Andrew Putnam withdrew from the John Deere Classic midway through Friday's second round due to a back injury.

• Putnam, 36, started on the back nine and carded a double-bogey at the par-4 18th hole before pulling out.

  He was 3-over for his round after opening with an even-par 71 on Thursday at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill.

  Putnam won his lone PGA Tour title at the 2018 Barracuda Championship. His best finish this season was a T6 at the RBC Canadian Open last month.

  --Field Level Media

The PGA Tour has restructured the distribution of playoff bonuses, including the FedEx Cup champion this season earning $10 million in prize money instead of $25 million as in the past two years.

• The new payouts from the $100 million total in bonus money -- first reported Wednesday by Front Office Sports and posted on the PGA Tour website -- were revealed weeks after an announcement in May that the Tour Championship's "starting strokes" format will be eliminated. The season-ending tournament in August -- for the top 30 following two previous playoff events -- will be a standard 72-hole stroke-play format at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.

  The new three-tier system will reward golfers based on the FedEx Cup points standings after the regular-season finale at the Wyndham Championship (the top 10 splitting $20 million, with No. 1 getting $10 million), and after the second playoff event, the BMW Championship (top 30 splitting $23.93 million, with No. 1 getting $5 million).

  The Tour Championship winner will get $10 million of the remaining prize money ($57.08 million), with the rest paid to the other 29 players based on their finishes. Players ranked Nos. 31-150 will divide $17.08 million in deferrals.

  "To account for the increased volatility of the final event, reward season-long performance and recognize the significance of the FedExCup, the FedExCup bonus distributions for the top 30 positions were rebalanced," the PGA Tour posted on its website.

  Front Office Sports worked the scenario that if current points leader Scottie Scheffler is the No. 1 at the end of the regular season and after the BMW Championship and then wins the Tour Championship, he will receive the same total of $25 he collected for winning the 2024 FedEx Cup.

  The tour also posted that there are no changes in 2025 for the Comcast Business Tour Top 10, which pays $40 million to the top 10 players in the standings at the end of the regular season. First place is worth $8 million, and each place earns less down to $2 million for 10th place.

  The bonus structure was led, per the Front Office Sports report, by the PGA Tour Player Advisory Council's business subcommittee, which consists of Maverick McNealy, Keith Mitchell, Brandt Snedeker and Kevin Kisner, and is overseen and player director Patrick Cantlay.

  --Field Level Media

Max Homa needs a new hobby.

• The six-time PGA winner pointed to the importance of feeling refreshed and admitted to having trouble getting away from the game when he spoke with reporters ahead of the John Deere Classic on Wednesday in Silvis, Ill.

  So, the question is - what's the solution?

  "Golf, you're just so tied into results," Homa said. "Once you go down that path it's hard to stop, so it's not like tons of fun. I want to find something that's fun that I feel like I can get better at."

  The 34-year-old talked about getting into fishing - "That seems peaceful" - but also seemed to light up at the prospect of getting better at cooking, noting that it would benefit his immediate family.

  "When you have a 2 ½-year old ... I make a lot more meals than I was for myself," Homa said. "I'd like to get better at that. Treat my wife to not my typical home-cooked meal. Something a little bit better. I think I might get into that.

  "I can grill a little bit," he added. "I can make a decent sauce for pasta. But I'm not super great at it. Fortunately, my son eats chicken tenders, so he probably thinks I'm a great cook."

  But whether it's fishing, cooking or something else entirely, Homa is serious about finding respite to make sure his mental game is strong.

  "Hopefully when I get home next week, I'll get into something," he said.

  First, though, there's that little matter of the current task at hand.

  Homa, ranked just No. 99 in the world, is making his first appearances at TPC Deere Run in eight years, and his last appearance, in 2017, was less than inspiring, as he missed the cut.

  That was prior to his greatest run of success as a professional, as he won six tournaments between 2019-23 and got as high as No. 5 in the worldwide rankings.

  Lately, it's been more of a struggle. Homa is 122nd in the FedEx Cup race, and he has finished in the top 20 just once in his last 10 appearances (T12 at the Masters). The sports books place him at +10000 to win going into Thursday.

  Those odds haven't dampened his spirits, and he looks forward to playing a course conducive to birdies and one he feels he's been away from for too long.

  In particular, he's excited to interact with some of his fans. In keeping with the theme of food and cooking, one might even say he's looking forward to the nourishment they might be able to provide him.

  "I haven't had a very fun year and a half, but when you get a bunch of kids coming up excited to get your name on their hat, at least it makes you feel good inside," Homa said. "Even if you made a bogey, it's definitely something that kind of gives a nice reality check.

  "So like I said, I've just been super lucky with the support I've had for a while now. It's fun to come to a place I haven't been for a while and get to meet a lot of those people and feel the love and support here."

  --Field Level Media

With only five weeks remaining before the start of the FedExCup Playoffs, the John Deere Classic serves as a critical opportunity for players hovering around the cutoff bubble for the top 70 players who will qualify for the first leg.

• The event begins Thursday at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill., and our golf experts preview the event while sharing their favorite prop picks and best bets to win this week.

  JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

  Location: Silvis, Ill., July 3-6

  Course: TPC Deere Run (Par 71, 7,289 Yards)

  Purse: $8.4M (Winner: $1.512M)

  Defending Champion: Davis Thompson

  FedEx Cup leader: Scottie Scheffler

  HOW TO FOLLOW

  TV: Thursday-Friday: 4-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-6 p.m. (CBS)

  Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday: 7:45 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday: 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

  X: @JDCLASSIC

  PROP PICKS

  --Zach Johnson to Make Cut (-120 at DraftKings): No one has played this tournament more times than Johnson, who will tee it up for the 23rd time at TPC Deere Run -- five more times than anyone else. Along with a win in 2012 and a trio of runner-up finishes, the former Ryder Cup captain has finished T26 and T35 the past two years.

