OPTUM GOLF CHANNEL GAMES
By design, the Optum Golf Channel Games never stopped moving on Wednesday night, under the lights at Trump National Jupiter, where Scottie Scheffler’s team edged Rory McIlroy’s squad by the slimmest of margins.
Reliving top moments from the Golf Channel Games
As the PGA Tour hits the Sunshine State, we look back at some of the best moments from December's Golf Channel Games in South Florida, courtesy The Curetivity Foundation. The Curetivity Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission to create hope and cure kids by raising funds and awareness in the fight against childhood cancer.
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Scottie Scheffler nipped Rory McIlroy in a playoff to win the inaugural Optum Golf Channel Games. See how the event played out in Jupiter, Florida.
CHALLENGE EXPLAINERS
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Power and precision takes center stage in the first competition of the Golf Channel Games, where each team will go head-to-head driving six balls to earn points.
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Poise and precision take center stage in the second competition of the Golf Channel Games, where each team will go head-to-head chipping and pitching before racing to the green to show off their putting skills.
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Teamwork and speed will be the name of the game during the third competition of the Golf Channel Games, an exciting team relay.
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Competition 4 of the Golf Channel Games features a 14-Club Challenge, where strategy meets skill as players get one shot with one club to get as close to the pin as they can, earning points in the process.
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The Captain’s Challenge of the Golf Channel Games features Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy going head-to-head hitting 10 shots from various locations to gain the most points.
TEAM SCHEFFLER
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler leads a team of four Americans against Rory McIlroy’s international squad.
Keegan Bradley, the U.S. Ryder Cup captain, will team with three other Americans against Rory McIlroy’s international team.
Burns, a five-time PGA Tour winner, is part of captain Scottie Scheffler’s team at the Optum Golf Channel Games.
Clanton, a former world No. 1 amateur, is part of captain Scottie Scheffler’s team at the Optum Golf Channel Games.
TEAM MCILROY
World No. 2 McIlroy leads a team of four international players against Scottie Scheffler’s American squad.
Donald, the two-time winning European Ryder Cup captain, will be part of Rory McIlroy’s international team.
Lowry, who sealed the Ryder Cup for Europe, will join good friend Rory McIlroy as part of the international team.
Li, a four-time DP World Tour winner from China, is part of Rory McIlroy’s international team.
MORE NEWS
Austin Smotherman entered the 2026 Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches fully rested after having the last two weeks off. He put it to good use during Thursday’s opening round, making six straight birdies on his way to a 9-under 62.
David Ford’s opening round at PGA National went sideways after he found himself caught in the Bear Trap on the 17th hole. Ford finished with a quadruple bogey after a few strokes without a shoe went nowhere. Meanwhile the Golf Channel booth recalled Bill Haas finding bottom of the same hole 15 years prior on his way to winning the 2011 Tour Championship.
Gary Woodland opened his back nine at PGA National with back-to-back birdies thanks to this long putt on 11. A moment later, Patton Kizzire saw his tee shot almost sink in for an ace. The lipout around the cup forced Kizzire to settle for a birdie putt of his own. Both players getting back to even on the first round.
Austin Smotherman entered the 2026 Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches fully rested after having the last two weeks off. He put it to good use during Thursday’s opening round, making six straight birdies on his way to a 9-under 62.
Zalatoris was a last-minute withdrawal from the Cognizant Classic on Thursday, citing a left-ankle injury.
Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra will be playing on exemption at next week’s Puerto Rico Open. Chacarra, who left the LIV Golf circuit, played college golf at Wake Forest and Oklahoma State.
Luke Clanton talks about the start of the 2026 PGA Tour season, and what he learned during the West Coast swing. Clanton, who finished T-18 at the 2025 Cognizant Classic, said he looks forward to playing in his home state of Florida.
The PGA Tour held a players meeting for the second consecutive week at PGA National ahead of the 2026 Cognizant Classic, Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard reports. Schedule changes are expected to happen through a slow and steady process.
Brooks Koepka takes the course at PGA National on Thursday in a grouping with Daniel Berger and Will Zalatoris. Koepka, who last played at the Cognizant Classic in 2022, tells Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard why he’s excited to make a return to his hometown event and why he feels more comfortable than he did at Torrey Pines and TPC Scottsdale earlier this year.
Brooks Koepka returns to his “hometown event,” the Cognizant Classic, this week after missing the last three editions while playing on the LIV Golf circuit. Here’s what the nine-time PGA Tour winner told reporters Wednesday ahead of his first event since missing the cut in Phoenix.