The Cognizant Classic starts Thursday with a field that looks noticeably different from the one it had 24 hours ago. Three withdrawals had landed in quick succession, but the final blow came when a 45-year-old Masters winner, Adam Scott, withdrew, giving Chan Kim a chance—Scott’s withdrawal stings, given what he had just produced at Riviera.

Adam Scott had gone through the entire 2025 season without a single top-10, managing just five top-25 finishes across the year. However, at the Genesis Invitational, he fired back-to-back rounds of 63 to claim the solo fourth spot, two of the lowest rounds of the week. This helped him rise 19 places in the OWGR to 52nd. This would have been his first appearance at the PGA National since 2021.

Ben Griffin, Jacob Bridgeman, and Patrick Rodgers had all withdrawn earlier in the day, with Jackson Suber, Lanto Griffin, and Brandt Snedeker coming in as replacements. Harry Higgs was added via sponsor exemption, and the field was expanded from 121 to 123 players to accommodate Brooks Koepka via the Returning Member Program, with Frankie Capan III and Carson Young entering as the first two alternates.

Griffin, ranked No. 11 in the world, had represented the US at the Ryder Cup and won three times in a season that established him as one of the Tour’s most consistent performers. Bridgeman’s absence carried some warning. After beating Rory McIlroy down the stretch at Riviera and receiving his first PGA Tour trophy from Tiger Woods, his childhood hero and tournament host, Bridgeman told reporters Sunday night he would “see” about playing the following week.

Pattrick Rodgers, a 35-year-old yet to claim a PGA Tour title across his career, rounded out a set of exits that left the field noticeably lighter than it was at the start of the week. At least Snedeker’s arrival adds something. The 10-time Tour winner and former FedEx Cup champion brings serious competition to a field that needed reinforcing. But the broader picture remains unchanged.

The Cognizant now heads into its opening round with just one top-30 player, No. 26 Ryan Gerard, and eight of the world’s top 50 in total. While the $9.6 million purse sounds significant, its challenging spot on the calendar—sandwiched between Pebble Beach, Genesis, and the upcoming Players Championship—has clearly impacted its ability to draw top talent.

Although the withdrawals have reshaped the field, what remains still has some substance.

What the Cognizant Classic field still has to offer

Brooks Koepka‘s presence adds the most intrigue. He missed both Pebble Beach and the Genesis Invitational because the Returning Member Program’s terms blocked him from accepting sponsor exemptions for signature events.

His results in his first two starts back on Tour did not earn him entry either. The Cognizant Classic is his way back in, and it kicks off a run that also includes the Valspar Championship and the Texas Children’s Houston Open before The Masters.

Shane Lowry arrives in decent form. The 2019 Open champion finished T3 at the Dubai Invitational and T8 at Pebble Beach earlier this season, and Florida offers a genuine opportunity to push further up the standings.

Will Zalatoris is also in the field. This will be only his third PGA Tour start since returning from back surgery, and every round he plays carries weight in terms of where his game currently stands.

With four withdrawals, a reshaped field, and a calendar that was never doing it any favors, can the Cognizant Classic still deliver a week worth watching?