Scottie Scheffler has withdrawn from the Houston Open as he awaits the birth of his second child, shifting the spotlight just days before the Masters.
Scottie Scheffler won’t tee it up at the Houston Open, a late change that immediately reshapes the tournament and adds another layer of intrigue to the run-up to the Masters.
The world No. 1 had long been viewed as a maybe for this week, and now that uncertainty has turned into an official withdrawal as he and his wife, Meredith, prepare for the arrival of their second child.
That makes this Scottie Scheffler Houston Open withdrawal one of the biggest golf stories of the week.
Scheffler has made Memorial Park a familiar stop before Augusta, and he’s been remarkably close to turning that appearance into a victory. He finished runner-up in Houston in each of the last two seasons and has now recorded three second-place finishes in the event overall.
This time, though, family takes priority.
The timing is notable because Scheffler has already shown he can balance major life moments with elite golf. Last year, Meredith gave birth to the couple’s son, Bennett, just days before the PGA Championship.
Scheffler went on to capture that major and later added the British Open, reinforcing how dangerous he remains whenever he tees it up.
His 2026 season has still been strong by almost any standard. Scheffler opened the year with a win at The American Express, and although his streak of 18 straight top-10 finishes ended with a tie for 12th at the Genesis Invitational, he remains the player everyone else is chasing when he’s in the field. His most recent start ended in a tie for 22nd at The Players Championship.
Scheffler had been the clear betting favorite in Houston before stepping aside. With him out, defending champion Min Woo Lee now becomes the biggest name at the top of many projections, while veteran Matt Kuchar moves into the field.
The bigger picture, of course, is Augusta.
Scheffler’s exit from Houston may cost fans one more look before the Masters, but it doesn’t create panic. If anything, it sharpens the focus on when golf’s top player will return ... and whether that return comes with another green jacket in sight.
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