Since returning from his wrist surgery, Jordan Spieth has grabbed headlines this year. He made his competitive return to the PGA Tour in February at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and then also participated at the Genesis Invitational. But it was not his performances at these events that got fans talking. It was the fact that he was given exemptions to these two high-profile events he would not have otherwise qualified for. This raised questions from the fans about the Tour’s meritocracy claims and while there was a case to be made for his presence in these signature events, his latest announcement did little to curry favor with the disgruntled bunch.

Spieth had a less-than-ideal return to the greens at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am but made a strong comeback at the WM Phoenix Open with a T4 finish. However, he failed to impress at the Genesis Invitational as he missed the cut. He admitted that he was struggling with the wrist injury after The Genesis, and he wasn’t expected to be seen on Tour until the Arnold Palmer in a few weeks’ time. But Spieth seems determined to get some reps in before the event in Bay Hill.

On Friday PGA Tour confirmed the field for the Cognizant Classic on X. However, just over an hour and a half after the first field list was made public, they posted again on X, this time to confirm Jordan Spieth’s presence at The Palm Beaches, Florida event. This will mark the first time that three-time Major winner Jordan Spieth will play at the Cognizant Classic in his 12-year pro career.

Apart from Spieth, several Palm Beach County residents, including Rickie Fowler, Daniel Berger, and Gary Woodland, return for the event that starts Thursday on the Champion Course at PGA National, one of the statistically toughest courses on the PGA Tour calendar.

The field includes 10 former winners, five of the past six: Austin Eckroat (2024), Chris Kirk (2023), Straka (2022), Im (2020) and Keith Mitchell (2019). Eckroat is aiming to become the first back-to-back winner since Jack Nicklaus won three in a row from 1976-78.

The field will include 16 of the top 50 in the current world ranking but Spieth’s entry, currently ranked at 67th, was costly for Australian golfer Karl Vilips.

Karl Vilips, who was initially scheduled to compete, has been relegated to the first alternate slot. This is significant as ten Korn Ferry Tour grads are going to compete on the first alternates. Vilips has been making headlines in the golf community since being appointed as the ambassador for Tiger Woods’ apparel line, Sun Day Red. 

A 13-time winner on the PGA Tour, Spieth has struggled for form since last season. He finished 80th in the FedEx Cup standings in 2024 and came into this year dealing with a wrist injury. Recently talking to Smiley Kaufman, he revealed that he was playing at a similar level to a four-handicap golfer as he entered the new season.

“If we go back to two weeks before Pebble, I was legit a 4-6 handicapper,” Spieth said. “I would have gotten four a side from the pros and it would have been a good match. So the meteoric rise from then until now has been some of the most impressive improvement in my game I have ever had, but it’s not saying a whole lot, as I started lower than I had when I was probably nine.”

Top Comment by Jhsimmons17

Absolutely!!! We are talking about an “earned” position when Jordan is allowed to play in these tournaments!! He’s paid his...more

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Despite this, his entry into the signature event and now the Cognizant Classic does bode well for the Tour given his popularity. This was what Sean Zak also argued when he was handed an exemption to the Genesis Invitational. “There is a reason why Collin Morikawa was Mr. Number 11 despite winning a lot. Because he’s not really as popular as Jordan Spieth is. Ratings, when Spieth is involved, go up,” he said.

Jordan Spieth’s entry may have bumped Karl Vilips from the Cognizant Classic, but things just took a flip! Tyler McCumber, who was scheduled to compete, withdrew before the competition got off. That implies Vilips is back in the mix and is prepared to tee it up in a packed PGA Tour field!

However, while Spieth’s inclusion does add weight to the field with some key big names such as Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods missing, fans were unhappy to see Vilips being excluded previously from the list. Discussions over the tournament’s selection procedure and the effect of last-minute adjustments on promising players have been triggered by this displacement and fans have reacted to it. 

Fans react: Karl Vilips’ support during lineup changes

The golf community has responded passionately to the news of Spieth’s late commitment and Vilips’ subsequent demotion to the first alternate. Many supporters have voiced their displeasure and pushed for Vilips to be included in the competition on social media. To express their dissatisfaction, one fan wrote, “Booooooo we want Vilips,” in response to the PGA Tour’s post.

With his recent endorsement from Tiger Woods’ company, Vilips embodies the future wave of golfers who are ready to leave a lasting impression. This stance was echoed by another supporter who wrote, “Booooooo, bring us Karl.” The frequency of these appeals reveals a developing movement among fans calling for more chances for developing players. 

One fan in particular said, “We want Vilips. He’s better than most of the field.” This audacious claim, which implies that Vilips’ prospective performance could equal or even exceed that of more seasoned players, highlights the faith that some supporters have in his skills.

And their faith is rightfully placed. After all, he has been voted the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour (KFT) Rookie of the Year by fellow members after his stunning start to his life as a professional. Once Vilips hit the greens after graduating from Stanford University, he made the most of the opportunities that came his way as he scored consecutive top-15 finishes before a runner-up spot at the NV5 Invitational in Illinois at the end of July.

Post this, he managed to win the Utah Championship and needed only 10 events to secure his PGA Tour card for 2025, courtesy of finishing 19th place on the season-ending standings.

One admirer made the lighthearted remark, “Karl Vilips punching air right now.” This informal statement acknowledges Vilips’ frustration at coming so near to winning a major championship and shows sympathy for his predicament. “Damn, so Spieth decided to play here and a guy who already committed got bumped. Damn,” said another spectator.

A fan questioned the meritocracy of such events writing, “So now we just letting anyone in.”

These fan responses reflect a developing conversation about striking an equilibrium between accommodating prominent athletes and keeping promises to growing talents. Spieth’s involvement certainly enhances awareness of the tournament, but it also calls into question the options available to young athletes like Vilips.

The PGA Tour has prided itself on its serious golf nature compared to LIV Golf, but with Spieth’s recent exemptions and now Karl Vilips being relegated due to his presence, those claims might not hold much weight.

The sudden change in the Cognizant Classic’s lineup has raised interest in the competition and spurred important discussions about golf’s future and the value of giving up-and-coming players a platform. All eyes will be on how these conditions develop on the course as the event progresses.