  --Ben Griffin for Top 20 Finish (+108 at BetRivers): A two-time winner already this year, Griffin has also posted six consecutive top-14 finishes entering this week. The biggest concern here is fatigue as Griffin makes his 22nd start of 2025, but he should have little problem being a weekend factor against a mediocre field.

  --Michael Kim to Beat Ryan Gerard (-115 at DraftKings): Kim claimed his lone tour win to date at the John Deere and is enjoying a strong season that includes five top-15 finishes. Gerard is also up to 71st in the world rankings on the strength of seven consecutive made cuts that includes a T8 at the PGA Championship, but we also like Kim as a potential longshot winner this week at +5000.

  2025 Prop Pick Record: 20-23

  BEST BETS

  --Ben Griffin (+1600 at DraftKings) is a pre-tournament favorite for the first time, and for good reason. The highest-ranked player in the world in the field at No. 17, Griffin has already won twice this year and has six consecutive top-14 finishes.

  --Jason Day (+2500) is coming off a T4 at the Travelers for his fourth top-10 of the year.

  --Michael Thorbjornsen (+3000) finished T4 last week and it's just a matter of time before the former Stanford star wins on tour. He has been backed by 6 percent of all money wagered at the book on this week's winner.

  --Denny McCarthy (+2500) is still seeking the elusive maiden win on tour. He has come close numerous times and has a good track record at TPC Deere Run, where he has a pair of T6s and a T7 the past three years. McCarthy, who is coming off a 12th at the Travelers, leads the field with 12 percent of the money and 7 percent of the total bets backing him to win this week.

  --J.T. Poston (+3000) is a three-time winner on tour whose resume stacks up well against this field.

  --Aldrich Potgieter (+3500) notched his first tour win last week at the Rocket Classic after being denied in another dramatic playoff earlier this year.

  --Chris Kirk (+3500) lost in a playoff last week after posting a T12 at the U.S. Open.

  --Jake Knapp (+3500) shot a course record last week en route to a T4 and just needs to put together four solid rounds. He's tied with Griffin for the second highest percentage of the outright winner money as both have garnered 7 percent.

  --Nicolas Echavarria (+5000) offers very intriguing odds for someone who has won twice in the past nine months and is coming off a T6 in Detroit.

  NOTES

  --Notable players on the FedExCup Playoff bubble in this week's field include Kirk (No. 67), Davis Thompson (No. 70), Rickie Fowler (No. 72) and Karl Vilips (No. 73), who was the first player to sign as a brand ambassador with Tiger Woods' "Sunday Day Red." Fowler is playing the John Deere for the first time in 15 years, opting to compete in the U.S. instead of at the Scottish Open ahead of The Open Championship.

  --John Deere is the second-longest running title sponsor on tour (1998), behind only AT&T (1986), and has signed an extension to serve as the event's title sponsor through 2030.

  --The field includes the top three ranked amateurs in the world: Auburn's Jackson Koivun, Virginia's Ben James and Michael La Sasso out of Ole Miss.

  --Thompson, who set the tournament scoring record of 256 last year, is seeking to become the first player to successfully defend at the John Deere since Steve Stricker won three straight from 2009-11.

  --Field Level Media

Field Level Media's Golf Glance provides weekly news and storylines from each of the major North American golf tours.

• PGA TOUR

  LAST TOURNAMENT: Rocket Classic (Aldrich Potgieter)

  THIS WEEK: John Deere Classic, Silvis, Ill., July 3-6

  Course: TPC Deere Run (Par 71, 7,289 Yards)

  Purse: $8.4M (Winner: $1.512M)

  Defending Champion: Davis Thompson

  FedEx Cup leader: Scottie Scheffler

  HOW TO FOLLOW

  TV: Thursday-Friday: 4-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-6 p.m. (CBS)

  Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday: 7:45 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday: 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

  X: @JDCLASSIC

  NOTES: Only five weeks remain before the start of the FedExCup Playoffs. The top 70 players will qualify for the first leg. Notable players on the bubble in this week's field include Chris Kirk (No. 67), Thompson (No. 70), Rickie Fowler (No. 72) and Karl Vilips (No. 73), who was the first player to sign as a brand ambassador with Tiger Woods' "Sunday Day Red." Fowler is playing the John Deere for the first time in 15 years, opting to compete in the U.S. instead of at the Scottish Open ahead of The Open Championship. ... John Deere is the second-longest running title sponsor on tour (1998), behind only AT&T (1986), and has signed an extension to serve as the event's title sponsor through 2030. ... The field includes the top three ranked amateurs in the world: Auburn's Jackson Koivun, Virginia's Ben James and Ole Miss' Michael La Sasso. ... Thompson, who set the tournament scoring record of 256 last year, is seeking to become the first player to successfully defend at the John Deere since Steve Stricker won three straight from 2009-11. ... Former U.S. Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson will make his 23rd event start -- five more than any other player. He won in 2012 and has three runner-up finishes.

  BEST BETS: Ben Griffin (+1600 at DraftKings) is a pre-tournament favorite for the first time, and for good reason. The highest-ranked player in the field at No. 17, Griffin has already won twice this year and has six consecutive top-14 finishes. ... Jason Day (+2500) is coming off a T4 at the Travelers for his fourth top-10 of the year. ... Michael Thorbjornsen (+3000) finished T4 last week and it's just a matter of time before the former Stanford star wins on tour. ... J.T. Poston (+3000) is a three-time winner on tour whose resume stacks up well against this field. ... Potgieter (+3500) notched his first tour win last week after being denied in another dramatic playoff earlier this year. ... Chris Kirk (+3500) lost in a playoff last week after posting a T12 at the U.S. Open. ... Jake Knapp (+3500) shot a course record last week en route to a T4 and just needs to put together four solid rounds. ... Nicolas Echavarria (+5000) offers very intriguing odds for someone who has won twice in the past nine months and is coming off a T6 in Detroit.

