good. What he owes is an honest account in court.

Woods’ last official PGA Tour start came at the 2024 Open Championship but he still wears many important hats on Tour. He is a player director on the Tour’s Policy Board; chairman of the Future Competitions Committee; and vice chairman of PGA Tour Enterprises. What does or should this latest arrest mean, if anything, for his involvement in Tour leadership?

Bastable: Tiger Woods is still Tiger Woods, and the PGA Tour is still the PGA Tour; it’s hard to imagine the Tour taking any disciplinary action. Big picture, all of the posts Woods holds now seem so inconsequential, as does any prospect of Woods playing competitively again anytime soon. Stating the obvious but his sole mission in the coming weeks, months and years should be getting better, in whatever ways that is necessary.

Zak: I’m not sure it’s going to mean anything for his place in Tour leadership. He’s too deep in it, and the Tour is too far down the road on establishing its future that it would feel drastic for him to be any less involved. It’s one of the few things Woods feels so strongly about — that involvement.

Sens: I don’t see the arrest in itself as relevant to his role in Tour leadership. The real question is whether Woods has deeper problems that might prevent him from fulfilling his role to the best of his abilities, and — more important — whether he might be better off focusing on his personal health and well-being rather than spending time on the Policy Board. 

Two and a half years after Gary Woodland had brain surgery and just two weeks after he spoke publicly about his struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder, he won on the PGA Tour — at the Texas Children’s Houston Open — for the first time since the 2019 U.S. Open. Woodland said earlier this week that opening up about his fight with PTSD made him feel “1,000 pounds lighter.” What do you take away from this improbable win?

Zak: Should there be any takeaway beyond “saying things out loud and talking about your struggles can unlock things you never would have imagined”? It’s amazing what he did this week, but also amazing at how quickly it happened after he decided to publicize what he was going through. There’s joy on the other side of sharing in so many cases.

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Bastable: Right, Sean. It’s impossible to get inside Woodland’s head and truly understand what he’s been going through but it’s also hard not to look at the events of the last two weeks and not think Woodland’s decision to air his struggles didn’t pay almost immediate dividends. Loved what he said afterward about potentially inspiring others who are dealing with mental illnesses: “I hope they see me and don’t give up, just keep fighting.”

Sens: Much was — rightly — made of the emotional battle Woodland has been waging. But his return to form also hinged on getting his swing right. The game is both physical and mental. Which meant working on his mind and his mechanics. On the mental side, though, Woodland’s openness with his struggles makes for a striking — and refreshing — contrast to the likes of Tiger Woods, whose guardedness is understandable but also has always seemed damaging. Of the two choices, it sure seems healthier to go about life Woodland’s way.

A week after Matt Fitzpatrick won on the PGA Tour, his brother, Alex, won on the DP World Tour, at the Hero Indian Open at DLF Golf and Country Club near Delhi. If Fitzpatrick was the star of the week, he had a co-star in the fearsome host site, at which only 12 players finished under par and the 65 players who made the cut cumulatively shot 17 rounds of 80 or worse. “Might be the hardest course this year,” German pro Freddy Schott said after he took the first-round lead with a 66. (On Sunday, Schott signed for an 80 and finished T20.) What’s the hardest golf course you’ve ever played? 

Bastable: I’m not sure one stands out as the single hardest but I have played a few rounds that have reduced me to the fetal position: Kiawah’s Ocean Course in the wind; Winged Foot and Baltusol Lower when the rough is grown to ankle-length; Portmarnock in Dublin in driving rain. The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass also has kicked me in the teeth.

Zak: “Oakmont Country Club with the rough up and the rain coming down one month before the U.S. Open” feels like the obvious answer. But “Royal Portrush in 30mph wind from the wrong tees when you’re putting a lot of spin on the golf ball” also suffices. 

Sens: Ko’olau on Oahu. It has since closed. But it was a long, soft and insanely tight course with tangled vegetation and opportunities for lost balls not just on every hole but on pretty much every shot.

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Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss Bryson DeChambeau’s chances to claim a green jacket, Tiger Woods’ health and more.

Bryson DeChambeau beat Jon Rahm in a playoff to win LIV Golf South Africa and claim his second straight LIV victory in what was the league’s final tune-up before the first major of the year. With the way DeChambeau has played the last two weeks, has he taken away the title as Masters favorite? Or does that still belong to Scottie or Rory?

Zephyr Melton, associate game-improvement editor (@zephyrmelton): Considering Scottie’s early-season slump and Rory’s uncertain health, I think it’s fair to say that Bryson is the early favorite at Augusta. However, if he doesn’t control his distances with his irons well (which has plagued him in recent years at the Masters), I fear his chances to claim a green jacket are slim. 

