The dust from Bethpage Black has barely settled, yet the aftershocks are already reshaping the fall schedule. Team USA’s narrow Ryder Cup defeat to Europe has left its biggest stars recalibrating, their competitive fire dulled by exhaustion and scrutiny. But right now, it’s time for the American team to fight back at the 2025 Sanderson Farms Championship at Country Club of Jackson. Unfortunately, we wouldn’t really get to see all of our stars in the tournament from October 2-5. Three of Team USA’s most recognizable golfers are now missing from the list of participants at the $6M event. 

Scottie Scheffler

Scheffler entered the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black as the world number one, making him an automatic qualifier for the American team. He raised the entropy around his stance by beating Rory McIlroy 1-up on Sunday. However, Scottie Scheffler had a pretty uneven week. He ended up in the bottom half of all US players in strokes gained. Even McIlroy called the battle against Scheffler a “pillow fight.” Well, even though he won the singles match, it was one of his worst performances in the Ryder Cup. 

The 29-year-old confessed that it was “one of the lowest moments” of his professional career. Losing the first four sessions and going 0-4 as the first #1 seemed to have exacted a heavy toll. Scottie Scheffler said, “To have the trust of my captains and teammates to go out there and play all four matches and lose all four, it’s really hard to put into words how much that stings and hurts.”

Right now, he’s 3-6-3 in three Ryder Cup appearances. Scheffler’s disappointment at being unable to contribute despite his stature in the sport was palpable. With the emotional toll of such a draining defeat, Scheffler’s absence from the Sanderson Farms Championship signals the need for recovery, both mentally and physically.

Justin Thomas

Unlike Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas had a commendable run at the 2025 Ryder Cup. The win against Tommy Fleetwood on Sunday with that dramatic birdie on the 18th hole? It was proof of his resilience during that emotionally intense week. Thomas battled throughout, yet Team USA couldn’t bridge the deficit, leaving him with both pride and heartbreak following such a close finish. In the end, he was visibly exhausted. 

The travel combined with high-intensity gameplay can often sap a golfer’s rhythm. This necessitates a calculated break and rest. That’s likely the reason why Justin Thomas will not appear in the Sanderson Farms’ final field this week. And that post-Ryder Cup absence fits the common strategy of recovery rather than immediate play. But Scheffler and Thomas aren’t the only names missing from the list.

Patrick Cantlay

Cantlay entered his third consecutive Ryder Cup as one of America’s key players with eight PGA Tour wins. Even though he managed to maintain the suspense around his matches, Patrick Cantlay lost his battle against Ludvig Aberg 2 & 1. His stance was tested to a great extent by the European team. 

The singles loss was particularly tough for Cantlay. His Ryder Cup record with 13 matches, six wins, five losses, and two ties, highlights the relentless pressure that’s exerted on the players. His omission from the Sanderson Farms final field, paired with Europe’s 15–13 victory, points toward a sensible recovery plan rather than an immediate return to stroke play.

Overall, the absence of Scheffler, Thomas, and Cantlay from the 2025 Sanderson Farms field suggests more than simple scheduling conflicts. Each one arrived at Bethpage with certain expectations. But alas! America lost early. The defeat may leave lingering wounds not healed overnight, and rest or strategic spacing of starts becomes rational. If they competed in a smaller fall event too soon, the residue of Ryder Cup stress might still haunt them. And that might just be the reason for their absence from the Sanderson Farms Championship. 

Do you think that these three names could have won the competition had they participated? But looking at the power rankings for the 2025 Sanderson Farms Championship, who do you think has the highest probability of winning the $1.08M prize money?