The Cadillac Championship is the PGA Tour's latest marquee tournament, staged at the Trump National Doral resort in Miami. It marks the first edition of a new "signature" event that the Tour introduced to give fans more opportunities to watch the sport's biggest names compete head‑to‑head throughout the season. While the competition promises a $20 million purse and a 700‑point FedExCup bounty for the champion, Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy has chosen to sit out, opting for a brief rest after his second Masters triumph in April. Trump Doral, formerly known as the Turnberry Golf Club in the United States, has a colourful recent history.
In 2012 the former U.S. president bought the sprawling resort for roughly $150 million, acquiring four courses in the process. The most famous of those is the Blue Monster – a 7,500‑yard, par‑72 layout that has earned a reputation as one of the toughest tests in American golf. Its name reflects both the deep blue‑coloured tees that were originally used and the daunting combination of water hazards, strategically placed bunkers and a wind‑swept fairway that can punish even the most skilled players.
The Blue Monster is not new to high‑profile competition. It hosted the WGC‑Cadillac Championship from 2007 to 2016 and more recently served as a venue for LIV Golf events, including the 2025 LIV Golf Miami tournament where Marc Leishman edged out 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel by a single stroke. Former PGA Tour champion Adam Scott summed up the course’s character after his 2016 victory, saying, "It's called the Blue Monster for a reason. It's a big, very penal course.
The wind can be a massive factor, so you have to strike it well from tee to green. It's great to be back." For the inaugural Cadillac Championship, the PGA Tour has invited 72 of the world’s elite golfers. The field is assembled through a series of eligibility criteria designed to ensure that the top talent is present. All players who finished in the top 50 of the previous year’s FedExCup points list receive automatic invitations, as do any golfers who claim a PGA Tour victory in the 2026 season.
Additional slots are allocated via the AON Next 10 and AON Swing 5 rankings, which reward the highest‑ranked players on the FedExCup leaderboard who have not already qualified. The event also welcomes the top five FedExCup point earners who are otherwise exempt, and the 30 highest‑ranked competitors in the Official World Golf Rankings. Unlike most Tour stops, the Cadillac Championship is a no‑cut tournament, meaning every participant plays all four rounds regardless of score. Even the player who finishes at the bottom of the leaderboard on Sunday will still collect a cheque – $40,200 (about £29,808) – underscoring the event’s inclusive prize structure.
The decision by McIlroy to skip the tournament sparked a flurry of commentary. The six‑time major champion had just completed a historic season, clinching his second green‑jacket at Augusta in early April.
After that triumph, he attended a White House state dinner hosted by President Trump, where the president interrupted a speech to lavish praise on McIlroy’s achievements. Rather than jump straight into another high‑stakes competition, McIlroy elected to take a short hiatus, a move that many analysts view as a sensible way to preserve his physical and mental freshness for the grueling remainder of the season.
McIlroy’s absence opens the door for other big names to make a statement. World No.
1 Scottie Scheffler, who was edged out by Matt Fitzpatrick in a dramatic playoff at the RBC Heritage two weeks earlier, will be looking to rebound with a win at Doral. Fitzpatrick, now ranked third in the world, is also sitting out, having just completed a remarkable back‑to‑back stretch of victories – a feat not achieved since Scheffler’s double win in 2024. His most recent triumph came at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a team event he won alongside his brother Alex Fitzpatrick. The victory also secured Alex a PGA Tour card for the next two seasons and guaranteed his entry into the remaining 2026 signature events.
Alex Fitzpatrick will make his PGA Tour debut at the Cadillac Championship, and he has spoken candidly about his expectations. "I just want to hit the fairway on the first tee and take it from there," he said.
"My game feels solid; I've been playing well the past few months, so I'm hoping to keep that form and see where it takes me this week. I have no expectations – it's going to be a whirlwind, but I think things will settle down as the week progresses." Another notable return is that of England’s Justin Rose, who is set to re‑enter the PGA Tour after a brief hiatus following his appearance at the Masters. Rose has also become the first golfer to sign a partnership with McLaren Golf, the performance‑driven brand linked to the Formula 1 team. He will debut a full set of McLaren‑branded clubs during the Miami event, adding a fresh technological angle to his comeback.
Financially, the Cadillac Championship offers a staggering $20 million prize pool, with the winner slated to pocket $3.6 million (approximately £2.67 million). The runner‑up will receive $2.18 million, while even the last‑place finisher walks away with a respectable $40,200.
In addition to the monetary rewards, the tournament distributes FedExCup points, with the champion earning 700 points that could prove decisive in the season‑long race for the coveted FedExCup title. Sky Sports will broadcast every round of the event in the United Kingdom. The first two rounds commence on Thursday and Friday at 4 p.m. on Sky Sports Golf, with full‑round coverage moving to Sky Sports Main Event at 11 p.m.
The weekend rounds will be shown on Sky Sports Golf from 4 p.m. each day, and viewers can also stream the action without a contract through Sky’s online platform.
In summary, the Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral offers a fresh, high‑profile stage for the PGA Tour’s elite to compete for a massive purse and valuable points. While Rory McIlroy’s decision to sit out adds a note of intrigue, the field remains stacked with world‑class talent, from reigning No. 1 Scottie Scheffler to rising stars like Alex Fitzpatrick and seasoned veterans such as Justin Rose.
Golf fans can look forward to four days of thrilling play on a course that lives up to its "Blue Monster" moniker, with the added drama of a no‑cut format ensuring every participant remains in contention until the final putt.