The Players Championship is something no professional golfer would want to miss. It’s not just the prize money, though; the competitive field makes it exciting for golfers and fans alike. Despite that, there was a late change to the field that shook up the opening round at The Players Championship 2026, as Ryan Fox withdrew before hitting a shot on Thursday.

“Ryan Fox (illness) WD prior to his first round of THE PLAYERS Championship. David Ford replaces Fox in the 1:18 p.m. tee time off No. 10 with Chris Kirk and Keegan Bradley,” the PGA Tour Communications channel wrote in an X post confirming his withdrawal from the tournament.

While the PGA Tour briefly mentioned the cause as illness, no additional information about the nature or severity of the condition was provided.

Fox came into TPC Sawgrass as one of the most stable performers on the PGA Tour. The last time he played the event in 2025, he finished at T20 with rounds of 72-70-72-70. The New Zealand professional has also won 2 events in 2025 – the RBC Canadian Open and the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic. These are some reasons why he was also one of the most solid mid-tier value picks in sports betting. However, he withdrew for unknown reasons after the lineups were closed.

With Fox out of the field, David Ford got an opportunity to play in one of the most prestigious events on the PGA Tour. He will step into Fox’s 1:18 p.m. tee time off the 10th tee. The group he plays with also remains the same as Ford’s. Chris Kirk and Keegan Bradley will join him on the 10th hole for the tee.

Ford was the first alternate on the list for the Players Championship 2026. Initially, he was third on the list after Patton Kizzire and Seamus Power. However, the PGA Tour selected them to play to complete the threesomes when the field was expanded to 123. Thus, David Ford became the first on the alternate list.

Ahead of the announcement about Ryan Fox, someone asked Ford about Rory McIlroy’s chances of withdrawing. The Northern Irishman is facing back issues, which is why he withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week. If that had happened, he would have gotten to play alongside Xander Schauffele and Hideki Matsuyama.

“That would be sick! But, even if I don’t, it’s been sweet to experience the Players as a player. I’ve been here as a spectator,” David Ford said.

It looks like he won’t have to wait on Rory McIlroy for his chance, thanks to Ryan Fox. Regardless of whom he plays with, it would still be a one-of-a-kind experience for the young professional to play in such a competitive field, featuring elites like McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Tommy Fleetwood, and others.

Ford’s journey so far this season has been better than that of 2025, and the experience he gets at the Players Championship will surely help me take it one step further. He is coming off a T16 at the Puerto Rico Open. It was his second top-20 finish of the season after the T13 at the American Express 2026.

If someone withdraws now, John Parry is next on the alternate list to tee up at the event. While Parry still waits for his chance, Ford has gotten with Fox’s withdrawal.

This is not the first time, though, that Ryan Fox has withdrawn.

Ryan Fox’s past withdrawals

Ryan Fox withdrew from the 2023 RBC Heritage during the first round after just nine holes. He cited illness after battling a cold that started during his Masters debut the prior week.

The 2023 Masters was his first major event. He finished T26 with rounds of 70-71-74-73. Thanks to that, he got a special exemption into the $20 million Signature Event. In Round 1, he scored 6-over 37 through his opening nine holes at Harbour Town Golf Links. This also included a triple-bogey. He then announced his withdrawal mid-round.

Ryan Fox’s previous withdrawals because of illness add some context to his latest exit. However, neither he nor the PGA Tour has shared the exact details of his current withdrawal. Regardless of the reasons, it gave David Ford an excellent opportunity to learn from the game’s elites.