🗓🏌🏽♂️July 2026: the Must-See Competitions on the PGA TOUR🏆 (updated with the Winners)
Updated: Aug 5
Last update: August 3, 2026
🇺🇸🏌🏽♂️John Deere Classic, July 2-5, TPC Deere Run Silvis, Illinois • USA
The John Deere Classic is one of the PGA Tour’s most community-oriented events and has been a fixture on the schedule since 1971. Originally known as the Quad Cities Open, the tournament became the John Deere Classic in 1999 when agricultural giant John Deere became title sponsor. The event is especially respected for its charitable impact, consistently ranking among the PGA Tour leaders in money raised for local causes across Illinois and Iowa.
The tournament is played at TPC Deere Run, a course designed by legendary architect D. A. Weibring, himself a three-time winner of the tournament. Opened in 2000, the course was built on reclaimed mining land overlooking the Rock River and is known for its dramatic elevation changes, risk-reward finishing holes, and birdie-friendly setup.
The champion receives a traditional crystal trophy featuring the John Deere logo and agricultural imagery symbolizing the region’s farming heritage and the tournament’s strong connection to Midwestern America.
💰 Purse: $8,800,000
💯 FedExCup: 500 pts
Previous winner (2025): 🇺🇸 Brian Campbell ($1,512,000) captured his first PGA Tour victory after years grinding through mini-tours and the Korn Ferry Tour.
🏆 Winner 2026: 🇺🇸 Chris Gotterup ($1,584,000) - Age: 26 - Turned pro in 2022.
👉🏼 Chris Gotterup captured the 2026 John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois, with a brilliant final-round 62 (-9). He finished the tournament at 20-under-par, one stroke ahead of Max Homa, securing one of the most impressive comeback victories of the PGA Tour season. The tournament was decided late on Sunday afternoon. Ben Kohles shared the lead on the final hole but found the water with his approach shot and made a double bogey. That mistake opened the door for Gotterup, whose clubhouse lead held up to give him the title.
💡 Did you know that...
The victory was Chris Gotterup's third PGA Tour title of 2026, confirming his status as one of the breakthrough stars of the season. At just 26 years old, he has rapidly established himself among the most successful players on tour this year.
One of the most memorable stories of the week was that Gotterup's brother, Patrick, served as his caddie. His regular caddie was away following the birth of a child, making the victory a special family moment.
A former standout college golfer at University of Oklahoma and later at Rutgers University, Gotterup turned professional in 2022. His rise has been rapid, moving from promising young talent to multiple PGA Tour winner in just a few seasons.
🏴🏌🏽♂️Genesis Scottish Open, July 9-12, The Renaissance Club, North Berwick • Scotland
The Genesis Scottish Open is one of the oldest national open championships in golf, dating back to 1972. Co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, it serves as the premier preparation event for The Open Championship and regularly attracts one of the strongest international fields outside the majors.
The tournament is hosted at The Renaissance Club, designed by renowned American architect Tom Doak. Opened in 2008 along Scotland’s famous Golf Coast, the layout blends modern minimalist architecture with traditional Scottish links characteristics, including firm fairways, deep bunkering, coastal winds, and strategic angles of play.
One of the event’s defining features is its location beside some of the most historic golf land in the world, neighboring legendary venues such as Muirfield and North Berwick Golf Club.
💰 Purse: $9,000,000
💯 FedExCup: 500 pts
Previous winner (2025): 🇺🇸 Chris Gotterup ($1,575,000) outlasted a world-class field in difficult wind conditions and earned one of the biggest titles of his young professional career.
🏆 Winner 2026: 🇰🇷 Tom Kim ($1,575,000) - Age: 24 - Turned pro in 2018.
👉🏼 Tom Kim claimed the 2026 Genesis Scottish Open, finishing at 17-under par. The South Korean star closed with a superb final-round 64 (-6) to secure a two-shot victory over Min Woo Lee and local favourite Robert MacIntyre.
💡 Did you know that...
Tom Kim turned professional in 2018 at just 15 years old. Within a few years, he had already won tournaments on the Asian Tour, Korean Tour and PGA Tour.
