In mid-January 2026, the global golf season opened with breakthrough victories, dramatic finishes, and important structural developments across major tours. On the PGA Tour, Chris Gotterup claimed his first full-field victory at the Sony Open in Hawaii, the official season opener after the cancellation of The Sentry at Kapalua. Gotterup closed with a final-round 6-under 64 to finish at 16-under par, winning by two shots over Ryan Gerard. His performance on the greens was decisive, gaining over five strokes putting. The victory moved him into the top 20 of the Official World Golf Ranking and secured his debut invitation to the Masters.

On the DP World Tour, Nacho Elvira captured the Dubai Invitational for his third tour title. Elvira finished at 10-under par, edging Daniel Hillier by one shot after a dramatic final-hole collapse from Shane Lowry, who double-bogeyed the 18th after finding water. Rory McIlroy, Lowry, David Puig, and Julien Guerrier shared third place at 8-under. The accompanying pro-am team title was won by venture capitalist Geoff Yang.

Amateur golf delivered a major milestone at the Latin America Amateur Championship in Peru. Argentina’s Mateo Pulcini won the title at Lima Golf Club after defeating Virgilio Paz Valdes in a playoff. Pulcini secured victory on the second extra hole when his opponent overshot the green. The win earned Pulcini exemptions into three major championships in 2026: the Masters, the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, and The Open at Royal Birkdale. At 25, he became the oldest winner in the event’s history and the third Argentine champion.

While no LIV Golf events were officially contested during this week, the league finalized key changes ahead of its fifth season. LIV Golf moved from its original 54-hole format to 72-hole events, expanded fields to 57 players, and increased purses to $30 million per event. These changes are designed to align with Official World Golf Ranking requirements. At the LIV Promotions Event, Richard T. Lee, Björn Hellgren, and a returning Anthony Kim earned roster spots for the 2026 season.

Other tours, including the LPGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions, were inactive during the January 12–18 window. The LPGA season is set to begin later in January with the Tournament of Champions, while attention across professional golf remains focused on schedule restructuring, ranking systems, and ongoing tour negotiations.

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