  NEXT TOURNAMENT: Genesis Scottish Open, North Berwick, Scotland, July 10-13; ISCO Championship, Louisville, Kent., July 10-13

  LPGA TOUR

  LAST TOURNAMENT: Dow Championship (Somi Lee, Jin Hee Im)

  THIS WEEK: OFF.

  Race to the CME Globe leader: Jeeno Thitikul

  NEXT TOURNAMENT: Evian Championship, Evian-les-Bains, France, July 10-13

  LIV GOLF LEAGUE

  LAST TOURNAMENT: LIV Golf Dallas (Individual: Patrick Reed; Team: Crushers GC)

  THIS WEEK: OFF.

  Season Leaders: Individual: Joaquin Niemann; Team: Crushers GC

  NEXT TOURNAMENT: LIV Golf Andalucia, Valderrama, Spain, July 11-13

  PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

  LAST TOURNAMENT: U.S. Senior Open Championship (Padraig Harrington)

  THIS WEEK: OFF.

  Charles Schwab Cup leader: Miguel Angel Jimenez

  NEXT TOURNAMENT: Dick's Open, Endicott, N.Y., July 11-13

  --Field Level Media

U.S. captain Keegan Bradley named Gary Woodland as his fifth and final vice captain for this September's Ryder Cup on Wednesday.

• Woodland, 41, joins fellow vice captains Jim Furyk, Kevin Kisner, Webb Simpson and Brandt Snedeker for the biennial golf competition against Team Europe, scheduled for Sept. 26-28 at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y.

  It will mark the first Ryder Cup appearance as a vice captain or player for Woodland, who did represent the U.S. in a 2019 Presidents Cup triumph in Australia.

  "I am extremely excited and grateful to Keegan for the opportunity to support the U.S. Team at the 2025 Ryder Cup," Woodland said. "Keegan's passion for this event is contagious and I am thrilled to be a part of it. With just over two months to go until we arrive at Bethpage, I am fully committed to doing everything I can to help Keegan as well as our team of vice captains and players."

  Woodland has recorded four wins on the PGA Tour, including the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. His best finish this season was a T2 at the Texas Children's Houston Open in March.

  The Topeka, Kan., native received the 2025 PGA Tour Courage Award after undergoing brain surgery in September 2023.

  "I have an incredible amount of respect and admiration for Gary and all he has accomplished in this game," Bradley said. "As a major champion and someone who is still competing at a high level, he is well aware of the demands of performing on golf's biggest stages. He will be a valuable leader for us over the coming months and throughout the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black."

  --Field Level Media

Unofficial host Zach Johnson feels right at home at the John Deere Classic, where he starts for the 24th time on Thursday at the course where he has made the cut 16 consecutive times.

• The tournament is played at TPC Deere Run, just over the Iowa border and across the Mississippi River in Silvis, Ill.

  "It's going to sound strange, but my feet feel comfortable here," said Johnson, 49, whose "Mr. Iowa" credentials stem from growing up in Iowa City, attending Drake University is Des Moines and being born in Cedar Rapids. "I grew up on bent grass fairways, bent grass greens. I had a lengthy putting session yesterday and kind of just -- I'm not suggesting I'm going to putt great this week -- but felt like, man, here we go. It's hard to summarize that."

  For Johnson, he believes "boring" wins, and as a 12-time PGA Tour winner, the only style points he's concerned about are the gleam of the trophy on Sunday afternoon. Perhaps another byproduct of age and experience, Johnson is determined not to overthink anything from tee to green this week.

  "I think my game is at a point where execution is really the only -- is really the main thing I got to focus on, and I love that," said Johnson, who finished in the Top 10 at The Masters (T8) and Top 20 at the Texas Open (T18). "Every aspect of my game has been pretty solid. Everybody that knows me and knows me well, it's boring, but I love boring. I'm really good at being boring. So I love boring golf. It's everything here. It's the hills, the bumps, it's the rolls, it's the speed, it's just I'm comfortable. Doesn't mean it's going to happen. I think that answers why I've had a pretty consistent amount of arguably success."

  Outside of the Zurich Classic team event, Johnson has only one round under 70 since The Masters in April.

  Johnson tied for 82nd last week at Detroit Golf Club, scrambling through the final three rounds after an opening 65 at the Rocket Classic. He is at TPC Deere Run with greater expectations two weeks prior to his 20th start in an Open Championship.

  The last time the 2015 Open Championship winner was in the event at Royal Portrush, he missed the cut in 2019. Johnson has played on the weekend only once in the past four Opens. In his four starts prior (2015-18), Johnson won the Claret Jug and finished in the top 20 three consecutive years.

  While the John Deere Classic doesn't always boast a marquee field, Johnson said the 2025 event will prepare him for what's ahead.

  "This tournament has always had, if you call it that, a date that can be kind of difficult, right, as far as my peers go. It's going to be the best field statistically if you look from a World Golf Rankings standpoint. I don't really love that measure, but it's legitimate. So the buzz is out as to how good this golf course is and this tournament is."

  --Field Level Media

Lee Westwood will make his first major championship start in three years when he tees it up at the Open Championship later this month at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.

• The 52-year-old Englishman was the medalist in his final qualifying group Tuesday at Dundonald Links in Scotland, one of four sites where five spots in the Open field were on the line.

  Westwood has never won a major but owns 19 top-10s, including a runner-up finish in 2010 and a T4 placement the last time the Open was played at Royal Portrush in 2019.

  Now with LIV Golf, Westwood has not been eligible for any major since he tied for 34th at the Open Championship in 2022.