Dylan Dethier, senior writer (@dylan_dethier): It’s gotta be Scottie still; his demise is greatly exaggerated. But the fact that DeChambeau is in the middle of this conversation now is significant — and fun. Add in a few other stars ramping up with top-tier golf (Xander, Rahm, Fitz) and there should be plenty to talk about pre-Augusta.

Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): Vegas won’t call anyone but Scottie the favorite, and as Dylan says, Scheffler’s “slump” has consisted of three top-25 finishes that followed two top-fives and a win. Scheffler is also playing this coming week in Texas before he heads to Augusta, so he’s got one more chance to fine-tune some things. Bryson playing like this adds mega juice to any major. Few players energize a venue like him. I hope he plays well at Augusta.

LIV’s two biggest stars — DeChambeau and Rahm — battled it out in the final round in South Africa. It’s rare, on any tour, that the biggest names are the ones left standing down the stretch. Is this a meaningful player rivalry? And is that important for LIV or not?

Melton: It’s VERY important for LIV, and with smaller fields and a set schedule, they have a setup to make sure that storyline plays out on a more frequent basis. Unfortunately for the league, recent defections have thinned out the star pool, so the chances of stars battling down the stretch are smaller than the past few years. 

Dethier: It’s funny, I went into the Bay Hill/Players double wondering if we were due for a Scottie-Rory showdown. That was very much not the case, and it’s almost never happened. So LIV should be thrilled that its top two dogs are tangling. Also, it’s top two dogs should be thrilled as they continue to build contract leverage…

Berhow: It’s important for LIV and it’s important for any league. I don’t think golf fans appreciate it enough when this stuff happens in major or non-majors. Think of how many times we saw Tiger and Phil play together in final pairings on major Sundays (once!) or just any pair of marquee players. Bryson and Rory in the final Masters pairing last year was one of the tastiest final major pairings we’ve had in years. The more we see it the more it continues to build these rivalries and storylines.

One week after he lost the Players Championship on the 72nd hole at TPC Sawgrass, Matt Fitzpatrick bounced back to win the Valspar on Sunday. While he’s won 10 times on the DP World Tour, this was just his third PGA Tour title. Has Fitzpatrick’s last two weeks proven he’s ready to go on a heater this summer? Or just a couple of good weeks?

Melton: As the cliche goes, you want to get hot at the right time — and Fitz seems like he’s peaking right when you want to. It’ll be hard to maintain this form all summer, but as far as maximizing his Masters chances go, he’s put himself in a great spot.

Dethier: The most encouraging thing about Fitzpatrick’s surge is his stellar approach play — that travels anywhere. I’d expect him to be a factor in multiple majors.

Berhow: Now he needs the major success. Sure, he won the U.S. Open at Brookline in 2022 but he’s still had just six major top 10s in 42 starts. But he was T4 and T8, respectively, in The Open and PGA last year, so maybe it’s coming. He’ll be a popular sleeper-ish pick come Masters week.

Last month at the Genesis Invitational, Tiger Woods offered a promising Masters update. But on Tuesday during TGL Woods said he’s “working on it,” adding, “the body doesn’t quite heal like it was when I was 24. Doesn’t quite bounce back. So I have good days when I can pretty much do anything, and other days where it’s hard to just move around.” Has this changed your opinion on if Woods will play the Masters?

Melton: Not at all. I’m just waiting for his WD to become official so we can put this silliness to bed. 

Dethier: Meh, I’d still bet he plays. But it’s clear getting to that point is anything but easy. As long as we approach his start with a proper lack of expectations (unlikely, given it’s Tiger at Augusta) we should be fine. It’s all bonus.

Berhow: I wish I was as optimistic as Dylan. I’m moving his percentage chance of playing down to about 40 percent, although he probably truly doesn’t know until the week of with how things change so quickly with his body.

Augusta National released its Taste of the Masters hosting kits last week, where you can bring parts of the Masters — the pimento, cookies or azalea cocktails, etc. — right to your living room. But what if you only get one item to select? What are you shipping to your home?

Melton: I’m quite fond of the chicken salad sandwiches. But the Georgia peach ice cream sandwiches would be a solid choice as well.

Dethier: I’ve noticed some backlash against the Masters food in recent years — gripes that it’s not that good. I dunno. I don’t care. It’s like eating pasta while walking Rome. Part of the taste is the place. Pencil me in for 50 chicken salad / pulled pork sandos and 50 more chocolate chip cookies. I’ll gun for self-control starting April 13th.

Berhow: The chocolate chip cookies are a problem. I like the egg salad and pimento and ice cream, but I could live without them. The cookies? They mean too much to me.

