The 2026 3M Open leaderboard tightened early as Scottie Scheffler surged with the putter on Thursday at TPC Twin Cities, posting a 6-under 65 to sit three shots off the pace.
The world No. 1, who has not lifted a trophy in nearly 200 days, trailed first-round leader Ben Kohles after the opening session. Kohles delivered a 9-under 62, the lowest round of his PGA Tour career, to set the target. He held a two-shot cushion over Jackson Koivun, Gary Woodland and Emiliano Grillo at 7 under. Scheffler was part of a group at 6 under alongside Lucas Glover, Michael Brennan, Jesper Svensson and Kevin Roy.
Scheffler said he steadied an erratic start from the tee by avoiding mistakes and capitalizing once he found fairways. He did not record a bogey. After a week at The Open in which he made only six putts from outside 10 feet, he nearly matched that on Thursday with five such makes and gained more than three strokes on the greens.
His round featured birdies from 15 feet at the par-4 12th, 17 feet at the 18th, 15 feet at the 1st, 30 feet at the 4th, 3 feet at the 6th and 10 feet at the par-4 7th. A key 18-foot par save on the 15th kept his card clean. Scheffler noted the smoother surfaces in Blaine compared with links conditions, adding that he focused on alignment and starting the ball on his intended line.
With 54 holes remaining, Scheffler aims to maintain momentum in a field packed with players seeking both a weekend charge and valuable FedEx Cup points. He leads the season-long standings as well as the world ranking.
Leader
1. Ben Kohles (-9): Kohles’ career-best 62 vaulted him to the top and positioned him for a significant move in the FedEx Cup race. Splitting his time between the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour, he chose to continue on the PGA Tour after a near-miss at the John Deere Classic. He is No. 8 on the Korn Ferry points list following a June win and sits No. 100 in the PGA Tour standings, needing a strong three-week stretch to keep playoff hopes alive. Thursday’s start was ideal as he gained more than five strokes on approach.
Kohles said he intends to play where he can maximize opportunity, prioritizing performance over standings anxiety, and targeting a top-70 finish to secure a playoff berth.
Contenders
T2. Jackson Koivun, Gary Woodland, Emiliano Grillo (-7)
T5. Scottie Scheffler, Lucas Glover, Michael Brennan, Kevin Roy, Jesper Svensson (-6)
Koivun, 21, continued an encouraging run after a missed cut in his professional debut, following a top-10 at the ISCO Championship with a first-round 64. He opened with a 10-foot birdie at the 1st and added conversions from 41 feet, 15 feet and 12 feet before the turn, keeping an assertive but measured approach as opportunities arose. He said the course was scoreable with smart strategy and timely execution.
2026 3M Open leaderboard updated odds, picks
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
- Scottie Scheffler: +160
- Ben Kohles: 6-1
- Jackson Koivun: 9-1
- Gary Woodland: 14-1
- Emiliano Grillo: 17-1
- Michael Brennan: 23-1
- Lucas Glover: 30-1
The tournament outlook continues to run through Scheffler. While backing him now is logical, the initial stance remains to monitor value down the board. One player at 3 under did not have his best on Thursday but holds appeal at 50-1 with a quick turnaround for Round 2.
