Collin Morikawa was forced to withdraw from the 2026 The Players Championship on Thursday after suffering a back injury shortly after beginning his opening round at TPC Sawgrass.
According to Golfweek, Morikawa teed off at 8:40 a.m. ET from the 10th tee, but the issue surfaced quickly. After finishing the 10th hole and stepping to the 11th tee, the two-time major champion took a practice swing and immediately felt something wrong in his back. According to Morikawa, the discomfort appeared suddenly despite feeling completely fine during his warm-up routine.
“I felt fine in warm-up. Like nothing’s been any signs of back problems,” Morikawa said. “And teed it up on 11, and took one practice swing, and I just knew it was gone. I just had the feeling before when it’s happened. And I just, I can’t swing through it. Trust me, I would play if I could. It’s just the worst thing in the world.”
Injury Appeared Suddenly During Opening Round
The problem became evident as Morikawa attempted to continue playing the hole. After stepping to the tee on No. 11, he was seen stretching and trying to loosen his back before hitting his drive. His tee shot quickly veered left in a duck hook, and he immediately reached for his back afterward.
Recognizing something wasn’t right, Morikawa called for a trainer and briefly consulted with both the medical staff and his caddie, Mark Urbanek. After discussing the severity of the issue, the decision was made to withdraw from the tournament.
Morikawa shared a quick moment with his playing partners, Ludvig Åberg and Si Woo Kim, along with their caddies before exiting the course. He was then carted back to the clubhouse, ending his week at the PGA Tour’s flagship event almost as soon as it began.
“I’ve had this stuff before, and been healthy all throughout the year…,” Morikawa said. “I don’t know – before I even took my practice swing, it’s like you had like a weird, like deja vu thing. I took the practice swing and immediately knew I just couldn’t get through impact.”
A Tough Blow After Entering the Week in Top Form
Morikawa’s withdrawal is particularly disappointing considering the form he brought into the tournament. The world No. 4 entered the week as the FedEx Cup leader, continuing a strong early-season run on the PGA Tour.
Just last month, Morikawa captured the title at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, adding another win to his resume. He also recorded a fifth-place finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, further cementing his status as one of the hottest players entering The Players Championship.
Morikawa arrived at TPC Sawgrass riding 13 consecutive rounds under par, the longest active streak on the PGA Tour at the time. Given that momentum, many analysts and fans considered him one of the top contenders to challenge for the title.
Morikawa Frustrated by Uncertain Cause
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the injury for Morikawa is that he cannot pinpoint exactly what caused it. The 2020 PGA Championship winner said his body felt normal during pre-round preparation, leaving him puzzled as to why the issue suddenly appeared.
“It’s just frustrating because I don’t know what caused it,” Morikawa said. “Maybe something wasn’t activated enough or what, but I went through all the warmups and felt fine. Just, yeah, it’s awful. I feel terrible.”
The withdrawal marks a disappointing end to Morikawa’s sixth career appearance at The Players Championship. His best result at the tournament came just last year, when he recorded his first top-10 finish, tied for 10th place with Davis Thompson.
Collin Morikawa Forced to Withdraw From The Players Championship