🗓🏌🏽♂️ January 2026: the Must-See Competitions on the PGA TOUR 🏆(updated with the Winners)
- Jan 9
- 6 min read
Updated: Feb 2
Last update: February 2, 2026
🇺🇸🏌🏽♂️Sony Open in Hawaii, JAN 12-18, Waialae Country Club, Honolulu, Oahu • USA
The Sony Open in Hawaii is the PGA TOUR’s first full-field event of the year, marking its 28th anniversary in 2026. It has been held at Waialae Country Club since 1965, originally known as the Hawaiian Open. The tournament is renowned for its scenic beauty, with lush fairways and Pacific Ocean views, and for its strong tradition of giving back to the local community through charity initiatives.
📐Waialae Country Club was designed by Seth Raynor, a prominent golf course architect known for his classic, strategic designs. Over the decades, the layout has seen modifications and renovations by other architects including Robert Trent Jones, Desmond Muirhead and Tom Doak.
In 2007, amateur Tadd Fujikawa became the second youngest player (16 years, 4 days) to make a 36-hole cut in a PGA TOUR event, highlighted by a 15-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole.
The tournament has seen multiple winners, including major champions like Hubert Green, Corey Pavin, Lanny Wadkins, Ernie Els, and Jimmy Walker.
💰 Purse: $9,100,000
💯 FedExCup: 500 pts
Previous winner (2025): 🇨🇦 Nick Taylor ($1,566,000)
🏆 Winner 2026: 🇺🇸 Chris Gotterup ($1,638,000) - Age: 26 - Turned Pro in 2022
👉🏼 Chris Gotterup secured his third PGA Tour title in dramatic fashion at the 2026 Sony Open in Hawaii. He carded a final-round 6-under 64, finishing at 16-under par, two shots clear of Ryan Gerard. This win not only made him the first champion of the 2026 PGA Tour season but also continued his streak of winning at least one tournament in each of the past three years.
Gotterup entered the final round within striking distance of the lead and surged ahead with a bogey-free 64, one of the lowest scores of the day. His victory was highlighted by clutch putting and precise iron play, especially on the back nine, where he made several birdies to pull away from the field. This win earned him $1.638 million, the largest paycheck of his career to date.
💡 Did you know that...
☄️ Gotterup earned his first PGA Tour victory in 2024, quickly establishing himself as a rising star with his powerful driving and aggressive style of play. He is known for his ability to perform under pressure, with multiple top-10 finishes in major championships and FedEx Cup events. He is recognized for his long drives and a fearless approach to course management, often taking on risky shots that pay off.
⚾️ Before focusing on golf, he was a standout baseball player in high school and even considered pursuing a career in baseball.
🐅 He cites Tiger Woods as his biggest inspiration and has modeled parts of his game after Woods’ aggressive, never-back-down attitude.
🎣 Gotterup is an avid fisherman and enjoys spending time on the water when he’s not competing.
👏🏽 He is actively involved in junior golf programs, frequently hosting clinics and donating equipment to young players in his home state of New Jersey.
🇺🇸🏌🏻🏌🏽♂️The American Express, JAN 19-25, PGA WEST - La Quinta Country Club, La Quinta, California • USA
Founded in 1960 as the Palm Springs Golf Classic, the tournament has evolved through various sponsorships and formats. It is now known for its unique pro-am format, where 156 professionals are paired with 156 amateurs for the first three rounds. The event has generated over $67 million in charitable contributions since its inception.
📐Pete Dye (Stadium Course) and Jack Nicklaus (Tournament Course) are the architects behind the iconic PGA WEST courses. La Quinta Country Club, another host, was designed by Lawrence Hughes.
