J.J. Spaun’s run at the Tour Championship ended early Thursday after the 2025 U.S. Open champion withdrew with a shoulder injury. Spaun was only five holes into his opening round at East Lake Golf Club when he left the tournament.
The PGA Tour’s season-ending event features the top 30 players in the FedExCup standings, including Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Matt Fitzpatrick and Wyndham Clark. Spaun’s withdrawal changes the field as the players compete over 72 holes for the FedExCup and its $10 million prize.
J.J. Spaun Withdraws From Tour Championship
Spaun was 4 over par through his first five holes when he decided he could not continue because of a shoulder injury.
PGA Tour rules official Mark Dusbabek announced the withdrawal during Golf Channel’s live coverage of the opening round.
Dusbabek said he did not have specific information about the nature or severity of Spaun’s injury.
Spaun and his caddie were later seen being driven away from the sixth hole in a golf cart, bringing an early end to the U.S. Open champion’s Tour Championship appearance.
The withdrawal comes only months after Spaun captured his first major championship at the 2025 U.S. Open. His victory at Shinnecock Hills earned him a place among the elite 30-player field competing at East Lake.
Spaun entered the Tour Championship as one of the players looking to finish the PGA Tour season with the FedExCup title.
The tournament began with all 30 players at even par for the second consecutive year. That format gives every player an equal starting position over the 72-hole competition.
Spaun, however, will no longer be part of the race after his early exit.
The PGA Tour has already announced that future editions of the Tour Championship will change significantly. Beginning in 2028, the event is scheduled to move to a revamped match-play format.
For now, the focus remains on the current 30-man field in Atlanta.
Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler Lead Tour Championship Field
Spaun’s withdrawal leaves the remaining players competing for the FedExCup and a $40 million purse at East Lake Golf Club.
Rory McIlroy is seeking to become the first player to win the FedExCup four times. Scottie Scheffler also entered the week as a leading contender after dealing with hand, foot and mouth disease during the BMW Championship.
Scheffler finished tied for 12th at the BMW Championship despite the illness before advancing to Atlanta.
Wyndham Clark also arrived at East Lake after winning the BMW Championship. Clark defeated Patrick Cantlay by three shots at Bellerive Country Club to claim the second playoff event and move to third in the FedExCup standings.
Matt Fitzpatrick entered the Tour Championship as another player who has produced a strong season, while Chris Gotterup was also among the players competing for the season-ending title.
The PGA Tour’s revamped future format is not the only storyline surrounding the event. The current championship remains the final opportunity for the 30 qualified players to win the FedExCup.
The winner will receive $10 million from the $40 million purse.
Spaun’s injury adds an unexpected development to the opening round, but the PGA Tour has not provided further details on the shoulder problem.
With Spaun unable to continue, attention now turns to the remaining field and whether McIlroy, Scheffler, Clark or another contender can finish the season as FedExCup champion.
U.S. Open Champion Abruptly Withdraws From Tour Championship With Injury