  At the par-72 Dundonald Links on Tuesday, Westwood shot rounds of 70 and 67 to finish 36 holes in 7 under par. He was joined by Scotland's Daniel Young, Spaniard Angel Hidalgo, Sweden's Jesper Sandborg and Scottish amateur Connor Graham, who beat countryman Paul O'Hara in a playoff for the fifth and final spot available.

  Westwood wasn't the only LIV golfer to find success on Tuesday. The medalists at Royal Cinque Ports and West Lancashire also belonged to the breakaway league.

  South Africa's Dean Burmester will play in his fourth Open Championship in five years. His second-round 64 at Royal Cinque Ports propelled him to 10 under par, and he was followed by Englishmen Nathan Kimsey, Curtis Knipes and amateur Sebastian Cave along with fifth-place finisher John Axelsen of Denmark.

  At West Lancashire, Australian Lucas Herbert went 69-67 for a score of 8 under par, one stroke better than China's Sampson Zheng and two above Englishmen George Bloor. A 4-for-2 playoff determined the final two available berths, which went to Finland's Oliver Lindell and Estonian amateur Richard Teder.

  The last final qualifying site was Burnham & Berrow. Justin Walters of South Africa was the medalist at 9 under par, followed by Denmark's Jacob Skov Olesen and a trio of Englishmen: Harry Hall, amateur Frazer Jones and OJ Farrell. Another LIV golfer, Anirban Lahiri of India, missed out by just one stroke in placing sixth.

  --Field Level Media

The R&A is adopting a last-chance qualifier to pit a maximum of 12 players in a playoff for a final spot in the 2026 Open Championship next year at Royal Birkdale.

• Mimicking the once-popular Monday qualifier at PGA Tour events, the thinking of the organizers of the oldest major in golf is to expand live coverage of the event and further prop open the door for players and fans alike.

  "The Open is one of the world's great sporting events and recognized worldwide for the special atmosphere generated by the tens of thousands of fans who attend the championship each year," Mark Darbon, CEO of the R&A, said in a release. "We have asked them how we can make their experience of attending the Open even more enjoyable and they have been clear ... they want more live golf, more opportunities to engage with the traditions of golf's original championship and more activities onsite to watch, listen and play.

  "As a result, we have introduced new features, which we believe will elevate the Open for fans, particularly on the days leading up to the championship."

  The field of the last-chance round is expected to include up to 12 players competing for 18 holes, and the winner will earn the final spot in the 156-player field for The Open.

  The 2025 Open Championship is being hosted at Royal Portrush starting July 17.

  Darbon also said the Open will introduce the Heroes Classic at Royal Birkdale, one day after the qualifier. Past Open champions and special guests will compete in an exhibition.

  --Field Level Media

Rickie Fowler arrived in Silvis, Ill., eager to put a disheartening performance last week behind him and improve his standing in the race for the FedExCup Playoffs when he tees of at the John Deere Classic on Thursday.

• Fowler, who is No. 111 in the Official World Golf Ranking, will compete at the event for the first time since 2010, when he was PGA Tour Rookie of the Year.

  "It's great to be back," the 36-year-old Fowler said on Tuesday. "Was able to go play in Zach Johnson's program yesterday and see some faces I haven't seen in a while. Excited to be back at this tournament. You know, one that I definitely liked when I played it and I wish I would've played a little bit better.

  "Tough part of the schedule, and it was always tough to kind of fit it in and make it work, especially leading into (the Open). So, yeah, I was just excited that it was able to work out this year. Decided to take next week off with the Scottish and play more here in the States."

  A six-time PGA Tour winner, Fowler has recorded one top-10 finish this season and five in the top 25.

  "I wish it was some better finishes than that, but at least heading in the right direction. You know, feel like trending at the right time, taking last week away," said Fowler, who missed the cut at the Rocket Classic. "Outside of that, I feel like been seeing a lot of positives."

  Fowler also said he was unaware of the growing chatter of his name being added to the mix as a potential assistant captain for Keegan Bradley for the Ryder Cup.

  "Haven't heard anything on that. Obviously I've loved all the team events I've been on and been a part of," Fowler said. "We'll deal with that if it comes to that. I'm obviously happy to help out, but I know Keegan is working on trying to make his own team. He's got some great guys at his side helping out. If they want me there, I would hope scheduling and everything would work out. It would be fun to be a part of. We'll deal with that when it gets to it."

  --Field Level Media

LIV Golf is planning a 14-event schedule in 2026 that includes nine international destinations and five in the United States.

• While the dates and times are subject to change, the cities and countries are "100 percent" locked in, according to a schedule shared with league personnel and team general managers that was viewed by Sports Business Journal.

  LIV GOLF 2026 SCHEDULE*

  Riyadh, Feb. 5-7

  Adelaide, Feb. 13-15

  Hong Kong, March 6-8

  Singapore, March 13-15

  South Africa, March 20-22

  The Masters, April 9-12 (MAJOR)

  Mexico City, April 17-19

  D.C./Virginia, May 8-10

  PGA Championship, May 14-17 (MAJOR)

  South Korea, May 29-31

  Spain, June 5-7

  U.S. Open, June 18-21 (MAJOR)

  New Orleans, June 26-28

  Open Championship, July 16-19 (MAJOR)

  U.K., July 24-26

  Chicago, Aug. 7-9

  Indianapolis, Aug. 21-23

  Michigan, Aug. 28-30

  *Schedule not finalized

  Notably absent from the 2026 schedule is Dallas, which played host to a LIV Golf event last weekend that league officials set a U.S. record with an attendance of more than 50,000 over the three days.

  After beginning this season with four consecutive international events, LIV is planning to start 2026 with six straight before returning to the U.S. for a D.C./Virginia event May 8-10.

  The proposed 2026 schedule also has the league playing the week after the Masters rather than the week before, as it did this year at Trump National Doral in Miami.

  Following the U.S. Open, LIV is planning an event in New Orleans, which reportedly will be held at Bayou Oaks golf course at New Orleans City Park. It will also hold an event in the United Kingdom the week after The Open Championship.

