🗓🏌🏽♂️February 2026: the Must-See Competitions on the PGA TOUR🏆(updated with the Winners)
- Jan 28
- 8 min read
Updated: Mar 2
Last update: March 2, 2026
🇺🇸🏌🏽♂️WM Phoenix Open, FEB 2-8, TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Course), Arizona • USA
Known as “The People’s Open” and the “Greatest Show on Grass”, the WM Phoenix Open began in 1932 and is famous for its raucous atmosphere, especially at the par-3 16th hole, which is surrounded by a stadium-like grandstand. The tournament has raised over $226 million for local charities and is renowned for its unique blend of top-tier golf and entertainment, including the legendary Coors Light Birds Nest concert series.
📐TPC Scottsdale was designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish, offering a blend of strategic challenges and scenic desert beauty.
🔊The 16th hole is one of the loudest in golf, with fans cheering (or booing) every shot.
The event is a leader in sustainability, known as the “Greenest Show on Grass” for its zero-waste initiatives.
💰 Purse: $9,600,000
💯 FedExCup: 500 pts
Previous winner (2025): 🇧🇪 Thomas Detry ($1,656,000)
🏆 Winner 2026: 🇺🇸 Chris Gotterup ($1,728,000) - Age: 26 - Turned Pro in 2022
👉🏼 Chris Gotterup claimed victory on the first playoff hole against Hideki Matsuyama. They both finished at 16-under par. Final Round: Gotterup shot a 7-under 64, including five birdies in his last six holes, to force the playoff. Playoff: Gotterup birdied the first playoff hole (No. 18) to secure the win after Matsuyama bogeyed the 18th in regulation.
💡 Did you know that...
☄️ Gotterup won his second PGA Tour event in just three starts this season, having also won the Sony Open in Hawaii in January 2026. His victory at the WM Phoenix Open was his fourth career win on the PGA TOUR, with two coming in 2026 alone.
👏🏼 He birdied five of his last six holes in regulation at the WM Phoenix Open, showcasing his ability to perform under pressure.
💪🏽 Before 2026, he had not missed a cut since August 2022, highlighting his consistency.
🇩🇰 Gotterup is of Danish descent through his paternal grandparents, who were born in Denmark.
Multi-Sport Athlete: Gotterup played lacrosse for 12 years before focusing on golf.
🇺🇸🏌🏽♂️AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, FEB 12-15, Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course, California • USA
Founded in 1937 by Bing Crosby as a clambake for friends, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is one of the most scenic and prestigious events on the PGA TOUR. It combines world-class golf with a celebrity pro-am format, raising millions for charity. The tournament has been played at Pebble Beach since 1947 and is known for its breathtaking coastal views and challenging conditions.
📐Golf Course Architects:
Pebble Beach Golf Links: Jack Neville and Douglas Grant (1919)
Spyglass Hill Golf Course: Robert Trent Jones Sr. (1966).
The tournament is famous for its celebrity participants, including actors, musicians, and athletes.
🤩 In 2024, Wyndham Clark set the course record at Pebble Beach with a 12-under 60.
💰 Purse: $20,000,000
💯 FedExCup: 700 pts
Previous winner (2025): (NIR) Rory McIlroy ($3,600,000)
🏆 Winner 2026: 🇺🇸 Collin Morikawa ($3,600,000) - Age: 29 - Turned Pro in 2019.
👉🏼 Winning Score: 22-under par (266), Final Round Score: 5-under 67.
Collin Morikawa surged into contention with a 10-under 62 on Saturday 14, his best PGA TOUR round in over a year. He held off a crowded leaderboard on Sunday 15, including Min Woo Lee and Sepp Straka, who finished one shot back. This victory marks his 7th PGA TOUR win and his first since the 2023 Zozo Championship, ending a winless streak. After his win, Morikawa shared an emotional message dedicated to his fans and his future baby, adding a personal touch to his triumph.
💡 Did you know that...
👏🏽 Morikawa won the 2020 PGA Championship at just 23 years old, becoming one of the youngest major winners in modern golf history. He followed that up by winning The Open Championship in 2021, making him one of the few players to win two different majors before the age of 25.
🎓 Morikawa played college golf at University of California-Berkeley, where he was a standout player and helped lead the Golden Bears to multiple NCAA Championship appearances.
☄️ His first PGA TOUR victory came at the 2019 Barracuda Championship, just weeks after turning professional. He won in just his sixth start as a pro, showcasing his immediate impact on the tour.
🇯🇵 🇨🇳 Family Ties: Morikawa’s father, Blaine, is of Japanese descent, and his mother, Debbie, is of Chinese descent. Morikawa takes pride in his multicultural heritage and has a strong following in both Japan and China.
🇺🇸🏌🏽♂️The Genesis Invitational, FEB 19-22, The Riviera Country Club, Los Angeles, California • USA
Originally founded in 1926 as the Los Angeles Open, the Genesis Invitational is one of the PGA TOUR’s most historic events. Riviera Country Club has hosted the tournament since 1929 (with some interruptions). The event is known for its elite fields, iconic 10th hole, and its role in the West Coast Swing.
📐Golf Course architects: George Thomas Jr. and William Bell (1926).
