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Scottie Scheffler headlines a strong field at Doral, where the fearsome Blue Monster takes centre stage, but Rory McIlroy remains absent.

Trump National Doral's Blue Monster Course is set to provide one of the sternest tests on this season's PGA Tour when the new Cadillac Signature Event tees off in Miami from 30 April to 3 May.

At nearly 7,800 yards, the Blue Monster is built to bite. The layout features a towering 667-yard par-5, three lengthy par-3s beyond 215 yards, and water hazards scattered generously across the course, giving players little room for error and even less for optimism.

With a limited 72-player field and no midway cut, the tournament offers a high-stakes week and a lucrative purse of $20 million, with $3.6 million going to the winner.

World number one Scottie Scheffler heads the field and is likely to start as favourite. Tommy Fleetwood, Cam Young, Collin Morikawa and Justin Rose are also among the notable names teeing up at Doral.

Matt Fitzpatrick, fresh off consecutive victories at the RBC Heritage and Zurich Classic, has opted to take the week off. His brother Alex Fitzpatrick will feature instead after securing his PGA Tour card following the family success in New Orleans.

Rory McIlroy is again absent.

The Masters champion has not played since claiming back-to-back victories at Augusta National and is now expected to return next week at Quail Hollow for the Truist Championship, one of his most successful venues. No official reason has been given for his latest withdrawal, though McIlroy has previously indicated he is trimming his schedule to focus on golf's biggest events.

That selective approach has drawn some quiet criticism. Fellow PGA Tour player Michael Kim noted on social media that he hoped one day to be in a position to skip a Signature Event while fully fit, a pointed remark that reflected broader frustration in some corners of the tour.

Whether McIlroy is missed or not, the Blue Monster should still command attention. At Doral this week, the course may be the star, and perhaps the villain, all at once.