Brooks Koepka And Jason Day Put FedEx Cup Playoff Hopes In Jeopardy After Rocket Classic Withdrawals
Both Koepka and Day have withdrawn from the penultimate event of the PGA Tour's regulation season, with neither Major winners featuring at Detroit Golf Club
Returning to the PGA Tour at the start of 2026, it's safe to say Brooks Koepka has struggled this season, with the five-time Major winner producing just one top 10 and making 10 cuts out of 15.
Currently, he is sat in 84th spot in the FedEx Cup Standings and, with only two regulation events left before the playoffs, Koepka needs the points, as only the top 70 advance to the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
Consequently, the American was set to tee it up at this week's Rocket Classic but, on Tuesday evening, he withdrew with it reportedly down to personal reasons.
Koepka last teed it up at The Open Championship a fortnight ago and, with his withdrawal, it will dent his chances of making the FedEx Cup Playoffs, which take place the week after the Wyndham Championship.
Although he won't be present at Detroit Golf Club, his original addition to the tournament meant Lanto Griffin and Justin Lower were added to the field to ensure every tee time for the opening two rounds were played in three-balls.
Griffin and Lower will remain in the tournament despite Koepka's withdrawal, while Ben Silverman is the beneficiary, as he replaces the former LIV Golfer in the field.
Koepka's last outing came at The Open Championship, where he finished T28th
Along with Koepka, another notable name to withdraw from the Rocket Classic was Jason Day, who continues to struggle with a back injury that has plagued his season since the US Open in June.
It marks the second consecutive tournament where Day has withdrawn without a competitive shot being struck, as the Australian also withdrew from the 3M Open last week.
Like Koepka, Day is currently outside the top 70 of the FedEx Cup Standings, sitting 74th with just two events remaining.
If he doesn't tee it up at the Wyndham Championship next week, it'll be the first time he has missed the FedEx Cup Playoffs since 2022.
Day has played in two events since withdrawing from the US Open in mid-June
The withdrawals from the Rocket Classic also continued pre-tournament, as other notable names opted to skip this week's event.
Keith Mitchell withdrew on the Saturday, while Maverick McNealy did the same 24 hours later.
Another notable withdrawal came in the form of Blades Brown, who instead has decided to tee it up at the Korn Ferry Tour's Utah Championship.
This decision may raise eyebrows, given the higher prize money and points on offer at the PGA Tour event compared to the Korn Ferry Tour, but Brown's reasoning does make sense.
As of writing, he is 12th in the Korn Ferry Tour's season-long standings and, with the top 20 players receiving PGA Tour cards at the end of the year, the 19-year-old will look to earn as many points as possible to secure his playing rights for 2027.
Brown has a total of 13 top 20s across the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour in 2026
What's more, aside from winning a PGA Tour event, the only way he could secure his card via the circuit would be to finish inside the top 70 of the FedEx Cup Standings as a non-member.
This is where Brown's reasoning makes even more sense, as earning a PGA Tour card via the Korn Ferry Tour would give him a stronger priority position next season over finishing inside the top 70 as a non-member.