His real name is Kim Joo-hyung. The nickname "Tom" comes from his childhood love of Thomas the Tank Engine. Family and friends began calling him Thomas, which eventually became Tom.
When he won the Wyndham Championship in 2022, Kim became the first PGA Tour winner born in the 2000s.
Born in Seoul, South Korea, Tom spent much of his childhood living in Australia, China, Thailand and the Philippines. As a result, he became fluent in Korean, English and Tagalog.
The Scottish Open title is one of the most prestigious victories of his career and further confirms his status as one of the brightest young stars in world golf.
🇺🇸🏌🏽♂️ISCO Championship, July 9-12, Hurstbourne Country Club Louisville, Kentucky • USA
The ISCO Championship traces its origins to the Barbasol Championship, first played in 2015 as an alternate-field PGA Tour event opposite major championships.
The championship golf course at Hurstbourne Country Club was originally designed by the legendary architect Pete Dye and his brother, Roy Dye. The course opened in 1967. Over the years, it has undergone updates to modernize the layout while preserving the signature Dye character, including a significant renovation project led by acclaimed golf course architect Keith Foster.
A fun fact about the event is that several first-time PGA Tour winners have emerged through alternate-field tournaments like this one, making the competition especially meaningful for younger professionals and Korn Ferry Tour graduates trying to establish themselves.
The tournament trophy reflects Kentucky heritage and incorporates equestrian-inspired design elements honoring the state’s deep horse-racing culture.
💰 Purse: $4,000,000
💯 FedExCup: 300 pts
Previous winner (2025): 🇺🇸 William Mouw’s 2025 victory ($720,000) was particularly notable because it marked his first PGA Tour title after a strong collegiate career at Pepperdine University.
🏆 Winner 2026: 🇺🇸 Steven Fisk ($720,000) - Age: 29 - Turned pro in 2019.
👉🏼 Steven Fisk captured the 2026 ISCO Championship after defeating Canada's Taylor Pendrith on the third playoff hole. Fisk closed with a final-round 67 to finish at 16-under par and secure his second PGA Tour victory in less than a year.
The final round produced plenty of drama. Fisk and Pendrith finished tied at 16-under par before returning to the par-4 18th hole for a playoff. On the third extra hole, Pendrith found a fairway bunker off the tee and was unable to save par, allowing Fisk to claim the title.
💡 Did you know that...
Steven Fisk won the ISCO Championship just 10 months after capturing his first PGA Tour title at the Sanderson Farms Championship in October 2025. The victory further established him as one of the PGA Tour's emerging stars.
Fisk played collegiate golf at Georgia Southern University, where he became one of the most accomplished players in the program's history.
In 2019, he won the prestigious Ben Hogan Award, presented annually to the top college golfer in the United States, joining a distinguished list of future PGA Tour stars.
Known for his consistency and well-rounded game, Fisk spent several years developing on the Korn Ferry Tour before breaking through on the PGA Tour, making his rise to success all the more impressive.
🏴🏌🏽♂️The Open Championship, July 16-19, Royal Birkdale Golf Club Southport • England
The Open Championship is the oldest major championship in golf. First played in 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club, it is organized by The R&A and is widely known simply as “The Open.”
The 2026 edition returns to Royal Birkdale Golf Club, one of the most admired links courses in championship golf. The course was originally laid out by George Lowe and later refined by architect Fred Hawtree. Royal Birkdale is famous for its towering dunes, narrow fairways, and exceptional natural amphitheater holes that create spectacular spectator viewing.
The champion golfer of the year receives the iconic Claret Jug, officially called the Golf Champion Trophy. First presented in 1873, it symbolizes golfing immortality and is one of the most recognizable trophies in all of sports.
Royal Birkdale has produced many legendary Open moments, including victories by Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Johnny Miller, and Jordan Spieth. Spieth’s dramatic 2017 victory included one of the most famous recovery shots in modern major championship history after his wild drive on the 13th hole.
💰 Purse: $17,750,000
💯 FedExCup: 750 pts
Previous winner (2025): 🇺🇸 Scottie Scheffler ($3,100,000).