🎤The tournament is famous for its celebrity pro-am and concert series, making it a favorite for both players and fans. The 2026 edition will feature headliners Old Dominion and OneRepublic 🎵
💰 Purse: $9,200,000
💯 FedExCup: 500 pts
Previous winner (2025): 🇦🇹 Sepp Straka ($1,584,000)
🏆 Winner 2026: 🇺🇸 Scottie Scheffler ($1,656,000) - Age: 29 - Turned Pro in 2018
👉🏼 Scheffler entered the final round tied for second, one shot behind Si Woo Kim and Blades Brown. He dominated the final round, pulling away from the field to secure his 20th PGA Tour victory. This win also marked the first time a world No. 1-ranked player has won The American Express since the Official World Golf Ranking began in 1986. Winning Score: 27 under par (261 over 72 holes). He finished four shots clear of the rest of the field to win the tournament.
💡 Did you know that...
😮 Scheffler opened the tournament with a bogey-free 63, followed by a 64, setting the tone for his dominant performance.He played all three courses (Pete Dye Stadium Course, Nicklaus Tournament Course, and La Quinta Country Club) with remarkable consistency, never dropping a shot in his first 36 holes.
💪🏽 Scheffler emphasized the importance of finishing strong, saying, “You don’t get awarded the trophy on the 16th hole. You got to finish the tournament” (source: usatoday.com).
🏌🏽🏌🏽♂️ The final round featured a dramatic showdown between Scheffler, 18-year-old phenom Blades Brown, and past champion Si Woo Kim, making for an exciting mix of youth and experience.
👏🏽 With this win, Scheffler became the first golfer to rise to the tour’s 20-win mark since Rory McIlroy in 2021, and joined Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus as only the third player in the modern era to win 20 PGA Tour titles and four majors before turning 30.
🇺🇸🏌🏽♂️Farmers Insurance Open, JAN 29 - FEB 1, Torrey Pines Golf Course, San Diego, California • USA
Founded in 1952 as the San Diego Open, the tournament has been held at Torrey Pines since 1968. It is known for its challenging courses and stunning ocean views. The event has a rich history of producing hall-of-fame winners and dramatic finishes.
📐Torrey Pines was designed by William F. Bell and later renovated by his son, William P. Bell.
💡Tiger Woods is the only seven-time winner of the event, and Phil Mickelson is the only other player to win more than twice.
💰 Purse: $9,600,000
💯 FedExCup: 500 pts
Previous winner (2025): 🇺🇸 Harris English ($1,674,000)
🏆 Winner 2026: 🏴 Justin Rose ($1,728,000) - Age: 45 - Turned Pro in 1998
👉🏼 Justin Rose's victory was nothing short of dominant, setting new records and showcasing his enduring class on the PGA Tour. Rose led wire-to-wire, becoming the first player to do so at Torrey Pines since Tommy Bolt in 1955. He finished at 23-under 265, breaking the tournament scoring record previously held by Tiger Woods since 1999. Rose started the final round with a six-shot lead and closed with a 2-under 70, winning by seven shots; his largest margin of victory on the PGA Tour. At 45 years old, Rose became the oldest winner ever at Torrey Pines, proving that experience and precision can still dominate even the toughest courses. This was Rose’s second Farmers Insurance Open victory (his first came in 2019), and his 13th PGA Tour title overall. Rose’s performance was especially impressive given his recent form, making this win a statement of his continued relevance among the game’s elite.
💡 Did you know that...
Justin Peter Rose was born on July 30, 1980, in Johannesburg, South Africa, but moved to England as a child.
He turned professional in 1998 at the age of 17, immediately after finishing tied for fourth as an amateur at the 1998 Open Championship, where his iconic hole-out from the rough on the final hole at Royal Birkdale made headlines.
Rose won the 2016 Olympic gold medal in Rio de Janeiro, representing Great Britain. This was golf’s return to the Olympics after a 112-year absence.
Rose has been a consistent presence in the world’s top 10 golfers, known for his precision, mental toughness, and clutch putting.
Rose reached the pinnacle of the sport by becoming World Number 1 in September 2018, a position he held for several weeks.
