Three shots. That is the margin Ryan Fox beat Scottie Scheffler by at Royal Birkdale, and now the world No.1 arrives at the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities with something to prove. Scheffler finished T4 at The Open on seven under, one shot behind Sam Burns and two adrift of Cameron Young, before Fox claimed his first major title on ten under. For Scheffler, it is his first appearance at this PGA Tour event, and the motivation could not be sharper.

Fox Withdraws, Opens Door for Scheffler

Fox, fresh from his triumph at Birkdale, has opted out of this week's field — a decision that was confirmed after his win. That leaves the door open in Minnesota, and Scheffler will not need a second invitation. The course at Blaine suits low scoring. Kurt Kitayama proved that when he fired a third-round 60 here twelve months ago on the way to victory, edging Sam Stevens by a single shot to claim his second PGA Tour title. Tony Finau, the 2022 champion, also returns, though the 36-year-old has managed just one top-ten finish in 2026 and needs a strong week with the FedExCup play-offs approaching fast — only three events remain before the post-season begins.

It is also worth noting that Jason Day has withdrawn from the tournament due to injury, thinning out a field that already lost Fox. South African fans can follow all the action via Sky Sports. For the broader golf home picture heading into the play-off stretch, this week at TPC Twin Cities shapes the conversation around who arrives at the FedExCup with real momentum.