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The post Tour Confidential: Cameron Young’s Players win, PGA Tour changes appeared first on Golf.

The post Tour Confidential: Cameron Young’s Players win, PGA Tour changes appeared first on Golf.

Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss Cameron Young’s Players Championship title, the potential for major changes coming to the PGA Tour and more.

Cameron Young shot a four-under 68 to win the Players Championship by one over Matt Fitzpatrick, while 54-hole leader Ludvig Aberg shot 76 and faded on the back nine. Did Young win this? Or did Aberg lose it?

Dylan Dethier, senior writer (@dylan_dethier): Both, I guess? It felt like about a dozen guys “lost it” at various points throughout the day, Aberg chief among them. But Young went and got it, too; his 17th and 18th holes were championship-worthy.

Josh Schrock, associate news editor (@schrock_and_awe): Yes? Cameron Young had to play excellent golf on a windy track with trouble everywhere to even have a chance to take this home. And yet, he still needed Ludvig to let go of the wheel. If Ludvig gets around in even par on Sunday, Young has to do what he did just to force a playoff. Ludvig opened the door and Young walked through and slammed it shut with his play on the final two holes.

Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): It’s both. Aberg had the chance to win it but when you shoot 76 from the final pairing on Sunday, you let the tournament slip away. But it works both ways. Take 17 for example: Fitzpatrick played to the middle of the green with a one-shot lead, while Young attacked the pin, stuck it to 10 feet, made birdie and then won the thing on 18 (and with the best drive of the day on the finishing hole). That’s going out and winning it.

Up until late last summer when he won his first PGA Tour event, Young was known as the tough-luck loser who had yet to win on the big stage. Now he’s got his second victory and a Players title. What’s changed?

Dethier: There’s a bigger-picture answer to this question — he seems to have found some winning mojo — but there’s a more specific answer, too. What changed is his putting. He has credited a caddie switch with changing his perspective on the greens, too; when he hired his college teammate, fellow Wake Forest Demon Deacon Kyle Sterbinsky, ahead of the Truist Championship last May, they found something right away. He’s been on an upward trajectory since.

Schrock: Agreed, Dylan. Young going from a poor putter who routinely missed short-range looks to one of the better putters on Tour has been the key. I do think that finally getting it across the line at the Wyndham and then backing it up by being the United States’ best player at Bethpage has also given him some added confidence.

Berhow: It’s a little mix of everything. The putting is obviously huge but the superpower so many of these guys have is that they think their best can beat anyone. You need that to be elite in any sport. And after he won the Wyndham Championship it had to feel like the monkey was off his back. That led to a huge week at the Ryder Cup and, now, his second win. Those little victories along the way can lead to big things in no time.

In a much-anticipated State of the PGA Tour press conference during the Players Championship, new Tour CEO Brian Rolapp announced his six pillars for a foundation of a new Tour (with nothing yet finalized). In short: a two-track competition system, a splashier starting event, bigger markets, promotion/relegation, match-play potential and more. (You can learn more about it here.) What were your initial thoughts regarding the pillars? And what bit specifically was most interesting to you?

Dethier: They sound good to me! But Sunday had me reflecting on one thing: for all the talk of finding bigger markets — which I support, to be clear — there’s still a lot to be said for leaning into the greatness of a mid-sized city. Jacksonville is the fourth-biggest metro area in Florida and a medium-sized TV market, but the Players is the event in town. I’m sure being outside New York can help sell corporate hospitality, but there’s a happy medium there, too.

Schrock: The biggest thing to me was Rolapp leaning into a lot of what golf fans and golf media have been clamoring for. I love that the idea is 120-man fields with cuts. The PGA Tour should lean into the cutline drama and build that up, especially on this two-track system. Sign me up for promotion and relegation as well. I still have a lot of questions about the two tracks and the money and how it all works. I like going to big media markets but also don’t want to see the PGA Tour completely abandon smaller cities with history. On paper, what Rolapp laid out sounds great but I will await the next address in June before really getting out over my skis.

Berhow: Overall it’s a big step forward. I love that match play might be involved in the playoffs, because switching the format every couple of years like we have isn’t the answer. I guess one lingering question I have is about the two-track system with the Korn Ferry Tour also still existing. I know we want to condense the golf schedule and make events mean more, but when you think about two leagues playing above the Korn Ferry… that’s still a lot of golf, even though one is obviously the top league. I guess my point is we need to miss golf to really have people fall in love with it. I’m skeptical this will do that, but I’ll wait to learn more before I lose sleep over it.

If you’re a member of the Tour, what about this plan might you love? And what might you not be a fan of?

