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.
Up Next
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
Rory McIlroy talked to Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis after his 5-under 66 in the first round of the 2026 Genesis Invitational. McIlroy said he’s hoping the wind will dry out the course and allow Riviera to play like Riviera can.
The par-3 sixth at Riviera Country Club has a bunker in the middle of the green. Rory McIlroy found himself on the wrong side of it Thursday, but played an expert chip shot -- on the green -- to save par.
Steady rain puddled greens and led PGA Tour officials to suspend play in the opening round of the Genesis Invitational. Rory McIlroy birdied his first hole once play resumed a little after 1 p.m. local time.
Scheffler, like Tiger Woods — and, to this point, Rory McIlroy — has not won a PGA Tour event at Riviera Country Club.
Rory McIlroy told Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis on Wednesday that he will go directly from Riviera Country Club to Augusta next week, skipping the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches.
Twelve players have won three of four men’s professional major championships in their careers, including three active players.
Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis spoke to world No. 2 Rory McIlroy ahead of the 2026 Genesis Invitational. McIlroy said he appreciates the strategy part of playing at Riviera Country Club, stressing that getting the ball in the fairway is not as important this week given the current wet conditions of the course.
These are the players who have won all four major championships in men’s professional golf.
Hovland, like many, got a kick out of watching his latest viral video, which depicted him wearing pool floaties on both arms on the range at TPC Scottsdale.
Riviera Country Club’s par-3 fourth hole, George Thomas’ take on the famed Redan hole at North Berwick, was lengthened nearly 40 yards, from 236 to 273 ahead of this week’s Genesis Invitational.