Jake Knapp forced out of the PGA Championship as replacement in field is named

Jake Knapp has withdrawn from this week’s PGA Championship at Aronimink as he continues to deal with a persistent thumb injury.

Knapp, 31, officially pulled out on Monday, marking his third consecutive withdrawal on Tour. 

Tom Hoge has now taken Knapp’s place in the 156-player field for the season’s second major.

Hoge, 36, will now make his 22nd major appearance and seventh in a row at the PGA Championship. 

The world number 124 has only chalked up one top-10 finish in the majors, coming with a tie for ninth at the 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills. 

Hoge is struggling badly for form with just two top-10 finishes and five missed cuts in 14 starts this season, and he didn't even qualify for the Masters in April. 

But the American has been given a lifeline to dramatically turn his season around in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.

Hoge captured his sole PGA Tour title to date with a two-shot victory over Jordan Spieth at the 2022 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. 

Spieth incidentally is looking to become just the seventh player in history to complete the career grand slam this week.

If there are any additional withdrawals before the PGA Championship begins, Kevin Yu, Mac Meissner and Tony Finau are next in line to enter the field.

Knapp has not teed it up on the PGA Tour since finishing tied for 74th at the RBC Heritage in mid-April. 

Since then, the big-hitting American has withdrawn from back to back $20m Signature Events, the Cadillac Championship and the Truist Championship, before also being forced out of this week's PGA Championship.

The injury comes at an unfortunate time for Knapp, who had enjoyed an excellent start to the 2026 season. 

He posted seven top-11 finishes in his first eight appearances of the year, including a tied-11th result at The Masters, while climbing into the top 10 on the PGA Tour for strokes gained: total.

Knapp has featured in five majors since the start of 2024. 

Alongside his career-best finish at Augusta National earlier this season, his major record also includes three missed cuts and a tie for 55th.

He is currently ranked 39th in the world but 20th with Data Golf.

Knapp has not yet spoken publicly about the extent of his injury or when he expects to return to action.

His lone PGA Tour victory came at the 2024 Mexico Open. 

World number one Scottie Scheffler headlines the field at the PGA Championship as he looks to become the first player to successfully defend the Wanamaker Trophy since Brooks Koepka in 2019.

Rory McIlroy will attempt to move half way to the season grand slam should he land a third Wanamaker Trophy and seventh career major title this Sunday. The Northern Irishman won his first PGA title at Kiawah Island in 2012, and then added another at Valhalla in 2014. 

McIlroy joined an exclusive career grand slam club at the 2025 Masters and then became the first player in history to successfully defend the coveted Green Jacket at Augusta National last April. 

Other players who will fancy their chances of winning the 2026 PGA Championship include red-hot duo Cameron Young and Matt Fitzpatrick, who have vaulted to third and fourth in the world respectively courtesy of multiple victories on the PGA Tour this season. 

PGA Championship Full Field