🏆 Winner 2026: 🇳🇿 Ryan Fox ($3,200,000) - Age: 39 - Turned pro in 2011.
👉🏼 Ryan Fox captured his first major championship by winning the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. The 39-year-old New Zealander finished at 10-under-par (270) and edged American Cameron Young by one stroke. His victory was sealed in dramatic fashion with a 12-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole, the notoriously difficult 18th at Royal Birkdale. Fox closed with a final-round 68 (-2) and produced a remarkable finish, making four birdies over his final six holes to claim the Claret Jug.
💡 Did you know that...
Ryan Fox became only the second New Zealander to win The Open, following Sir Bob Charles in 1963.
Ryan Fox comes from one of New Zealand's most famous sporting families: His father, Grant Fox, was a legendary fly-half for the All Blacks rugby team. His grandfather, Merv Wallace, captained the New Zealand national cricket team.
🇩🇴🏌🏽♂️Corales Puntacana Championship, July16-19, Puntacana Resort & Club (Corales Golf Course) • Dominican Republic
The Corales Puntacana Championship became a PGA Tour event in 2018 and quickly developed a reputation as one of the most scenic tournaments on the schedule. Played in the Dominican Republic, it helped expand the PGA Tour’s presence in the Caribbean and Latin America.
The spectacular Corales Golf Course was designed by world-renowned architect Tom Fazio. The oceanside course features six holes directly along the Caribbean Sea and is famous for its dramatic closing stretch known as the “Devil’s Elbow,” where strong coastal winds regularly influence the outcome.
The tournament trophy incorporates Caribbean imagery and reflects the turquoise waters and cliffside beauty of Punta Cana.
💰 Purse: $4,000,000
💯 FedExCup: 300 pts
Previous winner (2025): 🇿🇦 Garrick Higgo ($720,000).
🏆 Winner 2026: 🇮🇹 Stefano Mazzoli ($720,000) - Age: 29 - Turned pro in 2019.
👉🏼 Stefano Mazzoli captured the 2026 Corales Puntacana Championship for his first PGA Tour victory, producing a superb final-round 66 (-6) to finish at 20-under-par (268). The Italian edged both Gordon Sargent and Todd Clements by a single stroke in a dramatic finish at the Corales Golf Course. A birdie on the 72nd hole proved decisive and secured the biggest victory of his professional career. One of Mazzoli's strengths is his aggressive scoring ability. At Corales, he demonstrated excellent control in the windy coastal conditions, posting rounds of 67-69-66-66 and becoming the only player to reach 20-under par for the week.
💡 Did you know that...
For Italian golf, Mazzoli's victory is another encouraging sign of the country's growing presence on the world stage, following recent successes by players such as Francesco Molinari and Guido Migliozzi.
🏆 Winner of the 2015 European Amateur Championship, one of the most prestigious amateur titles in Europe. Represented Europe in the 2018 Arnold Palmer Cup and competed for Italy in several major international amateur events.
📈 Took the long route to the top, progressing through the Alps Tour, Challenge Tour (HotelPlanner Tour), and Asian Tour before reaching the PGA Tour.
🏆 Named Asian Tour Rookie of the Year in 2024, highlighting his emergence on the international stage.
🔥 Earned his DP World Tour card for 2026 after making 21 cuts in 22 starts during the 2025 HotelPlanner Tour season.
🇺🇸🏌🏽♂️3M Open, July 23-26, TPC Twin Cities, Blaine, Minnesota • USA
The 3M Open became an official PGA Tour event in 2019 after evolving from a long-running PGA Tour Champions tournament. Sponsored by multinational company 3M, the event has become one of the key summer tournaments leading into the FedExCup Playoffs.
The championship is played at TPC Twin Cities, originally designed by legendary architect Arnold Palmer with later updates by Tom Lehman. The course is known for extensive water hazards, wide landing areas, and dramatic finishing holes capable of producing late leaderboard changes.
Kurt Kitayama’s 2025 victory showcased his resilience and shot-making ability under pressure. Kitayama built his career through international tours before becoming a PGA Tour winner.
💰 Purse: $8,800,000
💯 FedExCup: 500 pts
Previous winner (2025): 🇺🇸 Kurt Kitayama ($1,512,000).
