Collin Morikawa, who was among the betting favorites for this week’s Players Championship, has withdrawn due to injury just one hole into the tournament at TPC Sawgrass.
Morikawa was taking a practice swing on the 11th tee box — his second hole of the day — when he tweaked something and grabbed his lower back. He walked off the tee box and was hunched over in obvious discomfort while talking to his caddie. Morikawa spoke with his trainer, and a few minutes later he withdrew, hopped on a cart and headed back to the clubhouse.
“I felt fine in warm-up,” Morikawa told reporters afterward. “Like nothing’s been any signs of back problems. And teed it up on 11, and took one practice swing, and I just knew it was gone. Like 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.”
Morikawa said the whole situation felt like deja vu of a previous back injury.
“Honestly, first hole felt great,” he said. “Hit two great shots. Hit a great putt. Teed it up, nothing felt bad. Like it all hit me at one second, where I was like, something doesn’t feel right. I took a practice swing, there it was, like not being able to swing.”
Morikawa entered the tournament playing some of his best golf in years. He won at Pebble Beach last month for his first victory since October 2023, and in his two starts since he was 7th and 5th. Scottie Scheffler (+350) and Rory McIlroy (+1200) opened with the best odds to win the Players, but Morikawa was tied for third at +2500.
“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, felt fine. Just, yeah, it’s awful. I feel terrible.”
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