Major Golf Field Shifts: Big Names Drop, New Surprise Arrives

The PGA Championship field has undergone notable changes.

• Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, both originally on the 154‑player roster, have withdrawn after personal issues.
• Dustin Johnson receives a special invitation despite losing his automatic spot last year, expressing excitement to compete in all majors.

Open Spots and Invitations

• The PGA of America retained two open slots for the Truist Championship and Myrtle Beach Classic winners, to be filled if those champions are unqualified.
• Scottie Scheffler enters as the defending champion, and the tournament returns to Aronimink Golf Club, last hosting a major in 1972.
• Johnson previously played at Aronimink in 2018 during the BMW Championship, which finished late due to rain.

Field Composition

• The field is populated by top world‑ranking players and PGA Tour money leaders.
• Thirty‑three special invites were granted, mainly from the top 100 but with a few outside that range:
• Andy Sullivan (rank 102)
• Angel Ayora (rank 103)
• Sudarshan Yellamaraju (rank 80, first alternate)

Notable Withdrawals

• Tiger Woods: No major play since last year’s British Open; arrested for DUI, currently in treatment abroad.
• Phil Mickelson: Family health matter remains private; played one LIV Golf event in South Africa and missed the Masters.

Additional Invitees

• Ian Holt (Korn Ferry Tour winner)
• Kota Kaneko (Japan Golf Tour standout)

Other Highlights

• Johnson has been eligible for every major since 2009, except during injuries or breaks; his U.S. Open exemption ends this year.
• Ryder Cup captains often receive invites: Luke Donald did, but U.S. captain Jim Furyk is not participating.
• Vijay Singh and Angel Cabrera opted out of the event.