Venue: TPC Twin Cities — Blaine, Minnesota
Par: 71
Yardage: 7,431 yards
Purse: $8.8 million (Winner: $1.584 million)
Defending Champion: Kurt Kitayama (2025) Field Size: 144 players; Cut: Top 65 & ties
First Tee Time: Thursday, July 23, 2026
Venue Profile — TPC Twin Cities
TPC Twin Cities is a long, water‑laden, scoring‑friendly course designed by Arnold Palmer. It features:
15 holes with water in play
Bentgrass greens averaging 6,500 sq. ft.
72 bunkers
Wide fairways encouraging aggressive driving
The course rewards distance + accuracy, strong approach play, and players who generate eagles on reachable par‑5s.
Weather & Course Conditions (July 23–26, 2026)
(Based on typical Blaine, MN late‑July patterns; no specific forecast provided in sources)
Temperature: 82–88°F
Humidity: Moderate (50–65%)
Wind: Light to moderate (6–12 mph)
Conditions: Warm, soft morning greens, firmer afternoon surfaces
Impact:
Low wind → birdie‑friendly scoring
Soft greens → advantage to elite ball‑strikers
Heat → ball travels farther, boosting long hitters
(Weather inference based on historical norms; no direct weather data in sources.)
Field Strength & Key Players
Scottie Scheffler — World No. 1
Making his tournament debut
Heavy betting favorite (+260 to +265)
Leads PGA TOUR in Strokes Gained: Total, Tee‑to‑Green, GIR, scoring average
Coming off a T4 at The Open Championship
Scheffler’s ball‑striking dominance makes him the clear storyline.
Kurt Kitayama — Defending Champion
Won in 2025 with a 60–65 weekend
Seeking to become the first repeat winner in event history
Other Notable Contenders
Tom Kim — recent Scottish Open winner, two prior top‑30 finishes at TPC Twin Cities
Hideki Matsuyama — long‑shot value pick (+2800) with elite approach play
Maverick McNealy, Keith Mitchell, Jake Knapp, Pierceson Coody, Gary Woodland — mid‑tier threats with strong ball‑striking profiles
Tournament Context & Stakes
Only three events remain before the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
Players ranked 50–80 (Jason Day, Brian Harman, Brandt Snedeker, Tony Finau) are fighting for top‑70 qualification.
This creates a high‑pressure environment for bubble players.
Tournament History
Recent champions:
2025: Kurt Kitayama
2024: Jhonattan Vegas
2023: Lee Hodges
2022: Tony Finau
2021: Cameron Champ
TPC Twin Cities typically produces low winning scores (−17 to −21).
Recent Player Form
Scottie Scheffler
10 top‑5 finishes in 16 starts in 2026
Best player in majors relative to par
Putting inconsistencies remain the only weakness
Tom Kim
Recent winner at the Genesis Scottish Open
Missed cut at The Open but strong course fit
Kurt Kitayama
T2 at Genesis Invitational
T10 at PGA Championship
Hideki Matsuyama
Elite long‑iron player
Strong long‑shot profile
Key Player Matchups
Scheffler vs. Kitayama
Scheffler: superior tee‑to‑green metrics
Kitayama: proven course history Edge: Scheffler
Tom Kim vs. Matsuyama
Kim: better recent form
Matsuyama: stronger long‑iron profile Edge: Even
McNealy vs. Mitchell
McNealy: better putting
Mitchell: stronger driving Edge: Course favors Mitchell
Betting Trends & Odds
Scottie Scheffler: +260 to +265 (overwhelming favorite)
Kurt Kitayama: +2200 to +2250
Maverick McNealy: +2350 to +2700
Hideki Matsuyama: +2800 to +3000
Tom Kim: +2900 to +3300
