Tiger Woods host Hero World Challenge, Skins Game returns, Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy to play games and PGA Tour Q School is back in Ponte Vedra Beach
Watch: Tiger Woods talks about maturity of his son Charlie at the PNC
After their 2024 PNC Championship pro-am rounds, Tiger Woods talks about his son Charlie
Golf’s holiday season features seven unofficial events after the conclusion of the 2026 schedule.Events include the return of the Skins Game, a mixed-team tournament with LPGA players, a match-play event for Champions Tour players and a skills challenge.Tiger Woods may participate in the Hero World Challenge and could team up with his son Charlie at the PNC Championship.More than 150 golfers will also compete at the PGA Tour Q-School for a chance to earn their tour card for the 2026 season.
ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — The RSM Classic put a wrap on the 2026 PGA Tour schedule with Sami Valimaki winning by one shot to become the 17th first-time winner on the Tour this season, the 11th in the history of the tournament and the first player from Finland to win on the Tour.
It was a gorgeous bow to put on the Tour season. The weather was perfect on Georgia’s Golden Isles, the golf was entertaining and as it usually does at the Sea Island Resort Seaside Course, the issue was undecided until Valimaki two-putted for par on the 18th hole. It was the 11th time in 16 years that the tournament was decided by one shot in a playoff.
It’s now “Silly Season” time.
That was never the official designation and came at a time when events such as the Skins Game (which is being resurrected next year) and the “Three Tour Challenge” were part of the holiday golf landscape.
The Tour used the term “Challenge Season” in the past, but now the events simply stand on their own.
They include one that Tiger Woods hosts (and might play, given the progress of his recovery from back surgery in October) and one that he could play with his son Charlie.
There’s also a team tournament with PGA Tour and LPGA players, the return of a popular format made for TV and a skills challenge involving the world’s top two players.
It’s not all for fun. More than 150 players vying for five PGA Tour cards will come to Ponte Vedra Beach for a pressure-packed week that will determine their status on the Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour for the 2026 season.
There’s also nothing “silly” about the money. The combined purses for the five events are more than $21 million.
Every tournament except for one is in Florida.
Here’s the lineup:
The return of the Skins Game
What: Skins Game.
When: Nov. 28.
Where: Panther National, Palm Beach Gardens.
TV: Prime (Beginning at 9 a.m., until conclusion of play).
Purse: $1 million for each player to start, with amounts increasing or decreasing each hole.
Field: Tommy Fleetwood, Keegan Bradley, Xander Schauffele, Shane Lowry.
What it’s about: The Skins Game, once the staple of golf’s holiday season, returns for the first time since 2008. Under the format, each player begins with $1 million and the amount increases or decreases depending on whether he wins or loses a hole, and the value assigned to that hole. If there is a tie between two or more players on a hole, the amount rolls over to the next hole.
Tiger Woods hosts Bahamas event
What: Hero World Challenge.
When: Dec. 4-7.
Where: Albany Golf Club, The Bahamas.
TV: Golf Channel (Dec 4-5, 1:30-4:30 p.m.; Dec. 6, 12:20-2:30 p.m.; Dec. 7, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.); NBC (Dec. 6, 2:30-5 p.m.; Dec. 7, 1:30-4:30 p.m.).
Purse: $5 million ($1 million to the winner).
What it’s about: Twenty world-class players come to the Bahamas to compete for a $1 million first prize. While it’s an unofficial event, the World Golf Rankings award points, so there’s more at take than money.
Scottie Scheffler returns to try and win his first title in a row, and will be joined by players such as Schauffele, Hideki Matsuyama, Keegan Bradley, Jordan Spieth and Corey Conners.
Will the list include Tiger? As usual, we’re waiting.
PGA Tour Champions players compete in match play
What: Skechers World Championship Cup.
When: Dec. 4-7.
Where: Feather Sound Country Club, Clearwater.
TV: ESPN+ (Dec. 4-5, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.); ESPN (Dec. 4-5, 12-4 p.m.; Dec. 7, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.); ABC (Dec. 7, 1-5 p.m.). Players will take Dec. 6 off.
