The 2025 PGA Tour’s Rocket Classic at Detroit Golf Club has experienced a surprising shakeup with the recent withdrawal of Tony Finau, one of the event’s marquee players and the 2022 Rocket Classic champion. Finau’s exit marks the latest in a series of notable scratches from the tournament field, leaving fans and pundits alike speculating about the implications for the competition.
Finau, currently ranked 44th in the world, was officially confirmed to have withdrawn by the PGA Tour Communications via Twitter just days before the tournament’s opening tee time. The announcement was brief and without details, leaving his reasons undisclosed amid a spate of player withdrawals that has seen seven competitors pull out in the lead-up to the event.
Scheduled to tee off on Thursday at 12:43 p.m. Eastern Time, Finau would have played alongside Harry Hall and Aaron Wise starting from the 10th tee. Stepping in to fill his spot is Joseph Bramlett, positioned much further down the rankings at 232nd in the world.
This withdrawal comes after a mixed recent form for the 35-year-old Salt Lake City native. Finau’s performance at the Travelers Championship the prior week was a rollercoaster, posting an overall 11-under score but marked by uneven rounds including two poor starts and a faltering final round. With a history of injury—most notably a torn meniscus repaired via surgery at the end of last season—Finau is no stranger to challenges. Although he has since returned to play, participating in sixteen tournaments this season, his results have yet to reach his prior standards, with only one top-10 and a handful of top-25 finishes.
The 2025 season has seen Finau’s rankings drop; he currently ranks 44th globally and 51st in the FedEx Cup standings, contrasting with his 2024 performance where he made the top 25 in fifteen tournaments and secured five top-10 finishes, including a runner-up spot at the Houston Open.
Finau’s absence leaves a notable gap in the Rocket Classic’s player lineup and continues a disturbing trend of withdrawals among top competitors, raising questions about the factors influencing these decisions so close to the tournament start. As the Rocket Classic proceeds without one of its leading contenders, all eyes will be on how the adjusted field adapts and who will seize the opportunity amid the unexpected vacancies.
Golf enthusiasts will be watching closely as the Rocket Classic unfolds, eager to see whether new or remaining players can capitalize on the shifting dynamics created by Tony Finau’s sudden withdrawal.