Dethier: If you’re a member of the Tour I think you’d generally be in favor of these changes; the fact that the Tour is sticking with 120-player fields instead of chasing further reductions (like some of the current Signature Events, which feel empty by comparison at 70-something) is a welcome compromise. But there will be players who resist change, who are skeptical that fewer tournaments will yield greater attention, who feel like there are fewer seats at the big table. But the Tour is leaning into meritocracy. That’s a good thing for whoever is playing the best.

Schrock: Rolapp seems to have done a good job of appeasing all segments of the membership. As Dylan noted, some of the guys will not be thrilled about fewer tournaments but I think expanding to 120-man fields is a big win for the “middle class” of the Tour. If the second-track or PGB Tour gets similar purses to what standard PGA Tour events get now ($8-10 million) it should keep almost everyone happy.

Berhow: The elite guys will play a little less and for more money, which I think they’ll like. If there are any players who might not be thrilled it’s probably the guys who are used to being in the top 100ish but who might be playing out of the second track, which could be a little hit to the ego (and bank account). But it’s also guaranteed playing privileges? So who knows.

If Average Joe Fan is sitting at home and wondering what all these proposed changes mean for them, what would you tell them?

Dethier: If I’m optimistic it means you’ll get some clarity about which tournaments are actually top-tier PGA Tour events and which ones aren’t. I’m hopeful that this is the PGA Tour schedule coming together in its final form, at last. For now. Maybe. We’ll see.

Schrock: I’d say we’re tracking toward getting a schedule that gives you a group of events with all the big-name players that should come with bigger stakes than the current PGA Tour delivers. You’ll also get some extra golf on the second track if you’re interested. But we’ll see if Rolapp can make all of this come together. It always looks good on the PowerPoint. Execution is sometimes much harder, especially with so many stakeholders at the table.

Berhow: There’s still lots of golf on TV every weekend but one tour will be better than the other?

More noteworthy weekend result with the Masters one month away: an up-and-down T22 finish for Scottie Scheffler, who seemed off his game at TPC Sawgrass; or Bryson DeChambeau winning overnight at LIV Golf Singapore?

Dethier: Scottie’s the bigger deal because we expected DeChambeau to come into major season in good form regardless. It seems likely that Scheffler will, too — but he has a few fixes to find between now and then. Scheffler pounding balls in the rain after Thursday’s round will be one of my enduring images from the week. It’ll be fun watching him find what’s next.

Schrock: It’s Scottie. There’s clearly something going on between the driver and the dip in approach play. It’s officially a concern with a month to go. My only note on LIV Singapore is that the sun sleeves have got to go.

Berhow: Let’s go with both, because Scottie has not played to his Scottie Scheffler standards lately, but here’s what’s crazy. For as “off” as he has seemed the last month, his finishes this year are (starting with the most recent): T22, T12, T4, T3, 1. The takeaway is that this version of Scottie is still really good, and as soon as he gets his driver sorted I imagine he’ll be back to the guy we know well. He’s got a little time off now to work on some things. As for Bryson, it’s not nothing! DeChambeau playing well in the lead-up to the Masters is good for the sport, and he’s finished in the top six in his last two Masters starts. Bryson contending at Augusta would be a lot of fun.

What was your biggest Players Championship takeaway?

Dethier: The PGA Tour has been looking for its third star — non-Scottie-and-Rory division — for a while now. I’m not saying Cam Young is there, but he’s certainly entering the conversation. Also, let the Players be! It’s not a major. It’s its own thing. That thing is big and fun and important and chaotic. I enjoyed this edition.

Schrock: Ludvig will win a major this year and be the third star Dylan mentioned by year’s end. He played brilliantly for the first two days, was smooth on Saturday and things got away from him on a course where this is carnage all around. That has happened to countless people at Sawgrass. He clearly found something at Pebble and I think he’ll knock off a few big events this summer. Honorable mention to Brooks Koepka, who is trending and was a couple scruffy holes on Friday away from being in the mix on Sunday.

Berhow: Watching Ludvig struggle on the back nine on Sunday made me think I might like him even more for the Masters. Sometimes it’s good to get this stuff out of the way, learn from it and move on. And I agree with Dylan. We can have four majors but also have a Players Championship, which is a very good tournament! Few things are more exhausting than this major/non-major conversation, but of course we will just have it again next year.

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Check in after each round of the 2026 Players Championship for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics of the tournament, and join the conversation by tweeting us @golf_com.

Ludvig Aberg holds a two-shot lead at the Players Championship halfway point, with Xander Schauffele only two shots behind. Meanwhile, tournament favorites Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy had to dig deep just to make the cut. What was the biggest Round 2 surprise at the Players Championship?

