Scottie Scheffler Withdraws From Houston Open Ahead of Wife’s Second Child Birth

World number one Scottie Scheffler has withdrawn from the Texas Children’s Houston Open ahead of the expected birth of his second child with wife Meredith, multiple reports confirmed Tuesday.

The withdrawal, first reported by Golf Channel, comes as Meredith Scheffler is due to give birth this week. Scheffler, 29, will forgo the opportunity to compete for a third consecutive Houston Open title, having finished as runner-up in the event the past two years as a final tune-up before the Masters Tournament.

Scheffler and Meredith welcomed their first child, son Bennett, on May 8, 2024, just one week before the PGA Championship. The couple married in 2020.

The Houston Open will proceed with Matt Kuchar taking Scheffler’s place in the field. Scheffler’s decision to prioritize his family comes despite a strong start to the 2026 season, which included a victory at The American Express in January. He had maintained a streak of 18 consecutive top-10 finishes before it ended with a tie for 12th at the Genesis Invitational.

Scheffler’s last tournament appearance was a tie for 22nd at The Players Championship. He is widely considered a favorite to contend for his second career Green Jacket at the Masters, which begins April 9th at Augusta National. He previously won the Masters in 2022, and followed that with victories at the 2025 PGA Championship and The Open Championship.

The Masters will see Rory McIlroy return as the defending champion, having ended his long wait for a Masters title in 2025 with a dramatic playoff victory over Justin Rose to complete the career Grand Slam.