The PGA Tour returns to the Midwest this week as the PGA Tour heads to Blaine, Minnesota for the 2026 3M Open. The tournament runs Thursday, July 23 through Sunday, July 26, with a field of 144 at TPC Twin Cities competing for an $8.8 million purse. Only three tournaments remain until the field is set for the FedExCup Playoffs, making this event critical for players jockeying for position in the standings.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler announced in early May that he would play in this year's 3M Open, and it's looking like he will headline one of the best fields in the event's eight-year history. The decision comes as many top players take the week off following last week's Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
What TPC Twin Cities Demands
TPC Twin Cities is a par-71 standing at 7,431 yards with three par-5s, each sitting between 550-600 yards, four par-3s (each over 175 yards), and 11 par-4s. The Arnold Palmer design is honored for its innovative approach and reverence for nature, though its strategic demands are straightforward.
The course features parkland golf with grown-out rough, fairways lined with trees, and ample water hazards. Water comes into play on more than half the holes. Thirteen holes have a scoring average under par; the five holes that do not are the four 450+ yard par-4s and the longest par-3 on the course, the 228-yard 13th.
The setup rewards accuracy more than length. SG: Approach at 20% is the primary weight, followed by SG: Putting at 15% and SG: Off the Tee at 13%. Approach precision dictates success here, particularly on approach shots into bentgrass greens. Detroit Golf Club, Silverado Resort, TPC Deere Run, TPC Summerlin, TPC Toronto, and TPC San Antonio all share similar scoring conditions, yielding winning scores in the high teens under par.
Players to Watch
Scottie Scheffler
The No. 1-ranked golfer in the world will make his tournament debut and is set as the overwhelming betting favorite. Scheffler has been seeking a return to the winner's circle since winning The American Express in January, and he added another top five finish at the British Open last week. Scheffler finished tied for fourth on seven under par at Royal Birkdale, underlining the consistency that has kept him at the top of the world rankings. Scheffler presents as Secretariat relative to the rest. Gary Woodland at 29th in the FedExCup is the next-ranked golfer in Blaine, Minnesota.
Kurt Kitayama
The 2025 3M Open winner, Kurt Kitayama, returns to defend his title. He has had some solid results since winning in 2025, including finishing T2 at this year's Genesis Invitational and finishing T10 at the PGA Championship. Course history matters at TPC Twin Cities, and defending champions carry added confidence returning to a venue where they've previously solved the puzzle. Kitayama's familiarity with the greens and water-lined corridors makes him a compelling pick despite a weaker field position.
Hideki Matsuyama
Japan's Hideki Matsuyama had a superb start to the campaign with finishes of tied 13th at the Sony Open, tied 11th at the Farmers Insurance Open, second at the Phoenix Open and tied eighth at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. The early-season form has cooled, but Matsuyama's iron play remains elite. His ball-striking profile fits courses that reward precision approach shots, and his ability to score on par-5s could be decisive on a layout that features three reachable long holes.
Corey Conners
The Canadian consistently grades well on approach-heavy courses. Corey Conners appears among the top 10 players in comparable course history when looking at venues with similar scoring profiles to TPC Twin Cities. Conners excels on courses that minimize driving distance advantages and emphasize iron accuracy, making him a value play in pools where Scheffler's ownership will be concentrated.
Pool Strategy for the 3M Open
The last three winners (Hodges in 2023, Vegas in 2024, and Kitayama in 2025) all moved significantly up the FedEx Cup standings, suggesting this event rewards motivated players on the playoff bubble. Look for players ranked between 70th and 110th in the standings who need a strong finish to secure their playoff spot. These golfers often outperform their odds at weaker-field events.
The course's emphasis on approach play and putting over driving distance creates opportunities to target mid-tier ball-strikers who may be overlooked. Stuck between players? Our player comparison tool uses real PGA Tour strokes-gained data and weights each category by what this course rewards, then names the pick with a probability score.
Make Your Picks
The 3M Open offers a unique opportunity for Scheffler to break through after months without a victory, but the depth of motivated players chasing playoff spots creates compelling alternatives. Whether you're running a full-season pool or starting a one-week contest for this event, now's the time to lock in your selections.
Set up your 3M Open pool in minutes or create a custom golf pool for any scoring format you prefer. Our platform handles scoring, leaderboards, and payouts automatically so you can focus on the competition.