  --Field Level Media

Sergio Garcia has earned an exemption to play in The Open Championship at Royal Portrush thanks to his standing on the LIV Tour.

• The 45-year-old Spaniard, who failed to qualify for the last two Opens after playing every year from 1998 through 2022, secured his slot because the exemption list welcomes LIV's highest-ranked non-exempt player provided he's in the top five.

  Garcia stands fifth on LIV's Individual Championship points list and all four players in front of him -- Joaquin Niemann, Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Patrick Reed -- already own spots in the 153rd Open being held July 17-20 at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.

  Garcia, whose lone major championship is the 2017 Masters, has challenged for The Open title on several occasions. He lost a playoff to Padraig Harrington in 2007 at Carnoustie and he shared second in 2014 at Royal Liverpool -- two shots behind Rory McIlroy.

  --Field Level Media

After a meltdown and withdrawal in the first round, Brooks Koepka has not returned to LIV Golf Dallas in Carrolton, Texas, on Saturday.

• The five-time major winner posted a birdie on his opening hole Friday before things went swiftly downhill with a triple-bogey on both the par-4 4th and the par-5 7th. After eight holes, he was already six-over-par.

  After hitting a tee shot on the par-4 9th, Koepka hammered the tee marker towards the crowd in a show of apparent frustration. He posted a bogey on the 9th then withdrew, citing illness.

  There were no reports of injuries in the crowd.

  Koepka could have returned to play this weekend, though per LIV rules, his scores would have counted only towards the team standings.

  Koepka was replaced by reserve player Luis Carrera for the remainder of the first round.

  --Field Level Media

Jake Knapp's latest record day resulted in a course record at the Rocket Classic on Friday.

• Knapp went 7-under par over an eight hole stretch to propel him to a course record 11-under 61 at the Detroit Golf Club on Friday. Knapp, who began the day tied for 120th at the Rocket Classic, poured in an eagle and nine birdies on a bogey-free card that vaulted him from the cutline into contention.

  Knapp, 31, has established a reputation for being an extremely streaky player.

  In February, he recorded the 15th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history in the first round of the Cognizant Classic. He eventually tied for sixth after stumbling to a final round 72.

  Knapp fired an opening-round 63 in his most recent start at the RBC Canadian Open. He again posted a final round 72 to settle for a T27.

  Ranked 98th in the world, Knapp has one career victory on tour. That came at the 2024 Mexico Open, where he also posted a 63 in the first round and held on for a two-shot victory with a 71 on Sunday.

  "I'm definitely not afraid of shooting a low number," Knapp said. "I feel like when I start making birdies, I want to make more. I was even kind of thinking about 59 when I stuck it close on my third to last for eagle and figured I could maybe eagle that and birdie the last two.

  "I think when you're playing well just try to stay out of my own way and just kind of keep doing what I'm doing and making more birdies."

  Friday's course record came just a day after Knapp struggled to an even par 72 on a course that yielded a pair of 10-under 62s on the day. During the opening round, he managed just a lone birdie against one bogey.

  That changed quickly on Friday as Knapp took advantage of a hot putter. Following three consecutive pars to open his round on the back nine, Knapp poured in three birdies over a four-hole stretch. He reached the par-5 17th hole in two and then drained a 34-foot eagle putt.

  After making his turn in 5-under 31, Knapp birdied six of his first eight holes on his inward nine to reach 11 under for the round and complete an 11-shot improvement from Thursday.

  "I was just kind of bummed last night because I felt like in the practice rounds and everything felt like I was hitting it pretty nice, and I know this course sets up well for me," he said. "So to shoot even par the first day just feels like you're shooting yourself in the foot, but feels nice to bounce back with 61.

  "I just tried to play a little bit more aggressive, and for the most part we just went in with the mindset today that every pin was a green light so just tried to hit it at everything."

  --Field Level Media

Matthew Wolff has withdrawn from LIV Golf Dallas on Friday due to an undisclosed injury.

• LIV Golf League Reserve Player Ollie Schniederjans will replace Wolff on RangeGoats GC at Maridoe Golf Club in Carrollton, Texas.

  Schniederjans also replaced Wolff two weeks ago at LIV Golf Virginia after the latter sustained an injury in the first round.

  Wolff, 26, previously competed with Brooks Koepka's Smash GC before he was traded to RangeGoats GC in exchange for Talor Gooch. Koepka reportedly called Wolff's worth ethic into question prior to the swap.

  Wolff, who had one win on the PGA Tour, finished in second place at the 2020 U.S. Open and tied for fourth at the PGA Championship that year.

  In another injury swap, Frederik Kjettrup of Denmark was replaced by Max Rottluff of Germany on Cleeks GC.

  --Field Level Media

His best performance in a major this season is yet to come, Bryson DeChambeau hopes, but he knows first-hand the challenge waiting at Royal Portrush.

• "It can be diabolical," DeChambeau said recalling his previous appearance on the track pegged to host the Open Championship next month. "Driver is key on that golf course in wind conditions, in side-wind conditions. It's going to be a good test of controlling your golf ball, so I've got to be in touch with my game. I've got to have better feel."

  DeChambeau missed the cut at the U.S. Open at Oakmont after two top-five finishes at majors to start the season. He was T2 at the PGA Championship after settling for a tie for fifth at the Masters, where he played in the final grouping Sunday with champion Rory McIlroy.

  DeChambeau, playing at LIV Golf Dallas near his current home of Grapevine this week, missed the cut at the 2024 Open at Royal Troon. But he won the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst and was runner-up at the PGA Championship at Valhalla coming off a T6 at the Masters that year.

  "Yeah, I'd say disappointed that I haven't won one yet. I've got to fine-tune my game and focus on executing my shots the way I know I can on the golf course. I haven't been doing that recently," DeChambeau said of his performance in majors this season. "A little bit more due diligence on my side of the coin. Not taking things for granted and focusing on what I can do to give myself the best chance to win at the British Open."

