In a significant return to the American golfing scene, Rory McIlroy is setting his sights on achieving a new level of consistent excellence as he kicks off his U.S. season at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. This event, a highlight on the PGA Tour calendar, draws an elite assembly of talent, including Tommy Fleetwood, all vying for an impressive $20 million purse. McIlroy's participation follows a remarkably successful 2025, during which he clinched multiple major titles, and he now seeks to replicate that triumph with greater regularity.
The PGA Tour's signature event schedule commences this week at Pebble Beach, California, with the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. This tournament has become the season opener due to the cancellation of the traditional Sentry event in Maui. The competition features an exclusive field of 80 players, who will navigate both Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course for the initial rounds, with Pebble Beach hosting the final two days.
McIlroy's 2025 season was a career-defining year, highlighted by his inaugural victory at this very event. That win propelled him to claim The Players Championship, break an 11-year major drought with a Masters triumph, and secure victory with Team Europe in the Ryder Cup. Now, the Northern Irishman is focused on maintaining a consistently high level of play, a trait he openly admires in competitors like Scottie Scheffler.
McIlroy expressed a desire to improve his consistency, acknowledging that his performance last year, particularly after the Masters, lacked the steady excellence he aimed for. He cited Scottie Scheffler as an exemplar of relentless consistency, noting Scheffler's impressive streak of top-10 finishes and his ability to recover from challenging starts. McIlroy believes that any golfer aspiring to contend with Scheffler must demonstrate a similar week-in, week-out level of play.
This week's tournament marks the first time McIlroy and Scheffler, the world's top two ranked players, will compete in the same field since the Tour Championship last August. Scheffler enters the event having already secured a victory at The American Express in 2026 and a third-place tie at the WM Phoenix Open. His remarkable streak of 66 consecutive cuts made underscores his consistency.
England's Tommy Fleetwood, the FedEx Cup champion, is also making his first U.S. tour appearance since his victory at the Tour Championship. Fleetwood shared his confidence stemming from his recent successful play, expressing hope that he can continue that form. He also emphasized his ongoing motivation to achieve more in the sport, recognizing that there are still areas where he desires to improve his game.
A rising star, Chris Gotterup, has rapidly ascended to fifth in the world rankings. The 26-year-old leads the FedEx Cup standings with two wins in his first three starts of the season, including a victory at the Sony Open in Hawaii and a playoff win against Hideki Matsuyama in Phoenix. Gotterup, who has won four times on tour in a short period, including a head-to-head victory over McIlroy at last year's Scottish Open, is making his debut at Pebble Beach.
The PGA Tour season is off to an exhilarating start, with established stars and emerging talents converging at Pebble Beach. The focus for many, particularly Rory McIlroy, is not just on winning, but on cultivating a sustained level of top-tier performance that defines the sport's greatest competitors.