What was the biggest surprise from Round 2 at the Players Championship?

Jessica Marksbury, senior editor: I’ll start, because I picked him to win this week: Scottie! The World No. 1 battling the cutline at the Players is highly unexpected. The long, post-round range session in the pouring rain yesterday certainly didn’t bode well for today’s performance. And while everyone is entitled to an off week or two, it’s just not something we have come to expect from a ball-striker of Scottie’s caliber.

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Josh Sens, senior writer: No doubt about Scheffler. I’m also a bit surprised to see Justin Thomas so sharp. He’s a past Players champ, of course, and a two-time major winner. But his rough showing in his return at Bay Hill last week made me think it would take more time for him to shake the rust off.

Zephyr Melton, associate game-improvement editor: Outside the obligatory Scottie Scheffler answer, I’ll go with Ludvig Aberg. Sure, he played well last week, but outside of that he’s been pretty pedestrian for quite some time. I’m excited to see if his fine form lasts through the weekend. 

Nick Piastowski, senior editor: Yeah, it’s Scheffler, But Keegan Bradley’s turnaround was pretty stunning. He was six-over for the tournament after 19 holes — then played seven-under golf after that.   

Josh Schrock, associate news editor: Scottie hitting all over the map is the answer but I think Corey Conners deserves a 36-hole shoutout. His best finish so far this year is a T24 at the Sony. He doesn’t have another top 30! But he birdied five of his first six holes on Friday and holed out for an eagle on the par-5 ninth. Sustainable? I don’t know but I’m excited to see which of the “others” on the leaderboard (Conners, Hodges, Bridgeman, etc.,) hang around on the weekend — and who gets Sawgrassed quickly.

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The post Tour Confidential: McIlroy jabs Rahm, Fowler vs. Spieth, Ryder Cup 3-peat appeared first on Golf.

The post Tour Confidential: McIlroy jabs Rahm, Fowler vs. Spieth, Ryder Cup 3-peat appeared first on Golf.

Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm’s opposing takes on a DPWT resolution, Rahm’s win in Hong Kong, forthcoming PGA Tour changes and more.

Rory McIlroy sounded none too impressed by Jon Rahm’s decision to decline a DP World Tour deal that would have given Rahm a path back to DP World Tour membership and 2027 Ryder Cup eligibility. Rahm maintained that he should not be forced to play more than four DP tournaments this season instead of the six the tour is mandating (“I think we should be able to freely play where we want and have the choice to play where we want and not be dictated what we do,” Rahm said). But McIlroy countered that the tour’s offer was generous, and “there’s a reason that eight of the nine [LIV players] took it, because they probably think the same thing. And one guy thinks a little differently, and that’s a shame.” Who’s right here?

Sean Zak, senior writer (@sean_zak): McIlroy is right. The DPWT offer is plenty generous. But if we really look at Rahm’s commitment to that tour over the years, it hasn’t been six events. It has often been three or four non-major events each year. I think we’re just learning he isn’t that crazy about helping the DPWT in ways his platform could, which is entirely his right. But the DPWT is also within its rights to uphold its rules and withhold its Ryder Cup if necessary.

Dylan Dethier, senior writer (@dylan_dethier): Yeah, to Sean’s point, Rahm has the right to protect his time, he has the right to spend off weeks at home and he has the right to try to outmaneuver the DP World Tour, knowing what he brings to the table. But Rahm’s suggestion that the DP World Tour should just let LIV guys come and go as they please, all while LIV continues to double down as a direct competitor for DPWT’s players and markets? I don’t think that checks out. There’s a collision coming here that’s bigger than just Rahm, but this may accelerate the clash.

Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens): Rahm has the right to his choice and Rory is right to call it “a shame.” So many of the tensions and troubles in professional golf have to do with balancing the rights of the individual against the collective good. What Rahm is being asked to sacrifice seems, from the outside, to be minor in the grand scheme. But he sees it as “extortion.” It goes to show that when you are accustomed to extravagant privilege, reasonable requests seem like an imposition. It’s a bummer for fans. And not great for Rahm’s reputation either.

Speaking of Rahm, he snapped his 18-month LIV winless slump on Sunday with a three-shot victory in Hong Kong over Thomas Detry. “I’ve been very ecstatic for wins in the past,” he said afterward. “This one just feels like a big weight off my shoulders.” With a burden lifted, do you foresee this win having a springboard effect for Rahm in 2026?

Zak: Absolutely. Rahm has remained a top 10 golfer in the world — and really top 5 — since he left for LIV. His floor is just so damn high. But these guys play for two things: money and wins, and the latter was really escaping him. I’d guess he wins either of the next two weeks — Singapore or South Africa — which will make him one of the top three favorites driving down Magnolia Lane.