  Beyond the upcoming test overseas, DeChambeau is eyeing a spot on the 2025 Ryder Cup team at Bethpage Black. Ranked 15th in the current Official World Golf Ranking, DeChambeau is eight spots behind U.S. captain Keegan Bradley. A teammate from past Ryder Cup appearances, DeChambeau believes Bradley should be a playing captain for the Americans based on his current form.

  In current Ryder Cup points standings, where Scottie Scheffler has clinched a qualifying spot, DeChambeau is fifth and one ahead of No. 6 Justin Thomas with the automatic qualifier cutoff line separating Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin and Bradley.

  "I personally think given how he's played, I could confidently say he should be a part of the team for sure," DeChambeau said.

  --Field Level Media

The course record at Detroit Golf Club was threatened, tied and then finally toppled on Thursday at the Rocket Classic.

• After budding Australian star Min Woo Lee carded a 9-under-par 63 to match the course record, it came down when Aldrich Potgieter of South Africa wrapped up a 10-under 62.

  Just minutes after Potgieter's round was complete, Kevin Roy also signed for a 62. They carry a one-shot lead in the tournament into Friday.

  By day's end, the old record looked like child's play, as Mark Hubbard and Max Greyserman also finished up with 63.

  Potgieter got off to a white-hot start, shooting a 7-under 29 on the back nine with five birdies and an eagle. He added birdies at Nos. 1, 7 and 8 and nearly made it a 61 with another birdie at No. 9 that missed by inches.

  "I (thought it was going in), I started walking after it," Potgieter said. "But it was a good putt, I'm happy with it. And it was on a crest so I didn't know if it was going to be left or right, so it was just a little unfortunate but I'll take the 62 still."

  Roy finished his round eagle-birdie to match Potgieter's number. Roy chipped in for eagle from 30 feet at the par-5 17th hole and then stuck his approach at No. 18 to about 5 feet to set up his final birdie.

  "Just one of those days everything was clicking," Roy said. "Lot of fairways, lot of greens, putter got hot, bonus chip-in on 17 for eagle. It's just when you've got it going, it's a lot of fun to try to keep it going. Yeah, just really happy with it."

  --Field Level Media

With his stunning win Sunday at the Travelers Championship, Keegan Bradley played his way into contention for an automatic spot on the Ryder Cup team that he captains.

• The win also brought out a lot of chatter about how the 39-year-old will balance his United States captaincy role with the opportunity to play in his first Ryder Cup since 2012.

  Even with the added wrinkle of several days of celebrating the Travelers' win with his family in New England, Bradley remained confident he's ready to set it all aside when he steps on the grass at this week's Rocket Classic -- thanks in part to staying true to his swing, regardless of where he's playing or what's happening around him.

  "I think that what's important with a golf swing for a player but especially a PGA TOUR player is to not try to make it something that isn't you," Bradley told reporters Wednesday. "I've owned my swing. I know what to do, I know the mistakes that I make when things are bad.

  "I think over the years I've really learned to accept how my swing looks. I've got a weird setup, like my hands are really low, everyone thinks my clubs are super short. I've done a good job of owning that and that's the best way to have me play well."

  It should also help that when he steps onto the course at Detroit Golf Club this week, his thoughts, finally, will not be on the Ryder Cup.

  "For me," Bradley said, "the only time I can escape the Ryder Cup thoughts are when I'm inside the ropes. ... When I leave those ropes, like when I go this afternoon, I have some Ryder Cup stuff I have to do.

  "As we get closer to the Ryder Cup, things are amping up certainly for sure, but every day we're working. We're on the chat with the vice captains. Now the team is really starting to take shape and we know a handful of guys that are pretty close to a mathematical lock on the team. We start thinking about partners and formats. Things are definitely amping up."

  The role of Ryder Cup captain is not a small one, but Bradley expressed confidence about his ability to juggle his duties as a captain and a player on the PGA Tour.

  "But I've been doing a pretty good job this year of when it's time to tee it up in the tournament of being a player first. Then when I leave there, I have to be the captain. I think one of the things I've managed well this year is once I'm inside those ropes, I'm a player."

  The Rocket Classic starts Thursday at Detroit Golf Club in Michigan.

  --Field Level Media

The 2025 Rocket Classic tees off in Detroit on Thursday, and presents a prime opportunity for players to earn critical FedExCup points as the regular season winds down.

• The tournament already featured a relatively soft field following a two-week stretch with the U.S. Open and the final signature event of the year. Then a slew of players withdrew on Monday, including former Rocket winner Tony Finau and solid veterans Eric Cole and Charley Hoffman.

  Our golf experts preview the Rocket Classic and provide their favorite prop picks along with best bets to win this week.

  ROCKET CLASSIC

  Location: Detroit, June 26-29

  Course: Detroit Golf Club (Par 72, 7,370 Yards)

  Purse: $9.6M (Winner: $1.728M)

  Defending Champion: Cam Davis

  FedEx Cup leader: Scottie Scheffler

  HOW TO FOLLOW

  TV: Thursday-Friday: 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS, Paramount+)

  Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday: 6:45 a.m.-6 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday: 7 a.m.-6 p.m.

  X: @RocketClassic

  PROP PICKS

  --Danny Willett to Make Cut (+110 at DraftKings): These are the types of value plays we look for in softer fields. The former Masters champ has turned into a tour grinder, having fallen to 288th in the world rankings. While Willett has missed four of 10 cuts in 2025, he is coming off a T13 in Canada in his most recent start and also posted a top-10 at the Farmers earlier this year.

