Right after a marquee event of the PGA Tour ended, the tour started preparing for the final stop of its Florida Swing. Just three days after the conclusion of the Players Championship, the Valspar Championship will begin on March 19. While the $9.1 million event is bringing in a competitive field to the Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead Course, several big names have chosen not to tee off on the greens of Copperhead.

135 players, including the defending champion Viktor Hovland, would tee off on March 19. They will play against a strong group that includes Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele, Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa, and Sahith Theegala. Championship rounds will run from Thursday through Sunday, with tournament week also featuring fan events and a Saturday concert headlined by country stars.

However, despite the solid lineup, several high-profile players will not be teeing it up at Copperhead this year. On one hand, the tour has just concluded a $25 million event. On the other hand, the PGA Tour season is edging closer to the Masters. As such, some of the game’s biggest names have opted to skip the tournament, leaving noticeable gaps in the field.

Here’s a closer look at the five major stars whose absence will shape the 2026 Valspar Championship.

Robert MacIntyre 

MacIntyre had quite an impressive performance at The Players Championship. In fact, his stellar show had him as a possible contender to win the ‘fifth major.’ Unfortunately, playing on the par-5 16th hole, MacIntyre messed up badly. He bogeyed his shot while chipping the ball into the water. Coming ever so close to victory, the Scottish golfer finished three shots behind the winner, Cameron Young, who ended with a score of 13-under par. 

Thus, with such a great showing, everyone expected him to continue his surge at the Valspar Championship. However, despite being the second-highest-ranked player in the tournament, he has decided to sit out. While he did not give an explanation for his absence, MacIntyre cited his Sunday outing as ‘stressful.’ 

Rory McIlroy

McIlroy was the defending champion at The Players Championship. Unfortunately, following a back injury, the Northern Irish star shot an even-par 288 as he finished outside of the top-50. Focusing on his speedy recovery, the former World No. 1 has decided to withdraw from the Valspar Championship.

Now, previously, McIlroy was supposed to take a three-week break before he came back to play the Masters. But owing to his poor form, the Northern Irish star might just reconsider his decision and play a tournament just before the major.

“I’ll see how my body feels. We’ll see how I feel in practice and at home, and if I get itchy feet at home, maybe add an event at some point,” McIlroy said on Sunday. 

Scottie Scheffler

Scottie Scheffler is another name missing from the Valspar Championship lineup. A hot favorite to win The Players Championship, Scheffler struggled significantly to end up with a T22 finish. And this was not a one-off case of Scheffler getting a mediocre performance. Last week, at Bay Hill, the World No. 1 had a T24 finish. However, he does not seem to be too concerned about the lean phase. 

“Did I find anything? I think that would imply that I was lost, which is not the case. No, I think I’m always just trying to get a feel for where things are at, and sometimes a little practice helps, and sometimes a little rest helps,” said Scheffler. 

Regarding his absence from the Valspar Championship, Scheffler did not provide a clear answer. Presuming that he will be taking a rest, fans will now be interested to see when he returns. 

Cameron Young

Fresh out of a triumph at the Players Championship, bagging $4,500,000, Young will not be teeing it up at the Copperhead. Last year, Young participated in the Valspar Championship and missed the cut.

One major reason behind several members of the Players field withdrawing is the fact that the event is beginning just 3 days after the event concluded on March 15.

For the 2026 season, Young began his run with a slow start. However, he managed to finish at T7 at the Genesis Invitational. Right after that, at TPC Sawgrass, he shot a final-round 4-under 68. Featuring a clutch birdie on the 17th hole and a 375-yard drive on 18, he bagged the win, toppling Matt Fitzpatrick and Xander Schauffele.

Sam Burns

Sam Burns is a two-time winner at the Valspar Championship, having secured victories in 2021 and 2022. Thus, his absence remains a glaring omission for the field. However, in 2025, he missed the cut by 3 over par.

Burns also had a remarkable run at the Players as he finished tied for the 13th position with a score of 6 under par alongside Brooks Koepka, Viktor Hovland, Justin Rose, Austin Smotherman, Akshay Bhatia, and 3 other golfers. Notably, he bagged $409,027 from the event

Although golf enthusiasts will miss a few of their favourite stars on the field of the 2026 Valspar Championship, the declared field of the event once again promises a demanding test on one of the Tour’s most challenging layouts, particularly the famed “Snake Pit” closing stretch of Copperhead.