Wyndham Clark captured a thrilling victory at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on Sunday. However, his celebrations came with an immediate twist for the PGA Tour's next Texas stop.

The new champion opted not to participate in his planned tournament and decided to withdraw from the list of participants in the Charles Schwab Challenge.

This sudden exit spotlighted a controversial, growing trend among top-tier golfers. Golf analyst Dan Rapaport criticized the move on X, stating, "Withdrawing from a non-signature event the week after winning, a tradition unlike any other."

Clark secured a massive $1.854 million payout by winning at TPC Craig Ranch. His quick exit leaves a notable gap in the upcoming historic field at Colonial.

The best players have been adjusting their calendars to participate in major tournaments and earn lucrative signature purses. This leaves many non-signature events, like Colonial, which promises a hefty $9.9 million purse and 500 FedExCup points, lacking top-tier talent.

Lanto Griffin filled the open spot following the high-profile withdrawal. Fans must now wait to see where the champion chooses to tee off next.

Champions following a similar withdrawal pattern

The precise order of things happened just a week before on the PGA tour calendar. Aaron Rai clinched his maiden major victory by lifting the trophy at the PGA Championship.

After his historic triumph, he pulled out of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Similarly, Clark followed suit a few days later.

Before breaking his slump in Dallas, Clark had fallen to world No. 75. He did not initially qualify for any signature events this season.

"It's been a pretty heavy fall," Clark admitted regarding his tough stretch. "Needless to say, it feels amazing to be back in the winner's circle."

He overwhelmed the field with a dazzling Sunday charge, firing an 11-under 60. He finished three shots clear of runner-up Si Woo Kim, winning his fourth PGA Tour event.

Nevertheless, grueling tournament schedules make tough decisions inevitable for these champions who have recently tasted success. Even Brooks Koepka withdrew from the Colonial tournament.

Ludvig Åberg, Akshay Bhatia, and Keegan Bradley are some big names playing this week's event, which is scheduled to start on Thursday, May 28, and will wrap up with its finale on Sunday, May 31.

Read more at Club Golf!

Written by

Abhishek Sharma

Edited by

Ankita Yadav