Dustin Johnson receives late PGA Championship 2025 invite – but who’s not playing at Quail Hollow?
The 2025 PGA Championship’s field has been announced with several notable omissions and a last-minute invitation for a former World No.1.
Quail Hollow will host the second Major tournament of the year, with Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy yet again the hot favourites, while Xander Schauffele will look to defend his crown from last year.
Dustin Johnson, a former World No.1 and two-time Major champion, looked destined to miss out on his first Major tournament in over a decade, with his five-year exemption from his 2020 Masters win expired.
But the PGA Championship have offered a last-minute invitation for the now ranked 751st in the world LIV golfer who didn’t initially have enough golf ranking points to earn direct entry.
The iconic course in Charlotte, North Carolina, will host the 2025 edition of the event from the 15th to the 18th of May, with a star-studded field as the PGA and LIV Tours meet for the second time this season.
But there are some notable absentees among the field who weren’t fortunate enough to land a last-ditch invitation and will have to make other plans for their weekend.
So, which Major tournament regulars will be absent at Quail Hollow this week?
Tiger Woods
The 15-time Major champion remains sidelined with uncertainty on when he’ll make a return.
His ongoing recovery from injuries and recent achilles surgery that have prevented him from playing 72 holes of golf have made his absences somewhat expected.
However, every Major event without the legend of golf in the field is significant.
Rickie Fowler
The six time PGA Tour and Players Championship winner’s miserable form means he hasn’t met the qualification criteria for the 2025 PGA Championship.
His absence is suprising considering a win at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in 2023 gave hope off a resurgence to his former level but it’s been a dissappointing few seasons since, capped off by a second successive Major tournament absence.
There is one back-door route however: a win in this week’s Truist Championship
Billy Horschel
Despite playing well in 2025 with some great tournament finishes, Horschel has been forced to undergo hip surgery and make the tough call to withdraw from the 2025 PGA Championship.
It’s disappointing with the Floridian having been a form player on Tour in recent months. There were clear signs that a ninth PGA Tour title wasn’t far away.
Webb Simpson
Simpson did not qualify as a result of his sharp drop in performance and world ranking, which has been a contrast to his regular Major form over the last decade and beyond.
The 2012 US Open Champion and former World No.4 hasn’t won an event in five years since his triumph at the 2020 Phoenix Open.
It’ll be disappointing to him and local fans as a specialist at his home course, Quail Hollow.
Gary Woodland
Still on a remarkable comeback trail following brain surgery in 2023, his form is improving but he is yet to achieve a ranking that would result in a PGA Championship berth.
He was ranked as high as 12th in 2019, a special year for the star from Kansas who won the US Open as well as representing the United States in the Presidents Cup.
A back injury has hampered him in recent weeks although, like Fowler, he could still sneak in with victory at this week’s Truist Championship.
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