Where Is The Players Championship 2026? It is being played at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., where the tournament produced dramatic swings around the cut line: several high-profile players failed to reach the weekend while Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy scrambled to advance.
Where Is The Players Championship 2026: Location And Cut-Line Snapshot
The event at TPC Sawgrass has delivered volatile scoring across the first two rounds. Two of golf’s biggest names finished 1-over, each one shot inside the cut. Rory McIlroy posted a 71 and Scottie Scheffler a 73, each surviving to play the weekend after late birdies on their final holes. Play also featured leaders atop the leaderboard and a number of surprising early exits.
Notable Players Who Missed The Cut At TPC Sawgrass
Several well-regarded players fell short of the weekend. Shane Lowry suffered a dramatic quadruple bogey on the 18th hole in his opening round after arriving at the 18th tee at even par and leaving at 4-over; that tee shot into the water was noted as the 1, 000th tee shot hit into the water on TPC Sawgrass’ finishing hole since 2003. Other players who failed to play the weekend included Dahlmen, Kitayama, Knapp, English, and Griffin, each of whom struggled to put together the rounds needed to advance.
One high-profile withdrawal also affected the field: Morikawa tweaked his back on his second hole on Thursday and withdrew from the tournament, an injury-related exit separate from those who completed 36 holes and missed the cut.
McIlroy And Scheffler Narrowly Advance Into The Weekend
Both McIlroy and Scheffler flirted with missing the cut but ultimately made late plays to extend their tournaments. McIlroy, who spent part of the week receiving treatment for back spasms and did not step foot on the course until Wednesday afternoon, two-putted from 31 feet on the par-5 ninth for a closing birdie. He entered the weekend with signs of rust but ranked inside the top five in driving distance and inside the top 25 in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee through 36 holes; his short game and putting remained inconsistent, with no made putts longer than 5 feet until the 18th hole and only two putts made longer than 5 feet for the day.
Scheffler’s path was different: after late bogeys left him on the cut line, he safely navigated the island green at 17 and then hit a strong approach on the 18th, setting up a birdie that pushed him inside the line. Visible frustration marked his round, and he declined to speak after finishing, but the closing birdie preserved his weekend play.
With leaders sitting atop the leaderboard and many of the tour’s marquee names scheduled for Saturday tee times, the tournament moves into the weekend with a mix of expected contenders and surprising absences. The coming rounds will show whether those who barely advanced can climb into serious contention and whether the early favorites can convert position into a run at the title.
