With $8.4 million on the line and the start of the West Coast swing, the pressure’s on! The American Express 2025 has watched as Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele took their leave. #1 is still recovering from the freak injury he faced at Christmas dinner, whereas #2 is out because of medical reasons, as his manager had said. And now, goes another one.

The man with the inspiring comeback story, Bud Cauley, announced his withdrawal from AmEx. In his place steps Zac Blair. Cauley played at the Sony Open and finished at T30, and as for Blair, the showdown at La Quinta marks his 2025 start. Untimely withdrawals have been a new norm on the Tour lately. The second Hawaii event of the season also faced the issue. 

Notably, Cauley topped the 2024 Cognizant Classic leaderboard with 11-under after two rounds, but that’s not the whole picture. The real narrative? A warrior’s return to competitive golf after three years of battling from a car accident that could have ended his career. He suffered six broken ribs, a collapsed right lung, and a fractured left leg. The golfer at that time was just “so thankful to be alive.” 

The 2024 Cognizant Classic was his second event in 3 years. The golfer expressed immense gratitude, and said, “There were a lot of times where I thought that my career was over. To be back here playing and playing well, it’s nice. It just makes me that much more happy that I kept after it and didn’t stop trying.” In 2024, Cauley played in 17 events, out of which he made the cut in 10. He was in the top 25 3 times and had only a single top-10 finish.

Zac Blair’s opportunity at The American Express isn’t just another tournament entry—it’s a potential career-defining moment waiting to unfold. After all, this could be his first win, like it was for a Naval Academy graduate 9 years ago, when one of the strongest players in the field withdrew.

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When withdrawals lead to unexpected triumphs

Remember the 2016 Quicken Loans National? Tiger Woods was not physically ready to play. His absence made the field comparatively weaker, paving the way for someone else to win. That’s where Billy Hurley III showed us all what’s possible when preparation meets opportunity. With other big names dropping out, Hurley, still dealing with last year’s personal stuff (his father passed away) not only competed but totally crushed it, winning his first PGA Tour event—it was incredible!

He shot 17 under to win the tournament and defeat players like Vijay Singh, Earnie Els, and Jon Rahm. Hurley III holed out from 35 yards on the fairway for birdie on the 15th, a shot worthy of celebration. Even Tiger Woods, the tournament host, himself called it “impressive, really impressive.” 

This victory was extra special for Hurley. It was close to home. His Annapolis home and the Naval Academy, from which he graduated 12 years ago. “This is the stuff I remember being in plebe summer at the Naval Academy telling one of my teammates I was going to play on the PGA TOUR and he kind of chuckled at me,” he said. “And now to have won on the PGA TOUR, unbelievable.”

So, will the less-strong field make the way for Zac Blair to get his maiden Tour win? Let us know in the comments below!