Dethier: He’s just so good; it didn’t make sense that he wasn’t winning. Rahm is easily LIV’s most consistent top player (he and Bryson could argue about best ceiling) and the Masters will have extra intrigue knowing Rahm’s entering in fine form.

Sens: This win doesn’t really change my outlook on Rahm. He was going to be a threat heading into the majors this year no matter the result.

Two of the game’s most popular players — Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth — have been trending. Fowler, who is now top 60 in the world, has five top-30 finishes in his first five starts of the year, including a T9 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Sunday; and Spieth (Top 70 in OWGR) has four top-30 finishes in his first five starts, including a T11 at the API. Which player are you more bullish on in 2026?

Zak: Fowler has better form but I’ll always be more bullish on Spieth. He’s much more of the microwave type, able to heat up instantly, whereas Fowler feels like a slow-cooker. It portends well for Spieth’s ability to get nuclear with the putter for a week and bag a surprising victory. 

Dethier: There was a moment on Saturday I flipped on the broadcast to see a couple dozen spectators hunting desperately for a golf ball and before I saw the player in their midst I just had a feeling. Sure enough: Spieth! Just nobody like him. He seems to have a higher ceiling, lower floor, extra dose of volatility. Are we forgetting just how good he’s been at Augusta? Alternatively, is this all wishful thinking? They’re two of the players with the most to prove now that we’ve entered golf’s big-time season. Glad they’re here to do it.

Sens: Both are rightfully popular. But I don’t see them in the same category other than Q-rating. Spieth’s potential is greater, and he has also fulfilled it more often. If either is going to win big this year, it will be Spieth.

Who will have a higher finish at the Players Championship next week: defending champion Rory McIlroy, who withdrew from the API on Saturday with muscle spasms in his lower back, or Scheffler, who at Bay Hill finished outside the top 10 for his second consecutive start (gasp!) and thus far in 2026 has looked slightly less than his typical superhuman self?

Zak: Scheffler by eight. Seriously. He’ll get his putter dialed in early in the week on softer greens at TPC Sawgrass and I expect him to contend for the title. Rory’s back on the other hand? That’s absolutely worth monitoring. 

Dethier: McIlroy’s WD was such a weekend bummer at Bay Hill; even Scheffler’s also-ran finish added a rollercoaster dimension to the proceedings. Smart money’s gotta be on Scottie.

Sens: On top of the balky back, McIlroy will be trying to defend, something no one in the history of the Players has done except … Scheffler. I’m not wagering against the best player in the world, especially when the other guy is coming off an injury.

PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp will meet the press at the Players Championship on Wednesday. Rolapp and his team have been working, among other things, on a plan to reduce the Tour schedule with the goal of creating more appointment viewing for fans. What are you most hopeful we’ll learn from Rolapp next week?

Zak: I am most hopeful for some specifics. I anticipate a few specifics, like start of the Tour calendar, number of full-status members, and perhaps even an estimated number of events. But I don’t expect he’ll tell us everything, because I don’t think it’s fully figured out yet. Methinks his Tour Championship press conference in August may have those facts straighter than this week will. 

Dethier: I’m most curious how many players will be in a PGA Tour event, how many PGA Tour events there will be and what they’ll call the events that are kinda PGA Tour events but a little … less than.

Sens: Those are the big questions, for sure. On top of those, as a West Coast guy, I’m curious if the Tour will be heading back to Hawaii. Like Sean, I’m not expecting to have anything close to a complete picture by the end of next week.

Luke Donald will captain the European Ryder Cup team for a third consecutive time, a decision that’s hard to nitpick when you consider the success of his first two captaincies. Still, this forum was made for nitpicking! Any qualms with Ryder Cup Europe declining to give someone else a shot?   

Zak: Not at all. Run it back until the machine breaks. And if it never does, enjoy every new challenge it presents. It’s very cool to see someone carving an important chapter in the history of such a great event, particularly without clubs in their hands. 

Dethier: Love this move, especially with LIV depleting Team Europe’s captains-in-waiting. Donald has starred in this role. Excited for his next chapter.

Sens: Sure. If it ain’t broke, don’t …, etc. Then again, I feel now as I always have: that the importance of a captain is way overstated. Select a captain who gets along with his players, let them throw some names in a hat, and the rest is up to the guys who are actually hitting the shots. More often than not, the stronger team wins. And I thought the Europeans had exactly that the last two times around.

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The post Tour Confidential: Lowry’s collapse, the future PGA Tour schedule appeared first on Golf.

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Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss Shane Lowry’s epic collapse at the PGA National, the future of off-week events like the Cognizant and more.

