The 2026 Rocket Classic at Detroit Golf Club received more bad news on Thursday. Taylor Moore, golfer with more than $12 million in career earnings, withdrew just hours before his first round was set to begin.
“Taylor Moore WD before the start of his first round,” the PGA Tour posted. “Moore is replaced by Jimmy Stanger in the 1:38 p.m. grouping off No. 1.”
No injury designation or reason accompanied the notice. Moore disappears from a tournament that he did not miss in the recent past.
He owns four appearances at the Rocket Classic and has five top-10 finishes combined in his previous starts.
In 2023, he tied for fourth at 21-under. In 2022, he finished sixth. As recently as 2024, Moore posted a tied-for-10th result. His only forgettable trip to the Motor City came in 2025 when he missed the cut at 5-under.
Moore’s 2026 season started well. At the Cognizant Classic, he finished tied for second at 15-under.
But lately his form has taken a turn for the worse. He has missed three straight cuts before coming to this event.
Jimmy Stanger Steps In Place of Taylor Moore
GettyTaylor Moore of the United States plays his shot from the ninth tee during the first round of the RBC Canadian Open 2026 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley.
Jimmy Stanger, a 31-year-old from Tampa, turned professional in 2017 after earning first-team All-American honors at the University of Virginia.
Stanger’s path to the PGA Tour was one of grinding persistence. He spent six full seasons on the Korn Ferry Tour before winning the Compliance Solutions Championship in June 2023.
That victory, at his 120th start on the development tour, finally gave him a PGA Tour card.
His early PGA Tour career was interrupted by an elbow injury that kept him away from competition through much of 2025.
He returned in 2026 with 12 medical-category starts to rebuild full status.
Stanger’s season figures tell the story of a player regaining his footing. He has made 7 of 16 cuts on Tour in 2026.
Rickie Fowler Opens with A Strong Performance
GettyRickie Fowler of the United States plays his shot on the 13th hole during the first round of the Rocket Classic 2026 at Detroit Golf Club.
Rickie Fowler opens the Rocket Classic with a 7-under. He now holds the second spot, tied with Ryan Gerrard.
Fowler is fighting to get back into the Top 30 of the FedEx rankings to lock his spot at the Tour Championship, an event he missed last time.
Jordan Spieth is also in a similar but tougher battle. He needs to get into the top 50.
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