The toughest stretch of the PGA Tour season begins Thursday at the Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral outside Miami.
It’s the first of a series of signature events — the tour will head to Charlotte, North Carolina, for the Truist Championship, where there will be another $20 million purse.
Then it’s off to the PGA Championship May 14-17 at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.
“When you have a tournament as big as the last one, I think that creates a different kind of cadence to it,” said world No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler. “Major tournaments are very difficult events.”
Scheffler is in the field this week at the Blue Monster, which last hosted a PGA Tour event in 2016.
World No. 2 Rory McIlroy skips his second consecutive signature event after winning the Masters.
Here are the PGA Tour power ratings at the midpoint of the PGA Tour season:
1. Scottie Scheffler
For all the talk about how Scottie’s game is off this season, he won the American Express on Jan. 22 and came second twice. He lost to McIlroy by one stroke at the Masters when he was not on his A game, then fell to Matt Fitzpatrick in the playoffs at the RBC Heritage. He has 29 straight top-25 finishes on tour; his only finish outside the top 25 was a tie for 33rd in the 2024 BMW Championship.
Scheffler’s game is heating up ahead of the PGA Championship, where he will try to defend his title. He will attempt to complete a career Grand Slam at the US Open at Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, New York (June 18-21).
“I would like to be able to win the US Open,” Scheffler told reporters on Wednesday. “It’s my favorite tournament. I love my country, I’d love to be able to win my country open. And I’ve had success in that tournament before, and I think it fits my style of play. I’m really excited to go to Shinnecock this year and I hope I do.”
1:45
Rory McIlroy clicks to win his second consecutive Masters
Rory McIlroy wins his seventh major title and second Masters with this trophy, sparking emotional celebrations.
McIlroy is still behind Scheffler in the world rankings, but he got his biggest win of the season when he won the green jacket at Augusta National for the second year in a row. Despite skipping this week’s event at Trump National Doral, he got a shout-out from President Donald Trump on Tuesday night at the White House State Dinner for King Charles III.
3. Matt Fitzpatrick
The father-to-be earned his fourth PGA Tour victory when his memorable approach shot on the 18th hole led to a birdie putt over Scheffler in a playoff at Hilton Head, South Carolina. Then Fitzpatrick won the following week when he teamed with his younger brother, Alex, to win the Zurich Classic in New Orleans by one stroke. The best part: Alex received a PGA Tour card, as well as invitations to next year’s PGA Championship and Players Championship and all of the remaining signature events in 2026, including the Cadillac Championship.
It’s a shame that Morikawa has been dealing with a back injury for the past few weeks. After ending a 28-month winless drought at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Feb. 12, has finished in the top 10 in the last four tournaments he has finished since Pebble Beach. Even with a struggling back, Morikawa went 11 under over the final 54 holes of the Masters to tie for seventh at 9 under.
After winning last time on tour late in the 2025 season, Young picked up his signature victory at the Players on March 12. He has finished in the top 25 in each of his past five starts, including tying for third at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Masters. He ranks in the top 10 in strokes gained: total (1.422), tee to green (1.296) and off the tee (.611).
Gotterup and Matt Fitzpatrick are the only two-time winners on tour this season. Gotterup won the season-opening Sony Open in Hawaii and survived the WM Phoenix Open tournament. He tied for 24th in his Masters debut, which is no small feat, and is tied for 25th at the RBC Heritage. He ranks fourth on the tour in driving distance (320.1 yards).
The former Clemson golfer became the first golfer since Pat Fitzsimons in 1975 to win The Genesis Invitational in his first tournament on Feb. 19. He’s been a model along with four top 25, four top 10 and five top 10 starts. No one on tour has placed better than Bridgeman this season; ranks first in strokes gained: putting (1.201) and third in putt-putt avoidance (.69%).
After starting 2026 with back-to-back missed cuts, Bhatia found his form on the West Coast and headed to Florida, where he won his third tour at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Missing the Masters has been his only feature since January. His instrument playing and putting has been amazing so far this season; ranked 10th in hits: approach (.720) and fifth in putting (.792).