💡Tiger Woods’ connection with Riviera is a natural one. It’s an hour away from where Woods was born in Cypress, California. As a kid, he attended the Los Angeles Open at Riviera with his father. Most notably, it was where he made his first PGA TOUR start as a 16-year-old amateur.
Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, and Bubba Watson are among the legends who have won multiple times at Riviera.
🏌🏼♀️Riviera will also host the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open as part of its centennial celebration.
💰 Purse: $20,000,000
💯 FedExCup: 700 pts
Previous winner (2025): 🇸🇪 Ludvig Åberg ($4,000,000)
🏆 Winner 2026: 🇺🇸 Jacob Bridgeman ($4,000,000) - Age: 26 - Turned Pro in 2022.
👉🏼 Jacob Bridgeman’s victory will be remembered as a defining moment in his career and a thrilling chapter in the tournament’s storied history. Entering the final round with a commanding six-shot lead, Bridgeman faced the immense pressure that comes with protecting such an advantage against a world-class field. Despite a nervy one-over-par 72 on Sunday, his resilience and composure were on full display as he fended off challenges from major champions Rory McIlroy and Kurt Kitayama, ultimately securing a one-stroke victory. This win was particularly significant as it marked Bridgeman’s first PGA Tour title, making him the initial first-time winner of the 2026 season. Bridgeman’s performance throughout the week was nothing short of spectacular.
💡 Did you know that...
👏🏽 Jacob Bridgeman’s victory at the 2026 Genesis Invitational wasn’t just his first PGA Tour win; it came at one of the Tour’s prestigious “Signature Events” elevating its significance. These events feature smaller, elite fields and larger purses, making his breakthrough even more impressive.
💪🏽 Bridgeman tied the tournament’s 54-hole scoring record with a 19-under-par 194, matching Joaquin Niemann’s 2022 mark. His 18-under total for the week was just two strokes shy of the all-time Genesis Invitational scoring record, set by Lanny Wadkins in 1985, the longest-standing scoring record on the PGA Tour.
🐅 As the winner of the Genesis Invitational, Bridgeman received the iconic handshake from tournament host Tiger Woods. This moment is a rite of passage for champions at Riviera.
🔝 With his win, Bridgeman became the 10th different winner in the last 10 PGA Tour Signature Events, highlighting the depth of talent and the unpredictable nature of golf at its highest level. His victory also made him the first first-time winner on the PGA Tour in 2026, a milestone that adds to the prestige of his achievement.
🇺🇸🏌🏽♂️Cognizant Classic, FEB 25 - MAR 1, PGA National Champion Course, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida • USA
Founded in 1972 as Jackie Gleason’s Inverrary Classic, the tournament has undergone several name and location changes. Since 2007, it has been held at PGA National, home of the infamous “Bear Trap” (holes 15-17). The event was renamed the Cognizant Classic in 2024 after Cognizant became the title sponsor.
📐PGA National Champion Course architects:
Originally designed by Tom Fazio and George Fazio in 1981,
In 1990, Jack Nicklaus redesigned the course, significantly enhancing its competitiveness and creating the infamous "Bear Trap" - the three-hole stretch (holes 15, 16, and 17) that is named after him.
The tournament has raised millions for charity, including the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation.
💰 Purse: $9,600,000
💯 FedExCup: 500 pts
Previous winner (2025): 🇺🇸 Joe Highsmith ($1,656,000)
🏆 Winner 2026: 🇨🇴 Nico Echavarria ($1,728,000) - Age: 31 - Turned Pro in 2017.
👉🏼 Nico Echavarria claimed his third PGA Tour victory in dramatic fashion, finishing at 17-under par at PGA National Resort’s Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Echavarria’s win was sealed after Shane Lowry, who led by three shots with three holes to play, suffered consecutive double bogeys on the 16th and 17th holes, opening the door for Echavarria’s triumph. This victory earned Echavarria a winner’s check of $1,728,000, marking the largest payday of his career to date. This win, his first PGA Tour victory in the United States, earned Echavarria his second invitation to the Masters.
💡 Did you know that...
🐣 Early Start: Nico Echavarria started playing golf at the age of two, thanks to his father and grandfather, who introduced him to the game. His family’s passion for golf clearly rubbed off, as both his older brothers, Andrés and Miguel, also became golfers. Andrés even turned professional and has won on the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica.
🏆 First PGA Tour Win: Puerto Rico Open (March 2023), winning by two shots with a 21-under-par total. Second Win: Zozo Championship in Japan (2024), which also secured his first Masters invitation.
💪🏽 Clutch Performer: Echavarria is known for his ability to stay calm under pressure. His victory at the 2026 Cognizant Classic was a perfect example, as he took advantage of Shane Lowry’s late collapse to secure his third PGA Tour win. Echavarria is known for his disciplined approach and mental resilience. He has shared advice from his sports psychologist: “Speak to yourself the way you’d speak to your best friend, be your best friend”.
🇨🇴 Rising star and ambassador for Colombian golf. Echavarria's success has inspired a new generation of Colombian players, proving that talent from outside traditional golf powerhouses can compete at the highest level. He has developed close ties with other Latin American pros, such as Camilo Villegas, who has acted as a mentor. Echavarria’s achievements are helping to spotlight South American golf on the international stage, and he is expected to play a significant role in the sport’s growth in the region.
