The Procore Championship at Silverado was going to be a fall highlight; a chance for PGA Tour pros to clinch points and Ryder Cup contenders to sharpen their edges. Instead, that storyline has been tilted right before the first ball was struck. Xander Schauffele, the world No. 3 and one of America’s Ryder Cup anchors, chose not to enter. His absence wasn’t just about one missing star; it quietly weakened the entire event. And in a world where points equal opportunity, that costs every player in the field.

The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) is clear-cut in how it assigns its value. A tournament’s field strength depends on who plays. When a top-five player like Schauffele skips, the event’s rating slides. Nosferatu, the trusted OWGR analyst, crunched the numbers: Europe’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth was projected to deliver about 50 points to its winner, while Silverado’s Procore Championship dipped to 48.5.

It’s a marginal drop, but marginal drops matter. One fewer elite name in the field meant every competitor in Napa earned less than they might have with Schauffele present. That’s the sting: Schauffele’s decision not only impacted his own rhythm before Bethpage. It diluted the opportunity of his peers.

Players who ground out a top-10 finish at Silverado will bank fewer points than their European counterparts who play well at Wentworth, even though both tournaments fall in the same calendar window. For the mid-tier pros trying to climb into the top 50, or fringe Ryder Cup hopefuls hoping to rise in standing, those decimal-point gaps could prove decisive down the line. In the arithmetic of the OWGR, one man’s absence became everyone’s loss.

In the short term, Schauffele’s absence shaved ranking points from every PGA Tour pro who teed it up at Silverado. In the medium term, it handed Europe a marginally stronger dress rehearsal heading into Bethpage. And in the long term, it highlights a deeper truth about the modern golf calendar: one player’s scheduling choice can ripple far beyond their own scorecard.

Shift the lens across the Atlantic, and the storyline broadens. This week was about more than ranking points; it was about Ryder Cup dress rehearsals. And here too, the imbalance showed.

What Xander Schauffele’s absence means for the Ryder Cup

At Silverado, 10 of 12 American Ryder Cup players committed to play. But without Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau, the U.S. rehearsal is lacking two key puzzle pieces. Europe, meanwhile, enjoyed near-total attendance: 11 of 12 Ryder Cuppers will tee it up at Wentworth, with only Sepp Straka missing. Luke Donald essentially got his entire roster together in competitive conditions, something Keegan Bradley couldn’t replicate in Napa. That matters for chemistry, pairings, and form.

Bradley tried to downplay the disparity, but his words revealed only the captain’s intent: “No one is required to go. The boys feel like this is the best course of action to be ready to play at their highest level at Bethpage.” And when asked whether the gap between the tournaments was the reason, he said, “I think the guys want to feel ready to go at Bethpage (Sept. 26-28) and they feel this is the best way to do it.” 

Most of his squad did answer the call, yet losing a player like Schauffele meant one less chance to test potential partnerships under tournament pressure. On the European side, Donald could plug in rookies, shuffle duos, and build trust in a high-stakes event.

The disparity isn’t only in who showed up; it’s also in the courses themselves. Scottsdale Silverado Golf Course carries a USGA course rating of 67.8. By contrast, Wentworth’s West Course is rated 77.5: a clear marker of higher difficulty and the kind of setup that more closely simulates Ryder Cup conditions. In simple terms, the BMW PGA field faced a sterner, more demanding examination than the Procore Championship. That alone amplifies the competitive value of Europe’s tune-up, regardless of the marginal OWGR math.