  --Davis Thompson Top 30 Finish (+108 at BetRivers): Thompson should be licking his chops at the opportunity to snap out of his recent slide that has seen him miss three of five cuts. He's among the higher-ranked players in the field at No. 61, but that's down from a career-high 38th last year. Thompson tied for second here in 2024, and is coming off a solid T25 at the Travelers last week.

  --Matt Fitzpatrick to Beat Rickie Fowler (-120 at DraftKings): Fowler desperately needs a strong week to move further inside the playoff bubble and he did win in Detroit two years ago. He has posted some decent results of late -- including a T7 at the Memorial -- but Fitzpatrick has also broken out of a lengthy slump. Seven consecutive made cuts includes a T8 at the PGA Championship and a T17 at the Travelers, which both sported elite fields.

  2025 Prop Pick Record: 19-21

  BEST BETS

  --Collin Morikawa (+1200 at DraftKings) is the highest-ranked player in the field (No. 5) but hasn't won a stroke play event since 2023. He lost in a playoff to Fowler here two years ago.

  --Patrick Cantlay (+1600) is seeking to end his own lengthy drought, with his most recent win coming at the 2022 BMW Championship.

  --Keegan Bradley (+1800) is a career-best No. 7 in the world rankings following his victory last week.

  --Ben Griffin (+2200) has two titles to his credit already this season and is the highest-ranked player in the FedExCup standings at No. 6. Griffin is second in the field with 9 percent of the money backing him this week.

  --Cameron Young (+2500) might be holding the unwanted title of best player yet to win a PGA Tour event. Could that come this week? Young tied for fourth in Canada and the U.S. Open before a T52 last week, and he's second in the field with 8 percent of the total bets backing him.

  --Keith Mitchell (+4000) doesn't make this list often, but the affable tour veteran leads the field with 12 percent of the money and 11 percent of the total bets backing him to win this week. Mitchell tied for second in Mexico earlier this year, but his lone win on tour came six years ago.

  --Min Woo Lee (+4500) tied for second last year but has failed to finished better than 49th in seven starts since winning in Houston.

  --Cam Davis (+8000) offers longshot odds despite being the event's only two-time winner (2021, '24). He has eight missed cuts against one top-10 in 17 starts this year.

  NOTES

  --Only six weeks remain until the FedExCup Playoffs begin in August at the St. Jude Championship in Memphis, Tenn.

  --The top five players within the top 20 in the FedExCup Standings after this week who are not otherwise exempt will earn spots in The Open Championship. The five players in the field with mathematical chances to move inside the top 20 are Michael Kim, Jacob Bridgeman, Ryan Gerard, Joe Highsmith and Si Woo Kim.

  --Fowler enters the week No. 69 in the standings. Only the top 70 will qualify for the first leg of the playoffs, and the 2023 winner of the Rocket Classic is playing on the final year of his Tournament Winners exemption.

  --Dominic Clanton earned a sponsor exemption by winning the 2024 Folds of Honor Collegiate. He is joined in the field by 2025 NCAA Division I individual champion Michael La Sasso, the No. 3-ranked amateur in the world behind Jackson Koivun and Ben James. Detroit native Joe Hooks earned a spot in the Rocket Classic by winning The John Shippen Men's Invitational.

  --After the tournament, the Detroit Golf Club will undergo a $16.1 million renovation that will include all new greens.

  --Finau set the tournament scoring record of 262 with his 2022 victory.

  --Field Level Media

Collin Morikawa changed caddies once again, switching to a former college golf teammate for this week's PGA Tour event.

• Morikawa confirmed Wednesday that KK Limbhasut will replace Joe Greiner on the bag in the Rocket Classic at the Detroit Golf Club.

  "I think Joe is an amazing caddie, but I think just the way we kind of saw things or just day to day how we kind of went about it, we were just a little bit on a different page," Morikawa said. "That doesn't mean it's right or wrong, but for me it just didn't feel right."

  Limbhasut, who was on the golf team at Cal with Morikawa, will be a one-week replacement.

  "Got my buddy on the bag who played Berkeley with me who's actually still on the Korn Ferry (Tour), so I appreciate him doing that and we're going to go out and have a blast," Morikawa said.

  Morikawa, who is ranked No. 5 in the world, made five cuts with Greiner as his caddie but tied for 50th at the PGA Championship and finished T23 at the U.S. Open. He was T42 at last week's Travelers Championship.

  Morikawa, 28, split with J.J. Jakovac on April 29.

  Jakovac had been Morikawa's only caddie since he turned professional in 2019. Morikawa has six career PGA Tour victories -- including wins at the 2020 PGA Championship and the 2021 Open Championship. He last won at the Zozo Championship in October 2023.

  Greiner parted ways with close friend Max Homa in early April before joining Morikawa.

  Morikawa said he doesn't yet know who will be on the bag for him at The Open Championship next month at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.

  "I have to explore other options," he said. "... At the end of the day, you don't know how you're going to be, because we spend more time with them than anyone else in the world honestly. I spend more time with them than my wife sometimes. It's a true relationship."

  --Field Level Media

After a strong start to the season, Cam Davis has cooled considerably with seven missed cuts since February.

• The two-time Rocket Classic champion hopes a return to the Motor City can restart his engines when the action begins Thursday at the Detroit Golf Club.

  "I would say an event like this definitely seems like a bright spot on the calendar," Davis told reporters Tuesday. "Yeah, when things are a little rough and I'm finding it hard to get the best out of myself, going somewhere that you feel good just being there always is going to look really appetizing as it comes up."

  The 30-year-old Australian has two career PGA Tour titles, both in this event. He survived a three-man playoff to win in 2021 and held off four players to claim victory by one stroke last year, finishing 18 under in both events.

  "A place like this (can) bring back some good memories and good vibes," he said. "I've played this place really well before and I know a game plan that has worked multiple times now, so if there's any way that I'm going to draw some confidence just by being in a physical location, it's this place."

  Davis began the 2025 campaign with top-20 finishes at three of his first four events, including a T5 at Pebble Beach.

