Justin Thomas withdraws from Biltmore Championship field
By Staff Writer
2 min read
Key takeaways
- Justin Thomas withdrew from the inaugural Biltmore Championship Asheville late Sunday, days before the Sept. 17-20 event, with no reason given.
- Three-time PGA Tour winner Cameron Champ has replaced him in the field.
- Seven Presidents Cup players remain committed: Americans Jacob Bridgeman and Jackson Koivun, and Internationals Corey Connors, Nick Taylor, Nico Echavarria, Ryo Hisatsune and Christiaan Bezuidenhout.
- Thomas, a captain's pick for his fourth Presidents Cup, will arrive at Medinah with no competitive rounds in roughly a month.
- Billy Horschel, 100th in the FedExCup standings, is skipping the DP World Tour's BMW PGA Championship to play Biltmore instead.
Justin Thomas withdrew from the inaugural Biltmore Championship Asheville late Sunday, days before the FedExCup Fall opener tees off at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove, leaving seven other Presidents Cup players in the field.
Why did Justin Thomas withdraw?
No official reason has been given for the withdrawal. Cameron Champ, a three-time PGA Tour winner, has taken his place in the field. Thomas was working toward his first competitive round since the Sunday of last month's BMW Championship, and the gap now stretches to a full month heading into the Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club.
The 33-year-old missed most of the fall after a microdiscectomy in November 2025, returning at the Arnold Palmer Invitational before missing the cut at Bay Hill. He finished the season with two top-10s and eight top-25s, including a T16 in the second-to-last round of the FedExCup Playoffs. Thomas was a captain's pick by Brandt Snedeker for his fourth Presidents Cup and carries a strong record in the event, with 11 points from 15 matches.
Which Presidents Cup players remain in the Biltmore field?
Two Americans and five Internationals are still committed. Jacob Bridgeman, the Genesis Invitational champion, and PGA Tour rookie Jackson Koivun represent Team USA, while Canadians Corey Connors and Nick Taylor, three-time PGA Tour winner Nico Echavarria, Japan's Ryo Hisatsune and South Africa's Christiaan Bezuidenhout make up the International contingent. The setup echoes 2025's first FedExCup Fall event, the Procore Championship, when 10 of Keegan Bradley's U.S. Ryder Cup team played and Scottie Scheffler won.
| Team | Players in Biltmore field |
|---|---|
| USA | Jacob Bridgeman, Jackson Koivun |
| International | Corey Connors, Nick Taylor, Nico Echavarria, Ryo Hisatsune, Christiaan Bezuidenhout |
A month-long layoff is an unusual way to walk into a fourth Presidents Cup.
Who else is in the Biltmore Championship field?
Memorial Tournament winner J.T. Poston, three-time DP World Tour winner Marco Penge and rising player Blades Brown are also entered, along with six-time PGA Tour winner Tony Finau. Billy Horschel, who has eight tour wins, is playing Biltmore instead of his usual stop at the BMW PGA Championship; sitting 100th in the FedExCup Fall standings, the final spot to guarantee a card next season, he needs the points more than the trip to Wentworth.
Frequently asked questions
When does the Biltmore Championship Asheville start?
Sept. 17-20 at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove in Arden, North Carolina.
Who replaced Justin Thomas in the field?
Cameron Champ, a three-time PGA Tour winner.
How many Presidents Cup players are in the Biltmore field?
Seven: Jacob Bridgeman and Jackson Koivun for the U.S., and five Internationals.
Where is the 2026 Presidents Cup being played?
Medinah Country Club.
Has Justin Thomas played much golf in 2026?
He returned from a November 2025 microdiscectomy at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and finished the season with two top-10s and eight top-25s.
- Justin Thomas
- Biltmore Championship
- Presidents Cup
- Cameron Champ
- FedExCup Fall
- Jacob Bridgeman
- Billy Horschel
- The Cliffs at Walnut Cove
