Four players won four majors, none of them named Scottie Scheffler.
So with three tournaments left on the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup schedule, who’s the front-runner for Player of the Year?
It was easy last year when Scheffler won the PGA and Open Championship. Scheffler, the world’s No. 1-ranked player, is still one of the candidates to win the award (voted on by players) for the fifth year in a row, despite having won only one tournament so far, the American Express in January. But he’s leading the Tour’s FedEx Cup points and money lists and has 10 top-10 finishes in 16 starts.
Catching fire beginning this week at the 3M Open and perhaps when the playoffs begin Aug. 13 in Memphis might seal it for Scheffler.
Matt Fitzpatrick and Chris Gotterup, who are tied for the Tour lead in victories with three, are two more candidates. And should the major champions make some noise on the FedEx Cup playoffs (Rory McIlroy, Masters; Aaron Rai, PGA; Wyndham Clark, U.S. Open; Ryan Fox, Open), they would go to the head of the list.
The FedEx Cup winner may also be in the running, if it’s not Scheffler or one of the major winners. Tour players have a history of putting a lot of stock into winning the season-long points race, with four winners (Patrick Cantlay, 2021; Rory McIlroy, 2019; Jim Furyk, 2010; and Tiger Woods, 2009) winning the Cup and Player of the Year, without having a major in those years.
The Tour players will vote at the end of the season, with the winner announced in December.
Notah Begay to receive Payne Stewart Award
Four-time PGA Tour winner Notah Begay III has been named the recipient of the 2026 Payne Stewart Award, honoring his character, sportsmanship and commitment to charitable giving.
Begay III will receive the award on Aug. 25, at the Payne Stewart Award Ceremony in conjunction with the 2026 Tour Championship. Golf Channel will televise the ceremony as part of a “Golf Central” special from 7-8 p.m. at the Southern Exchange in downtown Atlanta.
Began is the founder of the NB3 Foundation, a national, award-winning Native-led nonprofit.
“Notah Begay III has always used his platform to make a meaningful and lasting impact, particularly within his Native American communities, and that ongoing work no doubt reflects the values of character, compassion and leadership that define the Payne Stewart Award,” said PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp in a statement. “The PGA Tour is proud to recognize Notah as the 2026 recipient of the Payne Stewart Award presented by Southern Company as we continue to honor Payne’s incredible legacy and help support the Native American youth and Tribal communities that Notah champions.”
The Payne Stewart Award is presented annually by the Tour to a professional golfer who best exemplifies Stewart’s steadfast values of character, charity and sportsmanship. Stewart, an 11-time winner on the PGA Tour and a World Golf Hall of Fame inductee, died tragically 27 years ago during the week of the 1999 Tour Championship.
NBC delivers best Open ratings in four years
The NBC telecast of the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, won by Fox with a birdie on the 72nd hole, gave the network the most-watched final round of the season’s last major championship since 2022.
Sunday’s final round coverage on NBC and Peacock averaged 4.3 million viewers, up six percent from last year when Scheffler won at Royal Portrush (4.1 million viewers).
The final-round audience peaked at 6.1 million viewers on from 1:15-1:30 p.m. when Fox overtook clubhouse leader Cameron Young.
Saturday’s coverage averaged 3.7 million viewers, the most-watched third round since 2018 and up 16% from last year (3.2 million viewers).
Major world Tours announce alliance
The PGA Tour, Asian Tour and DP World Tour have forged a partnership through 2029, with a pathway to the DP World Tour for Asian Tour players, which can lead to PGA Tour membership.
The DP World Tour will also return to co-sanctioning select tournaments with the Asian Tour from 2027. Those events will be revealed when the DP World Tour’s 2027 schedule is announced later this year.
The DP World Tour and Asian Tour a similar alliance from 2016 to 2021.
PGA Tour
Event: 3M Open, July 23-26, TPC Twin Cities, Blaine, Minn.
Purse: $8.8 million ($1,584,000 and 500 FedEx Cup points to the winner).
Defending champion: Kurt Kitayama.
TV: Golf Channel (July 23-24, 4-7 p.m.; July 25-26, 1-3 p.m.); CBS (July 25-26, 3-6 p.m.).
Area players: Chandler Blanchet, Michael Brennan, Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Will Gordon, Lanto Griffin, Brian Harman, Billy Horschel, Patton Kizzire, Ben Kohles, Keith Mitchell, Paul Peterson, Jimmy Stanger, Davis Thompson, Alejandro Tosti, Karl Villips, Danny Walker.
LIV Golf
Event: LIV Golf UK, July 24-26, JBC Golf and Country Club, Staffordshire, England.
Purse: $20 million ($4 million to the winner).
Defending champion: Joaquin Niemann individual; Legion XIII team.
TV: FS2 (July 24, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.); FOX (July 25, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.); FS1 (July 26, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.).
Area player: Cameron Smith.
LPGA
Event: ISPS Handa Scottish Open, July 23-26, Dundonald Links, North Ayrshire, Scotland.
Purse: $2 million ($300,000 to the winner).
Defending champion: Lottie Woad.
Area players: None.
TV: Golf Channel (July 23-24, 4:30-8:30 a.m.; July 25, 8 a.m.-12 p.m.; July 26, 7-11 a.m.).
PGA Tour Champions
Event: Senior Open Championship, July 23-26, Gleneagles Kings Course, Pertshire, Scotland.
Purse: $2.85 million ($447,800 to the winner).
Defending champion: Padraig Harrington.
Area players: David Duval, Fred Funk, Zach Johnson.
TV: Golf Channel (July 23-24, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; July 25-26, 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m.); NBC (July 25-26, 12-2 p.m.).
Korn Ferry Tour
Event: Evans Scholars Invitational, July 23-26, The Glen Course, Glenview, Ill.
Purse: $1 million ($180,000 to the winner).
2025 champion: Johnny Keefer.
Area players: Tyson Alexander, Sebastian Cappelen, Nick Gabrelcik, Luke Guthrie, Robbie Higgins, Nick Infanti, Philip Knowles, Rick Lamb, David Lingmerth, Doc Redman, Julian Suri, Travis Trace, Carl Yuan.
TV: None.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Can anyone catch Scottie Scheffler for PGA Tour Player of the Year?
Reporting by Garry Smits, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Garry Smits, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union | USA TODAY Network
