The actual 'big fish' that are the current favorites to win majors haven't gone anywhere. It would be incredibly harsh to call DJ, Phil, Bryson and Koepka has-beens, as they have all won majors in the last three years, but none of them have played well in 2022.
It's also worth pointing out that the defecting "big-names" are among those with the least to lose, since they all have golden tickets to all of the majors except the PGA for the next few years via the exemptions for recent major winners. Even if Phil hadn't bagged last year's PGA, it's impossible to imagine the R&A telling Phil that John Daly, Justin Leonard, Paul Lawrie, David Duval, Ben Curtis, Todd Hamilton or Paedrig could tee it up at St. Andrews on a past champion's exemption, but that he can't. Ditto the Masters committee sending the letter to a three-time former champion who just gave back the Wanamaker Trophy.
Though I once heard Seve tell Alliss that the Masters committee wrote him to say that they wanted their jacket back (it's not supposed to leave the club) and that he told them to come get it.