Shane Lowry led the Cognizant Classic by three with three to play on Sunday at PGA National, but he found the water off the tee on both 16 and 17, doubled both and handed Nico Echavarria the title. What in the world happened to Lowry? And when’s the last time we’ve seen a Sunday collapse this rough?

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Alan Bastable, executive editor (@alan_bastable): Doubt is what happened. Lowry said his fanned iron into the water on 16 “completely threw me,” and, from that moment on, he never was able to pop his wheels back on. It was shocking because it was Lowry — a guy we’re used to seeing deliver in the nerviest of spots — but it also was wholly relatable, because this is what golf, perhaps more cruelly than any sport, does to players of all abilities: one negative thought begets more negative thoughts, and before you know it, you can barely draw back the club let alone find a tucked pin from 200 yards out. Lowry said it all when he said, “I just felt like it was weird out there.” The last Sunday like this one? Gosh, there have been many. Fleetwood’s oil-leaking finish at the Travelers last year comes to mind.

Jack Hirsh, associate equipment editor (@JR_HIRSHey): Are we used to seeing Shane Lowry deliver in the nerviest of spots? The Open Championship was seven years ago now! Since then, the only event he’s won was a team event with Rory McIlroy and the only other time he came up clutch was last fall at the Ryder Cup. Aside from that, he’s been the best player at PGA National over the past five years, a tournament that doesn’t draw the star power it once did, and has no wins to show for it. There was also his three-wack in Philly last season. All of this is to say that something clearly changed in Shane Lowry since the Open, where he can’t seem to get over the hump unless he’s part of a team. Seems that came back to bite him here. As for recent comparisons, non-Fleetwood division, double-double is tough, and frankly something I’d rather see at In-N-Out, but Joel Dahmen bogeyed the last three to lose in Puntacanna last year and Collin Morikawa bogeyed three in a row to lose a 7-shot lead to Jon Rahm in 2023 at the Sentry.

Josh Sens, senior writer, (@joshsens): The list of late meltdowns is long and painful. I’d agree that Fleetwood stands out as the most recent of a similar scale. Speaking of that, I was glad to see Lowry take a page from the Fleetwood playbook and not shy away from post-round questions, as he did after his disappointing finish at the Truist last year. What exactly happened? Lowry himself said that golf happened. He’s on a tough run of brutal finishes. But I wonder if by addressing the questions head-on, he, like Fleetwood, will have a breakthrough soon. You can’t beat back the darkness by ignoring it.

Three of the top betting favorites for the Cognizant Classic withdrew early in the week, leaving just eight of the top 50 players in the world in the field. The Cognizant, the first stop of the Florida Swing, follows two straight Signature Events on the West Coast and is followed by two more Signature Events (including the Players). With all the discussion surrounding new schedules, is the Cognizant a good example of why the PGA Tour schedule is too unbalanced and needs a change? Or an example why these tournaments are necessary so a mostly young, unproven group can pave their way?

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Bastable: Well, we know change is coming. Question is, how much that change will affect the Tour’s underclass? It’s not hard to grasp why congregating the stars as much as possible is a good business model. But the Tour’s decision-makers seem less energized about creating pathways — at least in the form of a robust schedule of “tier 2” events — for the dreamers. Sounds like the endgame is marquee names clashing in marquee markets. This week, though, was a reminder of why it also can be highly entertaining when less established players lock horns with the stars. Sometimes the underdogs win.  

Hirsh: I agree, Basty. Call me a traditionalist, but there’s always going to be tournaments that have and tournaments that are have-nots. I thought the Signature Event model with Siggies and Full-fields was a nice compromise to what is being proposed by having an elite tour and then something in between the PGA Tour and the Korn Ferry. Where the issue lies is the balance. Wasn’t the idea to have two full-field events followed by two siggies or a major? We started the season with a run of four full-fields and now you have four Signature Events in five weeks (counting the Players) with the poor old Cognizant getting squished in there. Perhaps there are a few too many Siggies, but we need to shake up the calendar a little and balance this out so these tournaments don’t get left out to dry. 

Sens: You absolutely need to have a few of these lower-wattage events in the mix. It keeps a pipeline open and the dream alive. And as we saw today, it can also lead to pretty compelling entertainment. I don’t know the right balance. 80-20? The top Tour brass is getting paid a lot of money. Let them figure it out. Meantime, though, I think a lot will sort itself out naturally in the years to come, depending on what sponsors decide they want to do.

Much was made pre-tournament about the overseeded rye grass at PGA National, where a course that was once one of the most difficult on Tour has seen lower scores over the last few years (and 17 under win this year). Are you bothered by the conditioning changes and lower scores? Is this something, or nothing?

