One Of The PGA Tour's Most In-Form Pros Has Withdrawn From His Second Consecutive Signature Event

The PGA Tour has confirmed Jake Knapp is no longer in this week's Truist Championship field after withdrawing for the second Signature Event in a row.

The 2024 Mexico Open winner has been in excellent form this year with seven top-11 finishes in his first eight starts - including at The Masters - but ended T74th at the RBC Heritage and has not competed since.

He was in the field ahead of last week's Cadillac Championship as well but pulled out before his first-round tee time on Thursday due to a left thumb sprain, according to PGA Tour Communications. Knapp was replaced by Kristoffer Reitan who went on to finish T14th.

A post from Flag Hunting Pod on X stated Knapp and his caddie walked with their pro-am group on Wednesday at Trump National Doral and were discussing tactics for the tournament, but did not have a golf bag with them.

The post also said Knapp's left hand was bandaged up and he had not taken a swing on course.

Since then, the 31-year-old obviously took his time to consider whether playing at Quail Hollow this week was an option, but news of his second consecutive withdrawal was confirmed late on Tuesday.

Knapp was replaced in the Truist Championship field by Austin Smotherman, who was the second alternate at the start of the week.

Andrew Putnam was the first reserve but was granted a spot at the $20 million tournament after Collin Morikawa opted to withdraw on Monday.

Jordan Smith is now the Truist Championship's first alternate after the Englishman decided to pull out of the Myrtle Beach Classic - the PGA Tour's opposite event - in order to gamble on an opening becoming available in North Carolina.

Should he be lucky enough to earn a spot, the two-time DP World Tour winner would tee it up with fond memories. Smith's highest Major finish to date was a T9th at Quail Hollow back in 2017.

The PGA Tour's third Signature Event in a row has suffered from the loss of several big names already, with World No.1 Scottie Scheffler leading a cluster of big names to miss the Truist Championship.

Rory McIlroy will return to action for the first time since winning The Masters again, however, with Cameron Young, Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood among seven of the world's top-10 in the field.