Purse: $1.35 million ($100,000 to each member of the winning team).
What it’s about: Three teams of PGA Tour Champions players, representing the U.S., Europe and an International team, will play in three days of match play competition under a variety of formats. Jim Furyk of Jacksonville is the U.S. captain, Mike Weir is the International captain and Darren Clarke is the European captain. Joining Furyk will be Schwab Cup champion Stewart Cink, Justin Leonard and Steve Stricker, with World Golf Hall of Fame members Bernhard Langer and Colin Montgomerie leading the European team and major champions Angel Cabrera and Y.E. Yang leading the international team.
Last chance to earn a PGA Tour card
What: PGA Tour Q-School presented by Korn Ferry.
When: Dec. 11-14.
Where: TPC Sawgrass Dye’s Valley and Sawgrass Country Club.
TV: Golf Channel (Dec. 13, 3-5 p.m.; Dec. 14, 2-4 p.m.).
Purse: $510,000 ($50,000 to the winner).
What it’s about: There’s only one more chance to earn PGA Tour status for 2026 and it’s in Ponte Vedra Beach. More than 150 players will be in the field, some who had status all the way to the finals and others who have had to slug their way through pre-qualifiers and two more qualifying stages.
After the top five, the remaining players will earn Korn Ferry Tour status based on their finish.
This isn’t hit-and-giggle golf. Jobs are at stake.
PGA Tour, LPGA join forces
What: Grant Thornton Invitational.
When: Dec. 12-14.
Where: Tiburon Golf Club.
TV: Golf Channel (Dec. 13, 1-4 p.m.; Dec. 13, 2-3 p.m.; Dec. 14, 1-2 p.m.); NBC (Dec. 13, 3-5 p.m.; Dec. 14, 2-4 p.m.).
Purse: $4 million ($1 million to the winning team).
What it’s about: 16 two-player teams, one PGA Tour player and one LPGA player, will compete for 54 holes, under three formats. Defending champions Jake Knapp and Patty Tavatanakit return, with other teams including Jason Day-Lydia Ko, Tony Finau-Lilia Vu, Nelly Korda-Denny McCarthy and Lexi Thompson-Wyndham Clark. The First Coast will be represented by Billy Horschel (playing with Andrea Lee) and Bud Cauley (playing with Jessica Korda).
The first round will be a scramble format, the second alternate-shot and the third modified fourball, with each player hitting their drives, switching balls, and playing that shot for the rest of the hole.
Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy headline ‘Games’
What: Optum Golf Channel Games.
When: Dec. 17.
Where: Trump National Golf Club, West Palm Beach.
TV: Golf Channel, USA (7-11 p.m.).
Purse: $6 million (winners’ share yet to be determined).
What it’s about: Rory McIlroy and Scheffler will captain teams that will compete in a series of golf skills challenges. McIlroy’s team is Shane Lowry, Haotong Li and Luke Donald; and Scheffler’s is Sam Burns, Luke Clanton and Keegan Bradley.
The competition will include a timed driving event (players must hit drives into a grid in two minutes, with points for distance and accuracy), a timed short-game competition (chipping and putting from around and on greens within three minutes), a 14-club challenge, a timed shootout, and McIlroy facing Scheffler in an iron play and short game competition. The “Golf Channel Games” are in association with PGA TOUR Studios.
Trying to beat the Langers
What: PNC Championship.
When: Dec. 20-21.
Where: Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Orlando.
TV: NBC, Golf Channel, Peacock (times to be determined).
Purse: $1,085,000 ($200,000 to the winning team).
What it’s about: This will be the 28th edition of the former father-son tournament that is now any combination of relatives with a current or past PGA Tour player who has won a major or The Players Championship. The format is 36 holes of scramble play.
Once again, it’s about beating the Langers. Bernhard Langer and his son Jason have won the last two tournaments and four times in all as a team, and Langer also won twice with another son, Stefan. Bernhard and Jason Langer beat Tiger and Charlie Woods in a playoff last year.