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Bastable: ​​I have a hard time getting too worked up about overseeding, or, for that matter, whether a winning score is 7 under or 17 under. But I do think it’s important for tournaments to establish an identity, and PGA National had that for many years in the form of a teeth-kicking test that felt different from the homogeneity of most other non-major weeks. Shane Lowry reflected on the defanging of PGA National earlier in the week, saying he hoped “the scoring is a little bit more difficult this year and it plays like it used to.” On Sunday, he got his wish.

Hirsh: Spot on. I don’t care too much about winning scores, but PGA National is supposed to be a challenge for these guys. There’s also a bit of an issue since they made the 10th hole a par-5, as this course was previously a par-70 (now 71). Echvarria’s winning aggregate of 267 is the same as Camillo Villegas’ in 2010, although he won by five that year. I say make em suffer not because I wanna see lower scores in general, but seeing Tour players struggle in a non-major is enjoyable once in a while.

Sens: Tougher is always more interesting. Overseeding also uses a lot of water. In short, I’d like to see it play firmer and faster. Though the turf itself had nothing to do with Lowry’s struggles. His tee shots on 16 and 17 didn’t threaten dry land.

Scottie Scheffler didn’t play this week, but last week at Riviera, he ended his streak of 18 straight top-10 finishes, the longest of any player in the modern era. Meanwhile, Xander Schauffele also had a streak of his own end earlier this season, when he made the cut in 72 straight events (the longest since Tiger’s 142) in a streak that lasted nearly four years. Which was more impressive?

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Bastable: Oh, it’s Scheffler’s run, which, lest we forget, also included seven wins. It’s hard to compute that level of consistency but consider this for perspective: Tiger’s best run in this category was “only” a mere 11 straight top-10s.

Hirsh: It’s Schauffele’s for simply how long he kept it going without having a bad week. That is, until Scheffler passes him later this summer… 

Sens: Come on, Jack. That matchup goes to Scheffler, and it’s not especially close. 

Hirsh: What fun is agreeing all the time?

Sens: I’d rather save the disagreements for truly arguable topics.

Speaking of Scheffler, he’s been great as usual so far this year — that is, except for his first-round slump he’s been in his last three starts. After winning his first start of the season, Scheffler has carded opening rounds of 73, 72 and 74 in his last three starts, which has been just enough to keep him out of the winner’s circle. Back at the Arnold Palmer Invitational this week, what does Scheffler shoot come Thursday?

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Bastable: Considering in his five API starts all he’s done is win twice and never finish outside the top 15, I like his chances of shaking this curious monkey from his back. There’s zero chance this is nothing more than a weird statistical anomaly. His previous five first-round scores at Bay Hill, in reverse chronological order: 71-70-68-70-67. This year he’ll open with another 70, and we can all move from sweating Scottie’s mysterious case of the Thursdays.  

Hirsh: I was about to say wait, 70 is just even par, but then I remembered Bay Hill is another course I wish would go back to par-70! But I digress, Scheffler shoots a four-under 68 and is one off the lead before he cruises to his second win of the season. What’s that? You just wanted his first round score? Deal with it.

Sens: If it were almost any other player, I’d say those rough opening rounds were signs of some kind of mental struggle. But given that it’s Scheffler, I’m going to chalk them up to a statistical anomaly. If he shoots 75 this Thursday, I’ll consider changing my mind. But I won’t have to, since he’s going to shoot 69.

Our Josh Berhow recently wrote about Town & Country Club in Minnesota, a private course that boasts an unconventional 3-5-5-5-3 finish. What’s the most unusual or quirky feature of a couple you have played?

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Bastable: Haven’t played it but recently learned that Desert Highlands in Scottsdale closes with a pair of par-3s followed by a pair of par-5s. And Crail (Balcomie) in Scotland has the reverse early in the back nine: two par-5s followed by two par-3s. For back-to-back majestic par-3s, tough to beat Cypress Point’s 15th and 16th.

Hirsh: I love courses that have more par-3s and par-5s than par-4s, but I actually belong to a club in Scotland, Fortrose and Rosemarkie, that has a par-3 9th, followed by eight straight par-4s before another par-3 to finish. On paper, that might sound a little boring, but the way the back nine goes up and back a peninsula while playing along Ness Road, I actually didn’t even realize the eight consecutive two-shotters until the third time I played it. Also, depending on the wind you get, some of those two-shotters are one-shotters and others are three!

Sens: Pacific Grove Golf Links in the Monterey area, widely referred to as the “poor man’s Pebble,” opens with consecutive par 3s. I don’t think I’ve seen that anywhere else, other than on, well, a par-3 course.

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