  He has only two top-20 finishes since then, including a T19 at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow last month. He missed the cut at the Masters and finished T64 at the U.S. Open at Oakmont in this season's other majors.

  Last week, Davis tied for 57th place at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut.

  "Season got off to I think the best start I've ever had on the PGA Tour," he said. "I've been out here for a while now, but I played some really good golf for the first month and a half. Then I would say since then it's been pretty rough going. I haven't really seen myself play much good golf as of late. The PGA Championship was a nice little change, I had a couple of solid rounds there, but for the most part it's been a little bit of searching, trying to get some magic back."

  Davis said he is looking forward to reversing his fortunes this week in Detroit, where a $9.6 million purse awaits the field at the 7,370-yard, par-72 track.

  "I've been playing as hard as I can. There's been a lot of great tournaments that we've just gone through and I've been through them all and not found, you know, the spark that I really wanted to find," he said.

  "Yeah, this one in particular, I'm really glad it's turned up now because there's no better time to turn things around than getting right back here again."

  --Field Level Media

Former LIV Golf competitor James Piot will make PGA Tour history this week at the Rocket Classic.

• A late addition Monday to the field at Michigan's Detroit Golf Club, he is the first former LIV player to receive a sponsor's exemption on the PGA Tour, according to Golf Digest.

  Piot, 26, a native of Farmington Hills, Mich., last competed on the PGA Tour in 2022 when the 2021 U.S. Amateur champion missed the cut at the Masters and the U.S. Open.

  "There was a lot of support, and it was one or the happiest calls I've made," tournament official Mark Hollis told the Detroit News. "He's somebody we wanted in from the get-go as we were going through the process. It had to play out the way it played out."

  Piot is not the first LIV player to return to the PGA Tour. England's Laurie Canter has competed in five events so far in 2025.

  "For it to actually happen is the coolest thing in the world," Piot told the Detroit News. "It's awesome. Just the fact I finally get to play in the Rocket Classic, it's a dream come true. Ever since the event was created on the schedule, I wanted to be a part of it."

  Piot became part of the first wave of players to sign with the breakaway, Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit during the summer of 2022, reportedly receiving a guaranteed two-year, $6 million deal.

  Competing with LIV Golf from 2022-23, he recorded only one top-10 finish with a T6 in Bangkok in October 2022. Part of captain Phil Mickelson's HyFlyers GC team, he finished 47th in individual points in 2023 and was relegated to the Asian Tour.

  PGA Tour rules require a one-year ban for players who compete in unauthorized events like LIV Golf. Piot became eligible again lat October.

  --Field Level Media

Norway's Viktor Hovland was forced to withdraw during the final round of the Travelers Championship on Sunday due to a neck injury.

• Hovland, 27, appeared to be in pain on his opening tee shot in the final round, though he made par on the first hole. He bogeyed the second hole before exiting the course at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.

  The seven-time PGA Tour winner shot a 7-under 63 on Saturday and entered Sunday in the running for a top-10 finish in the PGA Tour's final signature event of the year. Hovland, who is ninth in the Official World Golf Ranking, opened with a 4-under 66 then followed it up with a 5-over 75 before rebounding on Saturday.

  Hovland finished third at the U.S. Open last week and has four top-25 finishes in his last six starts. He will attempt to recuperate in time to compete in The Open in four weeks.

  Hovland was not the only player to withdraw on Sunday.

  Eric Cole exited before the final round and Matti Schmid of Germany departed during the round, both due to illness.

  Cole, 37, carded a 68, 67 and 69 to shoot at 6-under-par 204 to reside tied for 14th place after three rounds.

  Cole, who was seeking his first win on the PGA Tour, is 77th in the Official World Golf Ranking.

  Schmid, 27, carded a 72, 73, and 74 for a 9-over 219 after three rounds.

  He also is in search of his victory on the tour. He is 79th in the Official World Golf Ranking.

  --Field Level Media

Si Woo Kim of South Korea withdrew from the Travelers Championship in the second round on Friday due to a back injury.

• Kim, who shot a 1-over-par 71 in the first round, joined Jordan Spieth and Brian Campbell in making early departures from the tournament in Cromwell, Conn.

  Kim was 8-over for the tournament when he withdrew Friday after posting three bogeys and two double-bogeys through 12 holes.

  Spieth headed for the clubhouse 12 holes into his opening round Thursday due to a neck/upper back injury. Campbell withdrew before the start of the first round due to a shoulder injury.

  Kim, 29, has five career wins -- four on the PGA Tour -- and is 61st in the Official World Golf Ranking. He finished tied for eighth at the PGA Championship last month at Quail Hollow.

  The Travelers is the final of eight signature events in 2025, featuring a $20 million purse.

  --Field Level Media

Charlie Woods qualified for his second straight U.S. Junior Amateur Championship with a clutch playoff win.

• With his famous father, 15-time major winner Tiger Woods in attendance, the 16-year-old Woods held off two other golfers to claim the final qualifying spot Thursday at Eagle Trace Golf Club in Coral Springs, Fla.

  Woods shot a 1-under 71 but bogeyed the final hole to fall into a fifth-place tie with Oscar Crowe and Matthew Marigliano, forcing the playoff.

  Woods will join the top four finishers -- Arth Sinha (67), Lucas Gimenez (68), Sohan Patel (69) and Wylie Inman (69) -- at the U.S. Junior Amateur from July 21-26 at Trinity Forest in Dallas. Crowe and Marigliano will be alternates.

  Tiger Woods, 49, was a three-time U.S. Junior Amateur champion before going on to win 82 PGA Tour titles.

  Charlie Woods, who missed the cut in last year's Junior Amateur at Oakland Hills in Michigan, won his first junior tournament title last month at the Team TaylorMade Invitational in Bowling Green, Fla.

  --Field Level Media