Following the field announcement, the PGA Tour has revealed the marquee groupings for the first two rounds of the 2026 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass. Defending champion Rory McIlroy tees off with Xander Schauffele and Hideki Matsuyama, while world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler joins Justin Thomas and Tommy Fleetwood. McIlroy withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational due to a back injury but is expected to be fit.
The groupings were announced during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational on March 8, 2026.
Rory McIlroy headlines the first featured group alongside Xander Schauffele (runner-up in 2018 and 2024) and Hideki Matsuyama (best of fifth in 2023). McIlroy withdrew from the Arnold Palmer on Saturday before the third round due to lower back muscle spasms—only his third mid-tournament pullout—but called it precautionary ahead of The Players.
The second marquee group features Scottie Scheffler, a two-time winner chasing Jack Nicklaus's record three titles, with Justin Thomas (2021 champion, back from microdiscectomy surgery) and Tommy Fleetwood (2025 FedExCup champion). Scheffler won The American Express but has recent finishes outside the top 10, including at Bay Hill. Thomas finished last there, while Fleetwood was 49th.
The event's 'fifth major' status continues to spark debate. McIlroy views it simply as The Players, while analyst Brandel Chamblee praises its meritocratic field—though LIV players like Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau are absent. Coverage starts Thursday on Golf Channel and NBC, with featured groups on ESPN+. PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp's March 11 news conference may include schedule updates.