The PGA Tour is facing a major crisis just days before the Valero Texas Open. A sudden wave of withdrawals has hit the $9.8 million tournament, with six notable golfers pulling out in less than 48 hours. The list of exits includes stars like Collin Morikawa, Daniel Berger, Gary Woodland, Nicolai Højgaard, Matti Schmid, David Lipsky, and Pierceson Coody. 

The loss of these “poster boys” puts the PGA Tour in a difficult spot. Unlike other weeks, top-ranked superstars like Rory McIlroy or Scottie Scheffler are not in the field to save the day. This leaves the tournament without a major “draw” for the general public. Now, with some of the other big names walking away at the last second, the Tour is now in damage control mode.

Ratings and Attendance At Risk Without Big Stars

The biggest worry for the PGA Tour right now is a sharp drop in TV ratings. Without names like Morikawa or Woodland, casual sports fans are much less likely to tune in. Data from past seasons shows that when top-20 players withdraw from non-signature events, viewership can drop by as much as 20% to 30%. 

It isn’t just the TV audience that is at risk; the atmosphere at the course in San Antonio will also take a hit. Ticket sales often rely on fans wanting to follow their favorite famous players. When those stars leave, the noise in the galleries usually gets much smaller. And history shows that fans don’t follow rookie or “alternate” players with the same energy. 

This comes after the PGA Tour had begun to look promising after years of turmoil regarding its ratings. The final round of the Players Championship drew 4.4 million viewers for NBC, even reaching an impressive 7.1 million viewers at one point. The last time anything like this happened for the Players was in 2021, and the ratings were up 15% over last year when Rory McIlroy won in a playoff.

Clearly, the league wouldn’t like to lose its footing. Yet, the exodus became a blessing in disguise for a few.

Last-Minute Chances for New Faces

While the Tour worries about ratings, the sudden empty spots are a “golden ticket” for the players who were on the waiting list. Golfers like Frankie Capan III, Lanto Griffin, Carson Young, Jackson Suber, Sam Ryder, and Joel Dahmen have now been moved into the main field. For these men, this is a life-changing opportunity. If one of these “underdogs” can win the Valero Texas Open, they will get a last-minute invite to the Masters.