The CJ Cup Byron Nelson is off to a rough start. The tournament had a flying start with the practice rounds being rained out, similar to the Masters Tournament. Unlike the Masters, this storm is hanging around and forcing the tournament to postpone mid-round with lightning. Additionally, in the lead up to the event, there were eight withdrawals. Luckily, there are enough alternates to fill the spaces, but those withdrawals have left the event without much star power. Now, what happened to make so many players withdraw?
The CJ Cup Byron Nelson Drop Outs
Three of the withdrawals are stated to have been due to injuries. Gary Woodland and Will Zalatoris are both confirmed to be struggling with back issues. The third player, Brandt Snedeker, hasn’t confirmed, but it’s highly suspected that he is also struggling with his back. Most of the other players who dropped out have unknown reasons for doing so. Speculation is more health issues, whether through injury or illness.
The final player who dropped out, not due to health, was Blades Brown. He dropped out of the CJ Cup due to him wanting to focus on the Korn Ferry. He’s a very young player at 17 years old who is still working to solidify himself in the pro golf world. This move is being lauded as a smart move as he only has a few chances to earn the points needed, and he needs to spend his exemptions for entry sparingly. He has plans to earn his Tour card through the Korn Ferry, much like Aldrich Potriege and many other players. The PGA has announced schedule changes on their official communications Twitter account.
There Were More Withdrawals During the Tournament
During the second round, Matt Wallace also had to drop out due to a neck injury. His drop out leaves the total at twelve. The other three have mixed reasons for dropping out, either personal obligations or scheduling choices. This is leaving the event organizers scrambling to fill empty slots as they come up. They are able to fill them with alternates, but this also requires some rescheduling for tee times. None of this is helped by the storm that is constantly looming overhead. It is very possible that the list will get longer as the tournament continues.
Scottie Scheffler Primed For Victory
Scottie Scheffler is the only player at this event who’s in the top ten. Currently the world no. 1, he brings the most star power to this event. He entered as a way to prime himself ahead of the PGA Championship and hopefully get a win under his belt as a confidence boost. He may very well achieve this, given how many players dropped out and how little competition he has on his own level.
What Will the 2025 CJ Cup Byron Nelson Be Remembered For
This is one of those few events in sports where a game is overshadowed by the factors happening around it. Much like the Waste Management Open of 2024, the 2025 CJ Cup may not be remembered for the game itself, but rather by everything that almost brought it down. With a total of twelve players dropping out, the organizers must be having the worst time keeping everything afloat. All while a storm is threatening to wash it all away.
Main Photo Credit: © Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