🏆 Winner 2026: 🇺🇸 Jackson Koivun ($1,584,000) - Age: 21 - Turned pro in June 2026.
👉🏼 Jackson Koivun captured the 2026 3M Open, finishing at 25-under par and defeating World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler by three strokes. The 21-year-old produced a composed, bogey-free final round to secure the victory, setting a new tournament scoring record and proving he could handle the pressure of competing against one of the game's biggest stars. The win was remarkable because it came in just his third PGA Tour start as a professional. Koivun turned professional in June 2026, shortly after the U.S. Open, having earned PGA Tour membership through the PGA Tour University Accelerated program. Barely a month later, he became a PGA Tour winner, one of the fastest transitions from elite amateur golf to Tour success in recent memory.
💡 Did you know that...
🎓 Before turning pro, Koivun built one of the most impressive amateur résumés in college golf. A standout at Auburn University, he won multiple collegiate titles, earned national recognition as one of the world's top amateurs, and broke an NCAA 36-hole scoring record previously held by Tiger Woods.
🧠 Coaches and teammates consistently praise his mindset and positivity as much as his talent. Auburn coach Nick Clinard described him as "the most elite competitor" he had coached in 25 years, while Koivun himself often speaks about confidence, optimism, and enjoying competition.
Away from golf, Koivun is known to be a passionate Green Bay Packers fan, lists "Guardians of the Galaxy" as his favorite movie, and says pizza is his comfort food. As a child, he played several sports, including football and basketball, before eventually focusing entirely on golf around eighth grade. He planned to study business at Auburn and has often emphasized the importance of family, teamwork, and hard work in his development.
🇺🇸🏌🏽♂️Rocket Classic, July 30- August 2, Detroit Golf Club, Michigan • USA
The Rocket Classic debuted in 2019 and marked the PGA Tour’s return to the city of Detroit for the first time in decades. Sponsored by Rocket Mortgage, the tournament has become known for its strong community impact and charitable initiatives throughout Detroit.
The event takes place at historic Detroit Golf Club, whose North Course was designed by legendary architect Donald Ross. Founded in 1899, the club features classic Ross design traits including subtle green contours, strategic bunkering, and emphasis on shot placement rather than overwhelming length.
A unique aspect of the tournament is its deep connection to Detroit culture, with the event frequently celebrating the city’s automotive history, music legacy, and community revitalization efforts.
Aldrich Potgieter’s 2025 victory drew major attention because the young South African is regarded as one of the biggest hitters in professional golf. Formerly one of the top-ranked amateurs in the world, Potgieter became known for extraordinary driving distance and explosive scoring ability at a very young age.
💰 Purse: $10,000,000
💯 FedExCup: 500 pts
Previous winner (2025): 🇿🇦 Aldrich Potgieter ($1,728,000).
🏆 Winner 2026: 🇺🇸 Michael Thorbjornsen ($1,800,000) - Age: 24 - Turned pro in 2024.
👉🏼 Michael Thorbjornsen announced himself as one of the brightest young stars in American golf by capturing the 2026 Rocket Classic for his first PGA Tour victory. The 24-year-old American closed with a brilliant bogey-free 63 (-7) to finish at 18-under-par, defeating Xander Schauffele by two shots. A spectacular 26-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole sealed the victory. Thorbjornsen entered the final round one stroke behind the leaders but produced the best round of the day. His back-nine charge included a chip-in birdie at the 12th hole and birdies at 14, 15 and 18. The win came in his 65th PGA Tour start, making him the eighth first-time PGA Tour winner of the 2026 season.
💡 Did you know that...
👨🎓 Michael Thorbjornsen played collegiate golf at Stanford University, one of the most prestigious golf programs in the United States.
🏆 He won the 2018 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, one of the most important junior titles in world golf. The victory earned him a place in the 2019 U.S. Open, where he became the first U.S. Junior Amateur champion to make the cut since the exemption was introduced.
👶 He started playing golf at the age of two.
🌍 He comes from an international family background: his father is Norwegian and his mother, Sandra Chiang, was a collegiate golfer.
