Two Days before the opening round of the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, the $9.6 million tournament saw another shift in its field as Ben Griffin joined five other players in withdrawing.

While there has been no official statement from the players explaining their withdrawals, the list notably includes a recent PGA Tour winner as well as the 2025 runner-up at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches.

With that in mind, here is how each of them has performed at PGA National and on Tour in recent seasons.

Ben Griffin placed T4 at the 2025 edition, finishing four strokes behind the winner. Although he has multiple PGA Tour victories, he has not won this event and has withdrawn from the 2026 field.

Michael Kim recorded a T6 finish in 2025 after entering the final round one shot off the lead. His only PGA Tour win came at the 2018 John Deere Classic.

And then we have last year's runner-up, Jacob Bridgeman. He earned his first PGA Tour title at the 2026 Genesis Invitational before withdrawing from this week’s event.

Taylor Pendrith owns one PGA Tour title at the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson but has yet to win at PGA National.

Patrick Rodgers has made more than 199 career starts on the PGA Tour without a win, with career earnings exceeding $19 million.

Last on the list is Adam Scott, Scott has a history at the Cognizant Classic, previously known as the Honda Classic, highlighted by his win in 2016. 

Despite being scheduled to return in 2026 after a five-year gap, he withdrew from the tournament on February 23. Chan Kim has been added to the field as his replacement.

Now that the list of withdrawals is clear, attention turns to the updated field and how the tournament lineup now shapes up for the week.

Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches Field Thins After Multiple Withdrawals

The 2026 Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches is scheduled from February 26 to March 1 at PGA National Resort’s Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The course plays as a par 71 and measures 7,223 yards.

One key stretch on the layout is holes 15 through 17, known as the “Bear Trap.” This three-hole sequence often plays a role in deciding the outcome of the tournament.

Turning to the field, the event includes one top-30 player in the Official World Golf Rankings, No. 26 Ryan Gerard. Positioned between the Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Genesis Invitational, and followed by the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship, the Cognizant Classic features eight players from the world’s top 50.

Meanwhile, five-time major winner Brooks Koepka is in the field through the PGA Tour’s Returning Member Program.

Which player’s withdrawal changes the tournament picture the most for you? Let us know in the comments!

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Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu