Golf professional betting preview in early 2026: Players watching after the Ryder Cup – Golf News
The Ryder Cup may be over, but golf fans and bettors don’t have much time to close. Augusta is only a few months away and has turned her eyes to the main season of 2026 – who could rise next year after the Bethpage Black drama.
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Here are some of the key names and storylines that can shape the 2026 Grand Slam.
Rory McIlroy – Augusta Pressure
Rory McIlroy has been playing with the newfound freedom since he won the long-awaited professional grand slam at Augusta this year. He also caught fire for Europe at the 2025 Ryder Cup, ending with 3.5 points, climbing to seventh place on the all-time roster. He will enter 2026 with confidence and if he finds form early in the season, he hopes he pushes back to back green jackets.
Scottie Scheffler – Beyond Records
Scottie Scheffler seems unparalleled on the PGA Tour, but the story is different on the Ryder Cup. Now, he has 12 games in the Ryder Cup and has only scored 4.5 points. But 2.5 of them played in three Sunday singles matches, and he has not lost yet. Schaffler rarely wavered when it all was attributed to him, and it might be the same in the Major in 2026. Expect him to add at least the fifth major to the growing trophy cabinet.
Tommy Fleetwood – Major Breakthrough
In Ryder Cup history, European players who have not played at least 10 games have a higher winning rate than Tommy Fleetwood. He made an impressive return in five games in the 2025 Ryder Cup, shortly after his first PGA Tour title on the Tour ended. The Briton will hope to bring this form to next year and win his first major title.
Cameron Young – Mr. Reliable
Apart from Cameron Young, this is something that Ryder Cup has forgotten. After Justin Rose’s impressive victory, he led the U.S. team’s fierce counterattack on Sunday and scored three points from four games. McIlroy and Scheffler may dominate most of the headlines, but Young is a regular match, and he proved at Bethpage that he can withstand the pressure. He has been in the top ten majors at least once a year since 2022 and he will want to get better opportunities in 2026.
Justin Thomas – Rebound Potential
Thomas has performed well in the Ryder Cup after a disappointing 2025 year. The two-time Grand Slam champion has been working hard to find top-tier formats regularly, but he won the 2022 PGA championship a few months after his show at the 2021 Ryder Cup. Can Bethpage be used as a similar springboard to make something better for 2026?
Don’t forget the dark horse
Every major season brings surprises. In 2025, JJ Spaun achieved an extraordinary victory at the U.S. Open, although he had never scored above 23 in his top eight majors before. Earlier this year, there were signs of impression at the Sony Open, Cognitive Classics and Player Championship. For bettors, focusing on early forms during the February and March matches can often be the difference between snatching long photos and missing the boat.
The last sentence
Professionals in 2026 promise as much drama and unpredictability as ever. From Augusta in Rory to stardom in the form of Fleetwood chasing their first major champion, there are many gambling stories.
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