Rose, 45, has fond memories of the Blue Monster — he won the 2012 WGC-Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral. It will be his first start since losing the lead late in the final round of the Masters with a 2-over 38 on the second nine at Augusta National.
“Like a little empty feeling for a few days,” Rose said. “However, last week I got back into gear, I got back the motivation, the enthusiasm. [I] I had one of my best training weeks in a long time in terms of physical activity [the] in the gym, I do all the work I have to do. I feel like I need to give myself that time and not be among the thousands of people thinking about this close call. I needed to hear my thoughts more than everyone else’s all week.”
Åberg has yet to lift the trophy this season, but has finished in the top 25 in each of the last six races. He is tied for third in API and fifth in players. He does almost everything well, which is why he is in fifth place in strokes gained: total (1.580).
The two-time major championship winner is looking back on form after struggling with a nagging rib injury for much of 2025. He has finished 12-of-12 in five of his past six starts, including a solo third-place finish at the Players and a tie for ninth at the Masters. He ranks in the top 15 in strokes gained: total (1.388), tee to green (1.104) and fairway (.623).
The reigning FedEx Cup champion looked in good shape heading into the Masters, but tied for 33rd at Augusta National and 52nd at Hilton Head. He had top 10s in his first five starts in 2026. His putter has disappointed him this season — he’s 108th in strokes gained: putting (-.190).
Henley followed up his third-place finish at the Masters, a career best, with a tie for 25th at the RBC Heritage. He has finished in the top 25 in each of the seven tournaments he has competed in. His usual iron game has been a little off this season, but his hitting has helped him.
International team captain Geoff Ogilvy must be pleased with Kim’s performance ahead of this year’s Presidents Cup away from Chicago. The South Korean golfer has seven top 25s and five top 10s in 11 starts. He finished second in the Farmers Insurance Open and third in Phoenix and Hilton Head. Kim did all that while ranking 117th in putting (-.227).
Knapp, 31, looks set to break through again. He has seven top 25s and five top 10s in nine. He played his best golf in the majors, finishing tied for eighth at Pebble Beach, sixth at the Genesis and 11th at the Masters. He is 27th in passing yards (.448), seventh in putting (.744) and sixth in driving distance (319.8 yards).
A well-missed cut at the Masters and a tie for 42nd at the RBC Heritage dampened MacIntyre’s momentum. He had five top 25s and three top 10s, including a solo fourth at the Players and a tie for second at the Valero Texas Open.
McIntyre raised eyebrows when he told Golf Digest: “At the end of the day, good people are still good people whether they go to LIV or stay. There are guys on the PGA Tour that I don’t particularly like, either. I’m not on any boards; I’m not involved. I’ll just get the ball in the hole for a few shots every week and go back to Scotland.”
Another golfer who could give the international team a puncher’s chance at the Presidents Cup, Lee took second at Pebble Beach and third at the Texas Children’s Houston Open. The Australian golfer missed the cut at the Masters and tied for 60th at the RBC Heritage.
The 2021 Masters champion has played consistently well this season, but he hasn’t been consistently in contention for wins. He lost to Gotterup in the playoffs at Phoenix and tied for eighth at Pebble Beach. This week will be his first start since tying for 12th at the Masters, where he hit his stride. Matsuyama ranks 107th off the tee (-.099), 104th in driving distance (300.7 yards) and 72nd in driving accuracy (59.7%).
Straka, a four-time winner on the tour, had a couple of good wins in the West Coast race and was tied for eighth in the field. But his past three appearances have been unsuccessful at the Texas Open, he tied for 41st at the Masters and tied for 42nd at the RBC Heritage.
The best story in men’s professional golf — Woodland’s comeback from brain surgery and PTSD — culminated in his dramatic victory at the Texas Children’s Houston Open on March 26. He tied for eighth in his most recent start at Hilton Head. Even at 41, Woodland still bombs it off the tee; is second in driving distance (323.5 yards).
You just missed the cut: Sam Burns, Ryan Gerard, Adam Scott, JJ Spaun, Daniel Berger, Nico Echavarria, Sahith Theegala, Harris English.
