The Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio is usually an extremely high-stakes arena. It literally acts as the one final stop for players to polish their skills and also grab that last golden ticket to Augusta. But this time, the conversation feels different given the biggest story is more about… who is not playing.

A sudden wave of withdrawals has hit the $9.8 million tournament, with notable golfers pulling out in less than 48 hours. And it starts with Collin Morikawa, who is dealing with a back injury picked up at TPC Sawgrass. Then there is Gary Woodland, who has surprisingly stepped away right after winning last week. Daniel Berger has also withdrawn after getting his master’s spot, choosing rest over anything. But they are not the only ones.

Nicolai Højgaard, Matti Schmid, David Lipsky, and Pierceson Coody have pulled away as well. And this comes after earlier changes too, with Ryan Gerard, Isaiah Salinda, and Aaron Wise also exiting. The loss of these “poster boys” puts the PGA Tour in a difficult spot.

Unlike other weeks, top-ranked superstars like Rory McIlroy or Scottie Scheffler are not in the field to save the day. This leaves the tournament without a major “draw” for the general public. The biggest worry for the PGA Tour right now is a sharp drop in TV ratings.

Ratings and Attendance At Risk Without Big Stars

Without names like Morikawa or Woodland, casual sports fans are much less likely to tune in. Data from past seasons shows that when top-20 players withdraw from non-signature events, viewership can drop by as much as 20% to 30%. 

It isn’t just the TV audience that is at risk; the atmosphere at the course in San Antonio will also take a hit. Ticket sales often rely on fans wanting to follow their favorite famous players. When those stars leave, the noise in the galleries usually gets much smaller. And history shows that fans don’t follow rookie or “alternate” players with the same energy. 

This comes after the PGA Tour had begun to look promising after years of turmoil regarding its ratings. The final round of the Players Championship drew 4.4 million viewers for NBC, even reaching an impressive 7.1 million viewers at one point. The last time anything like this happened for the Players was in 2021, and the ratings were up 15% over last year when Rory McIlroy won in a playoff.

Clearly, the league wouldn’t like to lose its footing. Yet, the exodus became a blessing in disguise for a few.

Last-Minute Chances for New Faces

While the Tour worries about ratings, the sudden empty spots are a “golden ticket” for the players who were on the waiting list. Golfers like Frankie Capan III, Lanto Griffin, Carson Young, Jackson Suber, Sam Ryder, and Joel Dahmen have now been moved into the main field. For these men, this is a life-changing opportunity. If one of these “underdogs” can win the Valero Texas Open, they will get a last-minute invite to the Masters.