The PGA Tour heads to Texas this week for the $10.3 million The CJ Cup Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch. Tournament organizers in McKinney fully expected to headline the event with the sport’s newest major champion, but the biggest star on the tee sheet will not be there.

Less than 24 hours after his historic major win at Aronimink Golf Club, Aaron Rai officially withdrew from the tournament. Rai made history as the first English player in 107 years to win the PGA Championship, closing with a 5-under 65 to finish three strokes ahead of Jon Rahm and Alex Smalley. Rai completely changed the momentum of the final round with a 40-foot eagle putt on the 9th hole before wrapping up the victory with a spectacular 68-foot birdie putt on the 17th. After grinding through a difficult championship test like that, flying straight to Texas just days later was simply too much to ask. The 31-year-old stepped back to rest and enjoy the massive achievement. He informed PGA Tour officials of his decision on Monday morning.

South Korea’s Seung-yul Noh steps in as his replacement. Ranked 370th in the world and having missed his last five cuts on the Korn Ferry Tour, Noh’s only PGA Tour title came at the 2014 Zurich Classic of New Orleans when the event was still an individual stroke-play format at TPC Louisiana.

🤔 golf trivia

This Should Be an Easy One, Right?

01/10

On Which Hole Jordan Spieth’s Ball Got Stuck Under a Trashcan?

14th 15th16th 17th

Oops, bogey!

But don’t worry, there’s still the back 9 to prove your high golf IQ

PLAY GOLF TRIVIA

While Rai’s departure makes sense after a grueling major victory, tournament officials are dealing with a much larger problem: a massive wave of withdrawals.

Seven other PGA Tour players also backed out over a chaotic 72-hour period, completely disrupting the initial lineup just days before Thursday’s opening round.

Tournament Field Changes: 

To handle the unexpected open spots and balance out the tee times, tournament officials added veterans Scott Piercy and Ryan Palmer to the active field. They will be joined by amateur standout Mason Howell, who earned a highly sought-after sponsor exemption.

Meanwhile, the traditional Monday open qualifier brought in its own group of fresh faces. Greg Gregory, Nathan Petronzio, Alex Huang, and Ronin Banerjee all survived the high-pressure qualifying round to earn their spots at TPC Craig Ranch.

With Rai and the other 7 players out, it seems like a big loss for the event. However, the field still has plenty of star power on display.

Scottie Scheffler & Co. ready to fill the void at TPC Craig Ranch

Scottie Scheffler enters as the overwhelming favorite at +150, and for good reason. The World No. 1 is the defending champion at TPC Craig Ranch and lives in the Dallas area, which has historically translated well into results here. A revamped, scoring-friendly layout suits his game even further.

Si Woo Kim at +1250 arrives with good credentials at this venue, having finished runner-up in 2023. Jordan Spieth at +2000 brings the Dallas-native factor, with a 2022 solo second finish at this event.

Brooks Koepka is at +2700. Then there is Keith Mitchell at +3300, who is the under-the-radar pick that sharp bettors will notice. His ball-striking numbers, specifically proximity to the hole, rank among the best in the field.

Who will you be rooting for at the TPC Craig Ranch?