The PGA Tour and the DP World Tour have announced in the last few hours the players registered for the Sony Open and the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. With the permission of the Webex Players Series Perth and the LIV Golf Promotions, which take place this week, it can now truly be said that the ‘serious’ stuff begins in 2026. The starting gun has been fired. Choose your metaphor. Everything kicks off in five days with the Dubai Invitational and will practically not stop until August. The start of the global golf locomotive leaves us with some juicy and interesting notes.
– The Sony Open will be the first tournament of the PGA Tour season following the cancellation of the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Its change of role to the inaugural event has been a blessing for the tournament at the Waialae Country Club. The level of the ‘field’ has increased. For instance, we will have four top 10 world players: Russell Henley (5), J.J. Spaun (6), Robert MacIntyre (7), and Ben Griffin (8). How significant is this number? You have to go back to 2008, 16 years ago, to find the last time the tournament had so many top 10 world players. Back then, there were also four: Stricker, Furyk, K.J. Choi, and Vijay Singh. The last time there were more top 10 world players at the Sony was in 2004 with six: Vijay, Els, Love III, Furyk, Goosen, and Perry. The list of names is already indicative enough of the time that has passed…
– Additionally, the Sony Open will feature seven top 25 and 20 top 50 players. A very strong figure. Other notable names playing next week include Matsuyama, Jordan Spieth, Adam Scott, Brian Harman, Keegan Bradley, Maverick McNealy, and Collin Morikawa. Interestingly, Morikawa hasn’t played this event since 2021. The Sony has benefited from being the first, although paradoxically it might also be the last, as there are voices in the United States claiming that this tournament will be dropped from the calendar (including the entire Hawaii tour) for 2027. At least, it would bow out with pride.
– Unwavering commitment from the ‘Race to Dubai’ to the PGA Tour. Of the ten who earned their American card via the DP World Tour, no less than seven will be at the Sony Open. As an example, last year only two were at this event. From the start, full throttle. Playing are Reitan, Saddier, Parry, Haotong Li, Nakajima, Jordan Smith, and Daniel Brown. It’s surprising because it coincides with the Dubai Invitational, a no-cut tournament with a good haul of points and money for which they were obviously exempt. The translation is simple: a clear and unequivocal commitment to the PGA Tour.
– The three ‘European’ absences at the Sony Open are Marco Penge, Alex Noren, and Rasmus Neergaard Petersen. These three names lead us to other interesting conclusions. Only the Dane is registered to play both Dubai tournaments. That is, the first thing is that Penge is taking it easy. Considering he is exempt for the first two ‘signature’ events as the leader of the Race to Dubai with a PGA Tour card, he has decided to skip the trip to Hawaii and Dubai (having established his residence in the United States) and start the season on the west coast. We’ll see if he starts at the American Express and plays five consecutive weeks (after this tournament come the Farmers, Phoenix Open, Pebble Beach, and Genesis), which is likely, or if he starts directly at the Farmers and links four weeks. Noren, directly, has long earned the right to organize his schedule as he pleases… However, in his capacity as vice-captain of the Ryder at Bethpage, it’s surprising that he hasn’t decided to play both Dubai tournaments, at least the Desert Classic.
– Speaking of calendar starts. What’s happening with Mr Scottie Scheffler. Well, it seems he will start at the American Express, as he has played it every year since joining the PGA Tour. His only absence was last year because he was injured in the hand with the famous ravioli. It’s likely we’ll see him in California. The question is whether he will play five consecutive weeks or skip one. He has also been a regular at the Farmers and Phoenix. He hasn’t played Pebble Beach as much, but now it’s ‘signature’. He could skip it, but it doesn’t make much sense considering the following week is the Genesis Invitational, also in California, and after the Genesis comes the Cognizant, where we definitely won’t see him. It would be strange for him to leave the Genesis hanging. So, either he plays five in a row or skips Farmers or Phoenix. The other option is that for the first time in his career he decides not to play the American Express and starts directly at the Farmers. That can’t be ruled out either.
– The Hero Dubai Desert Classic, which will be played in two weeks, currently features two top 10 world players, four top 25, and eight top 50. It has slightly decreased in performance compared to last year, when it had three top 10, six top 25, and ten top 50. Nevertheless, it remains a great tournament with the presence of World Numbers 2 and 3, McIlroy and Fleetwood, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry, as well as LIV’s Dustin Johnson and Joaco Niemann.
– In fact, there will be eleven LIV players. Beyond the two mentioned, Reed, Hatton, Victor Perez, Canter, Meronk, Smylie, McKibbin, Puig, and Detry will also be present.
– And what about Brooks Koepka, who has just requested his re-entry as a PGA Tour member? Well, he still has a chance to be at the Dubai Desert Classic. Of the five invitations the tournament has, only two have been granted, to DJ and Niemann. There is still room with those three remaining to be awarded.
– We’ll see where the cut-off for entries in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic is finally set, but right now it leaves out all the men coming from the HotelPlanner Tour, including the two who won three tournaments (Ritchie and Paratore). We’ll see if they can finally get in. In any case, nothing new under the sun. Last year, none of them made it into this first Rolex Series.
– Speaking of entries, Daniel Gavins is registered for the Desert Classic with his medical exemption. This tournament, at least, does have a cut.
– Luke Donald will also be at the Emirates Golf Club to play the Desert Classic. Does this mean he will announce there that he will be the Ryder Cup captain for the third time? Well, it could be, as he will obviously be asked about it… and he knows it.
