Collin Morikawa Withdraws from Players Championship Due to Injury
Golfer Collin Morikawa was forced to withdraw from the Players Championship on Thursday morning due to a back injury. Morikawa, winner of two majors and the Pebble Beach Pro-Am this season, could only play one hole in the opening round before withdrawing.Morikawa, one of the favorites at the TPC Sawgrass this week, touched his back and frowned before calling a trainer. After assessing his situation, he was removed from the golf course and officially withdrew from the tournament. The golfer also experienced back problems in 2021 during the Tokyo Olympics and in 2023, which forced him to withdraw from the Memorial tournament that year. Earlier this week, Morikawa talked about how his recent game has been boosted by a preseason in which he focused on his body.“I felt good in the warm-up. There were no signs of problems in the back. And I stopped at the 11th hole, took a practice swing, and knew it was gone,” Morikawa said. “I had the same feeling as before when it happened. And I just can’t continue with the swing. Believe me, I would play if I could. It’s the worst thing in the world.”
Collin Morikawa
“Honestly, at the beginning of this year I was very confident,” Morikawa said. “I worked a lot on my body just to strengthen it in general, be healthier, stronger, and in shape.”
Collin MorikawaMorikawa, 29, who leads the FedEx Cup at the start of the season, has achieved three top 10s this season and had been showing some of the best form he has had in recent years. In addition to the victory at Pebble Beach earlier this year, he finished fifth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week.
