FedExCup leader Collin Morikawa withdrew from The Players after just one hole in the opening round due to a back injury.
After winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last month, Morikawa was one of the favorites to win the PGA Tour’s flagship event, including top-seven finishes in his next two starts.
The two-time major champion had a tee time at 8:40am (12:40pm UK time) along with Ludvig Åberg and Si-Woo Kim, while Morikawa opened with a two-putt par on the par-4 10th before experiencing discomfort ahead of the next par-5.
Morikawa grabbed his back immediately after practicing his tee shot, and the American received treatment next to the hole and then left the course in a buggy.
“I felt good during the warm-up,” Morikawa told reporters. “There seemed to be no signs of any back problems. I teed it up on the 11th hole, took one practice swing and noticed it was gone.
“Trust me, I’d play it if I could. It’s the worst thing in the world.”
His mid-round withdrawal was the second in his career on the PGA Tour and the first since the 2023 Memorial. Overy and Kim Si-woo played the remaining rounds with two balls.
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AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Final Round Highlights as Colin Morikawa Wins
Sky Sports’ Nick Doherty said: “Had he been in form this week, there would have been very high expectations of him.” “Adding The Players to two major teams would have definitely been on his hit list. It’s a real disappointment for one of our favorite players.”
Morikawa was the second player to withdraw from The Players on the opening morning, with New Zealand’s Ryan Fox withdrawing ahead of his round due to illness.
David Ford replaces Fox, while Chris Kirk and former Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley complete that three-ball.
Rory McIlroy is also concerned about injury ahead of his title defense. On Wednesday, world number two McIlroy said he felt “a lot better” but would decide at “game time” whether he would tee it up.
McIlroy arrived at TPC Sawgrass only Wednesday afternoon for a limited practice session and walking a few holes, allowing him to enter the tournament without a practice round.
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